Eric, two pints is a lot. You have a bubble, and it's possible that some water vaporized on a hot cylinder in that bubble the last time you drove it and forced coolant into the overflow tank.

This is one of those things that you should probably take to an experienced VW mechanic to "see" what's going on!

The system needs to be bled, and that's something you should have a mechanic do.

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Eric Caron
Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2015 4:46 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: coolant spraying from over flow tan, but why?

Hi Listers,

I had a reasonably competent friend stop in, and as he has good eyes, and I don’t I had him check fluids.  the oil, perfect just above at the middle of the marks.  But, when he opened the over flow tank cap to look in it spilled out coolant .  a while later I checked and more wanted to come out.  The van is cold and has not run for two days.
        I have not added fluid in over a year and normally it sat near the min in the over flow tank.

Only thing I did involving the coolant system is that I changed the rear heater core and valve last January.  I lost a couple of pints of coolant in the process, but never added any back. 

so, is this normal?  Is  there something I should e doing to ease the pressure?   

Why after almost two years is it pushing fluid out of the over flow tank?  did I introduce air that is not getting out?
I have a long trip planned in a few weeks and I don’t want to head out if this is a problem.

I have run the van twice up to temperature and it seems to be running great.  i also get heat in both the front and back heaters. 

Any tips on what is going on or what I might need to do to return to past non pressure behavior in the over flow tank is appreciated.

Eric Caron 
85 gL Auto Westfalia 
  =