All,
  Marshall, you "hit the nail right on the head" in my case.  A few months
back, this is exactly why I couldn't keep an "air pocket" out of my coolant
tank.  It was scaring the heck out of me plus driving me crazy!  I took out
the rear heater and the "Tee connections" too.  Put in a splice (feed
through) pipe and my "air pocket" went promptly away.  This all happened
right after me second head gasket seal job.  Good luck.
Rich and Annemarie
85 GL "Buba"
98 Bug

>From: Marshall Ruskin <mruskin@pangea.ca>
>Reply-To: Marshall Ruskin <mruskin@pangea.ca>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: My 87 vanagon seems to be overheating...
>Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 15:35:25 -0500
>
>I've wondered if there could be another reason for bubbling sometimes, but
>I
>am not sure....
>
>Suppose there is a leak in the system, like at the rear heater valve.
>
>Then, when the coolant expands, it leaks from there - and when it cools, it
>also draws in air from there.
>
>Could this not also account for some Vans bubbling - perhaps into the
>overflow tank, (not neccesarily the expansion tank, discussed in the prior
>post)?
>
>What say you, fellow listees?
>
>Marshall Ruskin
>84 Westy
>
>
> >It sounds like your headgasket has blown and is letting combustion gases
>into
> >the coolant.  I recent found this on a customer's 81 rabbit.  Basically
>you
> >could sit and watch the bubbles coming up into the expansion tank when
> >allowing the car to go from cold to warm with a full coolant tank (should
>be
> >able to do something similar on your van).  If it keeps bubbling and
> >bubbling, then the gasket is toast.
> >Side question, how does your '87 Vanagon happen to be a diesel?  Non-US?
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Ken Wilford
> >http://www.vanagain.com
> >John 3:16
> >Phone: (856)-765-1583
> >Shop:   (856)-327-0027
> >Fax:     (856)-327-2242
> >

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