Again thanks for all your help --

FYI - The water tank behind the license plate was dry
when I first started the van, and was dry after a 15
min test drive - what does this mean?

Unfortunately I didn't open the other - dark colored
tank - is that the expansion tank?  Please explain
both tanks' funtions.

Thanks,

Tony

--- KENWILFY@aol.com wrote:
> Water coming out of the tailpipe at startup on a van
> that has been sitting
> over night is normal!!!!!   As long as the water is
> clear (not green or blue)
> and doesn't smell sweet then it is just normal
> condensation in the exhaust
> system coming out.  The reason it might be brown
> could just be rust.  For
> these mechanics to say it is heads is just probably
> the difficulty of trying
> to diagnose things over the phone.
>
> Normally the way you can see if a van needs head
> work, is to let the van sit
> over night and then look underneath in the morning.
> If there is a drop of
> coolant under the van on the ground or hanging from
> the little ear at the
> lowest spot of the motor, then you have an external
> head leak (most common
> type).  If you had an internal head leak or crack,
> this usually manifests
> itself when you first start the van up.  There will
> be alot of very white
> smoke coming out that will smell very sweet (a
> little white smoke is normal
> as I said the torturous path of the Vanagon Exhaust
> system loves to harbour
> condensation and this needs to evaporate).  The only
> other way a cracked head
> can show up is by pressurizing the coolant system.
> This means that when you
> went to drive the van down the road the coolant
> probably would have blown out
> of the expansion tank, so you probably don't have
> this problem either.
>
> If I were you I would:
> Go to the lot and look under the motor when it was
> stone cold.  If you don't
> see anything this is a good sign.  Then start the
> motor and let it run while
> you are talking to the sales guy.  Let it get up to
> operating temperature and
> listen for the fan to come on.  Then drive the van
> around for another 15 mins
> taking it on a highway where you can go 65 mph.
> This should show up most
> problems that you could have.  Anything else you
> might experience would be
> intermittant and that is just one of the chances you
> take when buying a used
> vehicle.  Hope this helps.
>
>
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
> Phone: (856)-765-1583
> Fax: (856)-327-2242
>

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