Hi Tabe,

You are doing everything right, and even if you say you haven't opened that
hatch, I know you still check underneath for "spots".

Our first Syncro was purchased for the engine alone, as the local VW
dealership that sold it couldn't get it to run (said it had a bad FI
harness). I love a challenge; turned out to be the usual bad grounds. I
forgot about stealing the engine and instead sold the other van.

That Syncro ran simply great with normal maintenance for 6 years straight.
What is "Vanagon syndrome?" I never had it.

The biggest problems occurred after the heads started leaking. I should have
replaced the head studs like Dennis Haynes suggests when I installed new
heads (I just didn't know at the time); the overheating and mercurial
coolant related symptoms (overheating, flashing coolant light, overflowing
refill tank) after I installed the heads put the wife off big time. I would
have admitted defeat and taken it somewhere to get it fixed, except there is
no where around here to get that done. You either do it yourself, or it does
not get done. When the 3-4 syncronizer went, coupled with the rust, that was
the last straw.

On our new Syncro, I went Suby, and I'll stick with it. However, in my
opinion, no engine, VW aircooled, waterboxer, diesel, or Ford Zetec, or
Suby, is a panacea. Some have more built in "gotchas" than others, but they
all have them, and eventually the respective owners will get to see them.
Unless they sell it first.

So keep on doing what you are doing, it is obviously working.

Cheers,

Dave