I just saw a new copper H pipe yesterday that was recently installed
and had failed (leaked) at the soldered seams. The soldered joints
looked as if they had melted! Weird! Moral of story: don't trust a new
part until it has proven its reliability.

Would I trust a leaking coolant system component for a 20 mile drive.
Maybe, if I had to. Depends on the amount of fluid it that's leaking
when the system is a normal operating pressure. If the engine is fully
warmed up and only dripping a bit, then go ahead and keep a close eye
on the temp gauge. If the level LED goes off or the temp gets higher
than normal, pull over before the engine gets cooked.

I had a similar experience when a head gasket was failing. The coolant
was barfing out the overflow tank and the level sensor light was
blinking whenever an air bubble formed inside the expansion tank. I
just pulled over and put some more water/coolant into the tank and
limped the van into the shop for a new head gasket. Good news is I was
reimbursed for the $500+ job thru the BBB due to the recall.

Good luck!
Keith O.
84 Westy "Brownie"
90 Westy Syncro

On Jan 18, 2006, at 11:16 AM, Automatic digest processor wrote:

> Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 2006 09:14:54 -0800
> From:    Joseph Fortino <fortino1@EARTHLINK.NET>
> Subject: HELP 85gl 1.9l h-pipe leak
>
> Hello all,
>
> Seems my bus desided to spring a leak from the H-pipe coming off the
> overflow bottle
> i tracked it to near the bottom of this H-pipe..
>
> Q: Im at work and need to drive about 20mile its not dripping massive
> amounts yet
> but i will pull it in for work tonight and not drive it after until i
> fix it,, question just be careful
> driving? and has anyone had the H-pipe go bad at the bottom of the
> pipe???
>
> Any help is needed..
>
> Thanks,
> Joe