The leakage is from the rubber water jacket seal which you can see and
touch if you remove the engine tin below the pushrod tubes.  It is often
called the head gasket (incorrectly in my opinion).  The actual head gasket
which withstands the compression is a narrow metal ring between the head
and the cylinder; it probably is not leaking.

If the heads fit properly against the case with the correct gap at the
water jacket, a new rubber seal there should stop your leaking.  There may
be some pitting of the edge of the water jacket on the head.  Some volks
fill this with JB weld; others use gasket sealant like the "Right Stuff".

In any case there is no need to change to different heads, assuming there
are no other troubles with valves, etc.

I am not sure that it is possible for coolant to be lost from the refill
bottle behind the license plate while the van is just standing in storage,
unless your coolant cap is letting it thru easily.

Larry A.

On Thu, Feb 18, 2016 at 4:15 PM, Spencer Allen <spencervw@aol.com> wrote:

>  So every year (for last 15 years) when the 85 westy is put under the
> cover for winter I have watched for drips on the ground cover in the
> garage. There has always been some drips from both heads but not enough to
> cause panic. Years back my then new 85 GL tintop had drips right away but
> like the westy now the leaks would go away (not completely) when the
> weather warmed up. Anyway I just checked and there are bigger than
> normal-about a large shot glass full- drip stains this winter on the
> cardboard ground cover with coolant drops gathered on either side of engine
> tin and case. the coolant in bottle is below lower mark. Would new head
> gaskets & seals stop this annual event? If I remember from some ways back
> that the new seals available won't cure the original heads from leaking.
> Any suggestions or tips?
> Sorry to be wearing this list out with my problems. Thanks.
>
> Spencer
>