Hi Roy.  I had the same problem.  First I got on the net as you did and got
some good advice.  Then I made up a `U' With copper fittings and bypassed
the heater while I worked on it.

I stripped it down, cleaned the end cap where it was leaking, and following
Tim Smith's advice, coated around each of the tubes with JB Weld. Made a new
gasket with silicone seal and put it back together.  It still leaked!!!

Following more advice from the net, I bought the heater core from a 86
Ciera.  It was the right length and thickness but too wide and I wrecked it
trying to make it fit.  A radiator shop could have taken off one tube and it
would have fit perfectly.  I went back and bought a core from a 79 Caprice.
That fits well but is too long.  Doesn't matter as there is room for it to
stick out of the housing under the box cover.  Works fine but has no shut
off valve.

> If anyone else has had this problem before, I'd appreciate hearing how
> you went about cleaning the floor padding and carpet.

When I started work on the heater, it coincided with my plan to gut the
camper section and check everything.  I pulled out every unit, cupboard,
shelf, and of course the floor boards.  I won't go into what I found and fixed.

The sound proofing board under the seats is in two small pieces.  I took
them outside and washed them down with a hose.  Left them in the sun for a
week and they were fine.  The big sheet of soundproof under the floorboard
was ok.

Then I ripped off the carpet, sanded the plywood flooring and covered it
with vinyl deck coat material.  This gives me a nice looking floor that is
easy to clean after camping in rainy weather.  We have a strip of house
carpet we unroll at the end of the bed for bare feet in those night time trips.

Only mistake was in gluing the vinyl onto the plywood in the basement.  The
house stank and I was really sick for nearly a week.  Do it outside wearing
a gas mask.

Good luck

Earl from Sunny Sooke
84 ex-California Vanagon