Thanks to all who replied -

I have to make a correction.  The expansion tank seems to stay fiull, but
the refill tank goes down to empty.  I'll check all my hoses for leaks.
Thanks.

-eric

On 5/11/02 7:56 PM, "Joel Walker" <jwalker17@earthlink.net> wrote:

>> My temperature gauge seems right on the money at the LED light, but
> I notice
>> that I occasionally have to top up the expansion tank level.  I
> can't seem
>> to find any leaks, but the coolant always seems to go right to the
> top of
>> the top tube in the (non-expansion) tank and stas thbere whilethe
> expansion
>> tank is generally empty.
>> Is this normal?
>
> not quite sure which tank you're talking about ...
> is it the left one (standing at the rear of the bus, looking foward
> toward the driver's seat) or the right one (that you can see behind
> the license plate flap)??
>
> if the right one, then you definitely have a leak somewhere. but it
> may NOT be dripping onto the ground. old rubber hoses can lose their
> ability to shrink back when the engine cools, and this can open up a
> gap between the hose and the metal of the engine (or radiator) ...
> allowing a small amount of seepage each time you shut the engine off.
> if the hoses are hot enough, the coolant will evaporate and not drip
> to the ground.
>
> this can also happen to the left tank ... a crack in that tank can
> seep/weep coolant down onto the muffler shield. that shield stays very
> hot for a long time and will almost instantly dry any coolant dripped
> onto it. the dried coolant appears as a white-ish chalky deposit,
> almost like birdshit on your windshield.
>
> also check around the oil filter ... that's another favorite place for
> leaks: the oil cooler is that little silver can right above the oil
> filter. if the cooler leaks, it's hot enough to evaporate the coolant,
> too.
>
> if you still can't find it, start looking at all the coolant hoses,
> running front and back and around the engine; see if you can see any
> signs of seepage at the hose clamps. if not sure, clean off the hose
> and clamp as best you can and blow some chalk dust or talcum powder
> onto the area. then when you run the engine, any leaking will leave a
> trail in the dust and you can find it easier. but it's best to do this
> with the bus sitting in the driveway ... driving it around might blow
> the dust off the suspected area.
>
> also check under the rear seat ... see if there's any sign of the rear
> heater leaking. soggy carpet or soggy foam-stuff in that area is a
> dead giveaway.
>
> good luck!
> joel
>