Mechanics in Palo Alto, Salt Lake City, and Lewiston, Maine have told me
that leaking sleeve-to-head gaskets are a common problem in all water
cooled vanagons, not just the '83-'85 years.  My appeal to the vanagon
list a few weeks ago and a later appeal to the vw USENET group produced
only 5 responses, however, so I assume there are quite a few owners who
have *NOT* experienced the problem.  

Would any such persons who read this please say so?  No sense having a few
of us ruining the van's reputation...

George (gruff@abacus.bates.edu)