----- Original Message -----
From: "brian Honan" <cartruckbus@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2002 5:23 PM
Subject: leaking head gasket Question

>   A question regarding head gaskets.

> And is there any potential danger in driving around one in a while with
this
> condition and filling the coolant level when needed ?
>
Yes, Coolant can possibly leak into the combustion chambers and do bad
things when you sart it some morning.

My 84 did but luckly I shut it down and avoided serious damadge.

There are three seals. The big one that allows it to drip to the ground.
The "O" rings on top of the cylinders that keep the water from the
combustion along with the Metal Rings that keep the compression in the
cylinder and not into the cooling system.

My van runs oh so much better after I replaced all the head gaskets last
fall.

Joe