Keep driving it in that condition and all will really go on that
van...................then it will really cost some $$ to fix or sell for
hardly anything :((

Adam P
81  Westy "The Brick "
70 Single Cab "Whitey"
74 Beetle "Ol Yeller"
73 Transporter (STILL at paint shop)
1988 Vanagon Wolfsburg
75 Campmobile "for sale'
Used Vanagon Parts for sale (mostly aircooled)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marla Stelk" <mjstelk@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 8:19 AM
Subject: Re: 80 d Thermostat rocks

> I found the gunk in the right tank, the refill tank.  Since I cleaned it
out
> I haven't noticed anymore in there.  So I did my trip up to Maine.
Managed
> to find the Busses by the Buoy group and when I opened my engine
capartment,
> discovered oil blowing back into it - not sure if its tranny fluid or
what.
> Dennis, a VW mechanic from Long Island thought it might be tranny fluid
> becuase I was way down, but I also have a slow leak and hadn't filled it
in
> a while (my bad) so could be or not.  Filled it up and it hasn't gone down
> much since.  But noticed a leak coming from a hose or pipe in the area
> behind the air filter - just beyond where the engine cover ends toward the
> front of the van.  Now its having trouble going from 2nd gear into 3rd
(auto
> trans.).  So I dropped it off at the AAA garage in Portland and the
mechanic
> is cleaning it out this morning so he can put some dye into it and find
out
> where the leak is.  Possible brake fluid?  Any thoughts?  Since filled,
the
> coolant level is still slowly going down in the expansion tank, but not
the
> refill tank.  The tranny level since filled has stayed full.  The engine
oil
> level has stayed full too, although I have seen some oil dripping from the
> oil pressure relief valve.  Maybe it is the oil cooler....I just had a
> mechanic do a coolant pressure test, didn't find any leaks.  Also had him
do
> a vacuum test - found one leak by the fuel PSI and replaced a collapsed
> hose.  Seems like everything is going on this van.  PO didn't take too
good
> of care of him unfortunately.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Marla
> '87 Westy Van "Morrison"
>
>
> >From: "Joel Walker" <jwalker17@earthlink.net>
> >Reply-To: "Joel Walker" <jwalker17@earthlink.net>
> >To: "Marla Stelk" <mjstelk@HOTMAIL.COM>
> >Subject: Re:      Re: 80 d Thermostat rocks
> >Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2002 20:50:24 -0500
> >
> >Okay - wow - so when I got the van I noticed that the
> >coolant refill tank had black gunk in it.  Showed it to
> >the mechanic and they told me not to worry about it.
> >And now the last mechanic (a good guy but not a VW
> >specialist) said it had a "funny smell" but didn't
> >think he was qualified to diagnose it.  So now I'm
> >thinking from what everyone has said that it IS a head
> >gasket problem.  ARG.
> >
> >not necessarily .... black gunk in the coolant tank
> >might be oil. but WHICH tank? the leftmost or the
> >rightmost? if in the rightmost (behind the license
> >plate; and NOT in the leftmost), it could just be crud
> >that accumulated somehow. but if you see a blackish
> >ring of stuff (like a bathtub ring) in the LEFT tank,
> >now you've got problems. :(
> >
> >and the problem MIGHT be a leaking oil cooler. this is
> >the silver box on top of the oil filter .. it has
> >coolant coming into the box and, since the oil is
> >hotter than the coolant, taking some of the heat of the
> >oil out with it. trouble is, those boxes can start
> >leaking internally ... and when that happens, you'll
> >get two things: oil in the coolant, and coolant in the
> >oil. both are very bad. :(
> >
> >during one of those episodes.  I've got to drive to
> >Maine tomorrow - am I going to do serious damage
> >driving it on the highway with a slow leak?  Or should
> >I just stop a lot and check the coolant level?  The
> >hose from the refill tank to the expansion tank is
> >brand new so that can't be it.  I'll swing by the
> >mechanic or by NAPA today to get the tool to do the
> >pressure test.
> >
> >if it's the right tank and NOT any sign of crud in the
> >left tank, i'd just go and stop every hour or so and
> >check the fluids, including the engine oil. take some
> >spare fluids with you, especially the coolant and a
> >gallon or so of water in some sort of container. take
> >some engine oil with you as well. how far are you gonna
> >drive? if more than 100 miles one-way, and you are
> >really worried about the bus, i'd suggest trying to
> >take some other vehicle if you could. :(
> >
> >good luck!
> >joel
>
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos:
> http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx
>