Some expansion is normal.  I would check the pressure cap to make the relief
valve is holding.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From:   Vanagon mailing list  On Behalf Of Barbara Sutton
Sent:   Friday, September 19, 1997 10:25 PM
To:     Vanagon@GERRY.SDSC.EDU
Subject:        IS THIS IT? Coolant level fluctuations in '91 Westie.

Hello everyone:
        During the trip to eastern OR. for the first Wetwesties outing, I
noticed that the coolant expansion tank of Fafner('91 Westie w/56,000
miles) got pretty high, even overflowing after a long, third gear
uphill. At the campground, I refilled the lost coolant (Autobahn, of
course). After the trip back, my tank marks a little bit over the Max
mark when cold, and a lot above it when hot. This is the first time this
happened, until this experience the coolant system had performed
flawlessly. Is this the beginnig of the end of my heads? I am having
nightmares about this...
        Didn't see any bubbles, though. The temperature was always normal,
right under the idiot light.
        I know I am around the right amount of miles to start having head
problems, but I am still optimistic. So any leads will be appreciated. I
am planning to drain the system this weekend (with the help of the
archives).
Thanks in advance.

Cris.
Eugene, OR.
'91 Westie "Fafner"
'66 Kombi
'67 Deluxe (parts bus)