My '85 with 1.9 also leaks from the right side head, but seems to be only on really cold nights when I see a little puddle under it. Based on the receipts the PO gave me when I bought it back in June, this head has been leaking for about 8 years and 10,000 miles. I'm sure there are varying degrees of head leak severity, but I'm not too worried about mine just yet.     Jeff 

Jeff Stewart 

----- "David White" <sirgrumpsalot@GMAIL.COM> wrote: 

I've got an 84 vanagon with a 1.9L engine with unknown hours of run 
time. I just returned from a 400 mile trip and in those miles I never 
stopped to look at the engine because things sounded fine. The temp 
gauge works and it never gave me any indication things were getting 
bad. Sitting in the driveway overnight it is now leaking coolant from 
the driver's side through the tin that protects the pushrods. The 
water pump and thermostat areas are bone dry. When I start the engine 
coolant drips out the rear exhaust port (closest to the muffler) 
immediately, but I haven't run the engine to temp. I am waiting in 
line to borrow a leak down tester at the local auto parts store.  My 
question is: can I have a bad head gasket without any symptoms (such 
as overheating, white smoke, loss of power)? Am I just not noticing 
the symptoms?