Got a problem with my 84GL Vanagon.  Between the coolent expansion tank and
the engine coolent hoses there is a plastic 'H' type coupling.  This
coupling shunts most of the coolent away from the expansion tank.  Small
holes in the coupling allow coolent to enter and leave the expansion tank.
In looking at the hoses and the tank, it appears that the hoses could be
attached directly to the expansion tank without much trouble.  It looks
like the coupling is there to spread the hoses so that the A/C belt can go
between them.  What I can't explain is why most of the coolent is shunted
away  from the expansion tank unless it is to protect the cooling system
from pumping all of the coolent out of the system with a failure of the
expansion tank giving one time to detect the failure (coolent level sensor)
before the engine overheats.  This little "H" coupling is obsolete.  Is
there an alternative or should the hoses just be connected to the expansion
tank?

William