Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (September 2011, week 3)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:45:49 -0500
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: 85-H20 loss of coolant mystery
Comments: To: John Rodgers <inua@charter.net>
In-Reply-To:  <4E7A2EE8.1030401@charter.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

John, I was generalizing for brevity. Of course I didn't expect the poster to pull the heads just because he saw a puddle without thoroughly checking out the situation. I was trying to make the distinction between the two types of leaks in the waterboxer's two types of head gaskets. Someone had just posted "vanagon head gaskets need to be replaced every 60,000 miles." Well, one of them does, and it's not the one that this poster probably needs to be worrying about right now.

Jim

On Wed, Sep 21, 2011 at 1:37 PM, John Rodgers <inua@charter.net> wrote:

> > On 9/21/2011 12:37 PM, Jim Felder wrote: > >> If you have water on the driveway under the heads, you have a leaking >> outer >> gasket. >> > > Jim, > > As the 'Lil Boy Sez "It ain't necessarily so!" > > On my Red 88GL - I began loosing coolant from the overflow tank. I kept > adding coolant and kept driving until I check it out. I figured prol'ly head > gaskets. I never saw water dripping in the driveway, but I just knew there > was a leak somewhere. One day I slid up underneath to take a look, and low > and behold, water running along the edge of the head. Not enough to drip, > but that edge was very wet. I figured Oh, No! - head gasket time is here. > Well I drove it a while longer. Then one day, for whatever reason, I > inquired of the List what action to take, complaining about my leaky heads, > Someone - I can't remember who and I apologize - responded saying it may > not be the heads leaking - but to check the thermostat and Temp II housing. > I had it put up on a rack this time, to give it a really good look-see...... > and there is was - a crack in the housing where it fits to the head - the > bolt boss was cracked. I replaced the housing and had no more apparent head > leakage, nor any loss of coolant from the system. > > Apparently, when moving, the water from the leak was migrating backward so > as to show up along the edge of the head on the left side of the vehicle. > Looked for all the world like a head gasket leak. > > Before I would tear into the engine to do a head gasket seal job, I would > give that thermostat housing a thorough going over for cracks. Housings are > readily available from out list vendors. If there is/are no cracks or leaks, > I would try using the Suburu leak stop compound. > > Good luck. > > John > > John Rodgers > Clayartist and Moldmaker > 88'GL VW Bus Driver > Chelsea, AL > Http://www.moldhaus.com > > > >


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

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.