Barry,

First, you'll notice you have to top-off the coolant (the tank behind the
license plate). - Without leaks, this shouldn't budge.  There's a min and
max level indicator in there.

Next you'll notice a greenish colour residue on the bottom of the engine
where the 'drips' from the heads run down the engine and evaporate on the
bottom.

You'll also may notice this same greenish residue on the front/rear sides of
the heads when looking from above the engine (right at the seal).

when it gets worse, the drips will reach the ground without evaporating, and
you'll have real pools of coolant and will be checking/topping up the
reservoir every couple of days (if not every day).

I have the beginnings of this, and am waiting for the 'pool of coolant'
situation before I replace them.

One thing I noticed though, is that they leaked a lot in the winter, and now
it's warmer, there's much less leakage.

-any other symptoms?

(oh, and your coolant not be green...)

Dave,
Napa, CA
'91 westy.

on 4/17/00 11:17 AM, Barry Mercer at Barry_Mercer1@EXCITE.CA wrote:

> What are the symptoms of the dreaded cylinder head / coolant leaks ?
>
> Does the leak usually start with a painfully slow drip drip of the stuff
> onto the driveway or does it manifest self in some other manner?
>
> Also... a question about the contents of the expansion tank.
>
> Should there always be something in that expansion tank... the one directly
> in front of the license plate?
>
> Barry Mercer
> Sudbury, Ontario
>
> Moo  88 westy 153k kilometres.
>