Chris,

Most likely a head gasket with the age of your diesel. There is a oil
passage going from the block to the head and onto the camshaft bearings and
on the gasket there is a little plastic/rubber ring around the passageway in
the gasket that shrinks and pulls away. Then the oil leaks into a water
passage. My experience with these engines is 10 years and they strt leaking
regardless  of how many or few miles. They are much easier to put on then
the waterboxer gaskets that don't last near that long.

Joe

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mary Beth and Chris Geiser" <geiser@EXECPC.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, April 07, 2001 2:30 PM
Subject: Oil in Coolant

> Hello all,
>         My '82 Vanagon diesel has what appears to be oil in the coolant
expansion
> tank.  Any thoughts on it's origin?  Could the cooler at the top of the
oil
> filter leak this together somehow?
>         Any advise is appreciated?
> Thanks,
> Chris
>