Marshall,
When you consider the mess of cleaning up a toxic you may want to replace
both the o-ring and the core while you're at it... the core will go
eventually anyway.
Bill
-----Original Message-----
From: Marshall Ruskin <mruskin@PANGEA.CA>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Monday, February 21, 2000 4:43 PM
Subject: Re: REAR HEATER Repair/By-pass advice

>I have the same problem....
>
>I went to the dealer to discuss it - and they suggested an O-ring is the
>possible problem. It cost about $3.00 - pretty expensive for a rubber band!
>
>The dealer said that it is a common failure - and many heater cores are
>replaced or ordered, when it's just the O-ring having failed.
>
>Anyhow - I haven't installed it yet. It goes between the valve and the
>remainder of the unit, or something like that.
>
>Anyhow - I am going to try this before I try replacing the core.
>
>Marshall Ruskin
>84 Westy
>
>
>>list,
>>
>>i'm having a serious coolant leak coming from my rear (under bench) heater
>>in my '90 vanagon. (by serious i mean it has soaked my padding and carpet
>>twice all the way up to the behind the front seats) i need to know what to
>>do.
>>
>>i've removed the outermost housing and have discovered coolant build-up
>>around the bottom of the fins on the radiator unit. it appears to be
>leaking
>>around there and coming out of the seam of bottom of the housing
>surrounding
>>that core unit. (i should note here that the hoses and other usual leak
>>areas appear to be fine) does this mean that the radiator unit is shot? is
>>there a "stop leak" type fix? should i create some kind of "U" joint for
>the
>>hoses to bypass the heater unit and take it out until i can repair or
>>replace it? and if i make the "U" joint, does disconnecting the heater
mean
>>i have to bleed the system after i'm done because i've let air in?
>>basically, what is the best thing to do?
>>
>>this problem has gotten continually worsened to the point that my coolant
>>sensor light comes on.
>>
>>any information on this subject will be immensly appreciated.
>>
>>p.s. for those of you that care, i was on this list for a year or two
until
>>last year. remember, my '87 caught on fire in the taco bell parking lot?
>>it's nice to be back. i've missed the list. i hope all is well in v-land
>>
>>thank you in advance.
>>
>>Tony
>>'90 GL
>>
>