Big Thanks!
To all who contributed so generously to my request
for help putting together a coolant parts order.
I know a great deal more than I did when I began!
XOXOXOXO

I had planned to approach preventative maintenance
"system by system", using an agressive, preemptive approach.
I hoped to stay ahead of the game, learning in advance
the pitfalls & solutions for typical Vanagon problems already
successfully used by this List.

This A.M. I left to drive my  van to a nearby town,
an hour's drive, for a scheduled maintenance appointment.
More than a dozen times in the hour's drive my van not only
"cut out," as she has been occassionally known to do, but
didn't want to restart.  When she did turn over, she stalled
as soon as I tried to drive.  Finally, I ended up blocking a
parking lot.
At least this time there were no orange cones involved!

AAA towed me back to Berhhard's Autobahn.  When I left
the repair shop, Bernhard was hunched over his new computer,
madly downloading technical bulletins for '85 Vanagons.
He doesn't seem pleased.  I don't think he's got a clue.
I'm to call tomorrow 3 PM for his report.

Oh misery!
Phaedra