Spent the better part of today flushing and refilling both vans--went well,
and thankfully I don't have to deal with it again for a year or two.....
I was able to use the Prestone kit with reasonable success, but still ended
up draining at the radiator and engine drain plugs anyway.  They're nice and
blue and happy....

On the 89, with the sheet metal off under the pushrod tubes, I noticed
something peculiar.  The oil pressure switch on the driver's side (between
the pushrod tubes) has a wire/spade connector to it, but the wire is only
about 4 inches long, and goes to nothing.  Just hanging there.  I assume
this is supposed to go to something, i.e. the idiot light?  Could this be a
(bad) trick that someone used to get away with Fram oil filters?  (No wonder
I never had a problem with them!)

Also, on both vans (89 syncro, 90 syncro westy), there are three small, hard
black tubes that come into the engine compartment above the thermostat,
side-by-side.  Two of them go somewhere, but the third one on both vans has
and elbow barb on it, and is just sitting on top of the engine.  They seem
like vacuum lines, but I'm not sure.  Does anyone happen to know what they
are, and if the third one should be attached to  something?  Again, I'm
wondering if disconnecting that third one is a solution to some common
problem.

Anyway, thanks again to all who helped with the coolant sitch.  If anyone
happens to know where I can find a diagram (like the one on page 19.10 of
Bentley) for the later water-cooled vans, please let me know.  The one at
Bus Depot is good, but I'd like to see one with arrows, heat exchangers,
etc.

tx,
bmc  :)

"Faith will move mountains, but you'd better bring a shovel...."