By sheen do you mean you are looking just for oil? or gasoline too? which
tank? both (overflow and the other...??? I always get confused on the
terminology of these two). I had some oil globs that showed up in my
overflow tank. I bloated it out with paper towels which got most of it out.
Haven't seen any additional oil since then. Never thought of the petroleum
eating seals. Thats a scary thought. I should have removed every spec! Thing
is, I had bought Water Wetter by Redline before this happened. Instead of
adding Water Wetter to the Main Water Tank (what do you call this?), I added
it to the Overflow tank. So of course it took longer to work its way
thoughout my coolant system. So is it possible that the oil I saw was due to
Water Wetter leaching out contamination that would have otherwise remained
suspended in the water/coolant......

>From: Jere Hawn <jbrschawn@EARTHLINK.NET>
>Reply-To: Jere Hawn <jbrschawn@EARTHLINK.NET>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: 4th heater core burst in 1 year!
>Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 23:34:08 -0700
>
>Paul,
>
>IMHO you have a head gasket leak or an oil cooler leaking into the coolant.
>Why do I say that?
>
>1. it appears that your coolant is contaminated and the contaminate is
>eating the seals, petroleum products will eat the rubber.
>
>2. If your system was over pressurized it would blow out the cap (should be
>checked)... good chance this over-pressurization comes from something that
>can produce a higher pressure that is in the system.... One of the things
>that come in contact with the coolant system is combustion pressure (head
>gasket leak).
>
>Things I would check.
>1.  Look in coolant reservoir to see if there is a sheen on the surface of
>the coolant (you may have to take some out and put it in a clean bowl to
>see
>the sheen); and I would check the cap to make sure it releases at proscribe
>psig.
>
>2. if there is a sheen do compression check and check oil cooler.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Jere
>90 GL
>88 GL
>
>
>
>  -----Original Message-----
>From:   Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]  On Behalf
>Of
>Paul Cavanaugh
>Sent:   Thursday, June 28, 2001 4:41 PM
>To:     vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject:        4th heater core burst in 1 year!
>
>My 1990 (180k miles) GL automatic just had it's 4th rear heater core
>burst in 12 months!
>
>It also has burst two (metal) differential coolers, flooding coolant
>into and ruining my transmission.
>
>Any ideas what could be happening?
>
>My friends are urging my to give up the car (and I am tired of
>pulling up the flooded carpet)!
>
>Thanks!
>Paul

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