the spark plugs are right on top,
very easy to get out - in a waterboxer.

gas 'er up and bleed the cooling system a little....
sure, that works.
 BarsLeak should sell bumper stickers ..
'Sealed by Barsleak', something like that.

I haven't  had any opportunity to try their Rear Main Oil Seal leak-fixer
product yet.

Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 9:35 PM
Subject: Re: 85-H20 loss of coolant mystery

>   I am not sure how hard it is to get spark plugs from the WBX
> motors.....but on my inline VW motor.....I found my headgasket leak really
> easily by removing the spark plugs and pressurizing the cooling system
> with
> air, right at the pressure bottle....Put about 20psi right back through
> the
> one way valve to the overflow tank into the expansion/pressure tank (where
> you are seeing those bubbles that "aren't combustion gasses"....)
>
>  On my inline, I just took a 'listening device' and went to each plug
> hole....sure enough, I could hear coolant coming into two of the
> cylinders...where the headgasket had failed.   I confirmed this by looking
> into the holes.....lots of orange antifreeze.....
>
>  I suppose on a WBX it might take two to do a test like that, if you have
> to crawl under to get the plugs out....
>
>  Barr's Leak did work on my motor....I didn't have time to fix it before I
> had to make a 3000 mile round trip to Mexico to see the dentist....so I
> Barr's Leaked it and drove it down Hwy 395, from Portland to Yuma and
> back.
> I had to bleed and top up the radiator every two fillings of gas, but I
> got
> so it only took me about 5 extra minutes.  When I got back and fixed the
> headgasket, I found I did the whole repair in about 4 or 5 hrs, including
> swapping in a different camshaft..the gasket cost me $30 and I used new
> headbolts for another $35-   If I'd known it was going to be that easy, I
> could have done the fix before I headed out and still made my dentist
> appointment in Algodones, Mx.
>
> On Wed, Sep 21, 2011 at 8:22 PM, Travis Newhouse
> <travisnewhouse@gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Thank you for all of the suggestions.
>>
>> I tried the at-home pressure test.  Engine was cold.   I removed the
>> expansion cap to make sure I wasn't starting with pressure in the
>> system.  Replaced the expansion cap and started the engine.  I let it
>> run for about 1 minute.  I revved it a little from the engine bay,
>> trying to see some of the bubbles in the expansion tank that I've seen
>> before.  I shut it down and let it sit for 30 seconds.  When I removed
>> the expansion cap, I heard a small rush of air and I noticed the
>> coolant level in the expansion tank rise up a little bit.
>>
>> So, it could be the pressure was caused by heated air trapped in the
>> system, or it could be exhaust gas being forced into the system.  I'll
>> call around to see if any shops nearby can sniff inside the expansion
>> tank.
>>
>> If the sniff test is positive, what is the best way to isolate which
>> cylinder head gasket may be leaking?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Travis
>>