So I have owned 2 vanagon's and only with my second one amy I taking
an interest to know what hell all the parts are in the engine bay, I
am not a mechanic nor have I ever tried to do anything with the engine
other that set the idle, put fluids in it and install a headlight
wiring upgrade for higher voltage bulbs.

Well I was looking in the engine bay and noticed that on my power
steering pump there is a connector on the top which goes to the power
steering container I think, now on the pumps connector on top of it I
see 2 metal prongs that look like they are suppose to be connected to
some type of electrical device but nothing is there, does anyone know
what the heck I am describing and what this and what it is suppose to
be connected to?

For the other question I dreading the answer but here it is..

I am looking under the van and have noticed a small puddle under the
van, its coolant. I can see when I look at the engine bay that the
coolant hose that comes over the transmission where it connects behind
the left of the engine has a small leak somewhere. I can see wet
coolant there but not any kind of major leak. The entire hose feels
very soft, so I am replacing it this week, the problem is that when I
am under the engine I see the following:

1. Coolant is forming a slow tiny, tiny drip on the edge of the left
bottom tin then hitting the floor. (what is this? do I have a gasket
leak somewhere and require the dreaded head gasket job?

2. While down there I noticed that the left Tin does not fully cover
the rods as I see what appear to be springs under the cover. I pressed
on the cover to see if it was loose and it was firmly in place. Why is
there a gap between the tin and outer black cover? Is something wrong
or is the Tin just bent out of shape?

TIA.

Rob
NYC & Bloomingburg NY
88 Vanagon automatic 237,000 miles