It may be that, or you just need to bleed your system.  Vanagons are a bear
to bleed, there is a bleeder valve on the radiator and another in the
engine box, on fore left, atop the thermostat housing.  One test that I
have seen suggested is to place a CO detector, like the ones used in smog
inspections at the expansion tank whilst running it.  An increase in the
reading would indicated combustion gases present.  I don't know about you,
but this is a tool I do not keep laying about.

--
����ô� �ϳ���,
Tim
1990 Vanagon GL
Barnegat, NJ, USA

Anthony Bailey wrote:

> Hello all, while checking out the coolant tank I noticed foam in the
> coolant I drained this off as I figured this is what is kicking on
> the low coolant light. However is this from the head gaskets leaking
> combustion gases in the coolant?
> Thanks, Tony
>
> >Date: Sun, 9 Sep 2001 17:19:48 -0500
> >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >From: Anthony Bailey <abailey@mac.com>
> >Subject: cooling problems
> >Cc:
> >Bcc:
> >X-Attachments:
> >
> >Hello again, well this problem appeared again today. I had drove
> >about 30 miles to church, then on several other stops on our way
> >home. After starting up on the last stop it came on again, I checked
> >the coolant and the fan, both are fine. Any ideas?
> >
> >Also where is the brake master cylinder at? I've been told its under
> >the dash but so far all I've found is the fuse box.
> >
> >I do have a maint. manual on order but haven't received it yet.
> >
> >Thanks for your help/info, Tony
> >
> >
> >>Hello all, I've had and fixed(?) a problem on my '87 Vanagon. The
> >>problem was that the light on the coolant temperature gauge starting
> >>blinking as I was going down the road. I checked my coolant it was
> >>very full, the temp gauge indicated a rising temperature. However as
> >>I headed on the highway towards home the temperature would drop back
> >>down to under the light, which was still blinking. I thought well my
> >>electric cooling fan had quit. At home, I checked the electrical
> >>connections on the overflow tank, one of which had some corrosion on
> >>its contacts and the connector, I reseated both of them  and then
> >>went and restarted the van. The blinking light went out and the fan
> >>worked as normal, one speed under normal use and then high speed when
> >>the ac was turned on. So was my problem caused by the corrosion on
> >>the connector on top of the tank?
> >>Wondering... Tony
> >>--
> >>-----
> >>Sent from Anthony Bailey KC0HZP (mailto: abailey@mac.com)
> >>on a PowerComputing PowerBase 180 in Marble Hill, Missouri
>
> --
> -----
> Sent from Anthony Bailey KC0HZP (mailto: abailey@mac.com)
> on a PowerComputing PowerBase 180 in Marble Hill, Missouri