You bring up an interesting point:

When I changed my coolant last fall I noticed a few metalic specs in my
overflow (the plastic tank thing).  My temp needle is reliably in the center
of the gauge.  Does the presence of these metallic specs mean impending
doom, or is it "normal" for there to be some slight amount of shavings in
the cooling system?  After all, the water pump is metal against metal?

----- Original Message -----
From: kenneth d lewis <kdlewis@JUNO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2001 8:04 PM
Subject: water pump failure

...

>         Bentley demands that the coolant system be flushed and only fresh
> anti-freeze be used. At first I thought this a ploy to vend parts and
> services. Now I believe this a sound practice because a failed pump
> contaminates the coolant with metallic bearing particles.

...