OK, I need some advice - what's going on here?

I was driving along in my '87 Westy yesterday when my red coolant
light started blinking with the temp gauge at it's normal position. I
pull over and note that the coolant reservoir is empty and the belts
are all OK, plus the water pump is definitely spinning. So I fill the
reservoir and get back on the road.

[Extra important info before I continue: I had my heads done about
5000 miles ago, and have about 10000 miles on a new water
pump. There's no puddles under tha van, plus my fan is working OK (at
least it kicks on in traffic or after I stop.]

The light is still blinking after a couple of miles, so I pull over
and check things. The fluid level in the reservoir has dropped very little.
Belts still OK. Hmmmmmm.

I get back on the road and notice that while the red light continues
to blink, my temp gauge is reading normal. So I gingerly ride the 8
miles home and park it.

There's no sign (sound or smell) of the engine overheating.

This morning I note that the reservoir is almost empty again, so I
refill it, fire it up, and hit the road. Within 100 yards the red
light is blinking again!

So what's happening? The manual says a blinking coolant light means
low coolant - fill the reservoir! But could the coolant be so low that
I need to fill it more than once? And what is the process involved in
the system emptying the reservoir ... how long should that take?

Could there be something more ominous wrong here? Is it save to drive
the van if the temp gauge is normal but the red light is blinking?

dan
--
Dan Resler

Dept. of Mathematical Sciences
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
23284-2014 USA
email: resler@liberty.mas.vcu.edu