If you need to regularly add coolant, you have a problem that needs to be corrected. The leak back there could be the water pump, a hose, or the external head gasket. A water pump leak will be obvious if you look at the weep hole with a flashlight. If there is evidence of a big trail there is the problem. A water pump leak needs to be addressed as some of that leakage will get into the outer bearing. This can cause a catastrophic pump failure. This type of failure results in engine case damage and under the right conditions, an engine trauma. Of course there will be the side of the road WP change or the towing hassle. Dennis -----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Jim Felder Sent: Saturday, March 25, 2006 12:54 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Water pump cold-weather question My 90 vanagon has been used only a little this winter, but whether I park it inside or out, I see at least a little bit of coolant under the water pump. It doesn't lose enough to make it run hot, and I keep the coolant topped up anyway. I haven't investigated thoroughly enough to determine where it's leaking from, but I'd like to know if it's time to order a water pump. Here are the symptoms: Throughout the winter, slight leak of coolant from waterpump area. Drove 1000 miles last week to the gulf and back. It was warmer (70s) down there, and I experience no leak, no drop in coolant. I've been back for two days and it's been down into the thirties at night, and I've seen a puddle both days. Does this sound like a water pump seal? Thanks, Jim |
Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of
Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection
will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!
Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com
The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.
Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.