Don, (from recent experience) the pressurization may well be caused by a
breach in the head gasket seal - meaning the pressure is introduced into the
cooling system from one or more of your cylinders.  In my case #1 cylinder
was both:  1.  taking on coolant, and 2. releasing pressurized air into the
cooling system.  The result:  1.  The coolant level in the resevoir tank
dipped below minimum causing the red light at the temp guage to blink.  2.
this coolant backed up into the fill tank (behind the rear license plate
cover) and overflowed, which produced...3.  a film of coolant covering the
license plate and rear hatch.  A bonus of the over pressurization was new
leaks in all of the weak links of the cooling system.  After repairing
ancillary damage, I got a fine AMC (Spanish) head from Boston Bob and I was
on my way.  Depending on the condition you may be able to limp home - I was
able to disconnect the braided hose connecting the fill tank and the
resevoir (only when engine COLD!) and drain the excess coolant from the fill
tank into a recepticle and back into the resevoir.  The light would go off
and I could drive 50-100 miles and then repeat the process.  A dicey affair
since (I believe) there is a risk of an air bubble gumming-up proper coolant
flow which might end in a disasterous, siezed affair.  I hope you get this
bus for a okay price.  The archives have a little info on pressurization.
Not to discourage you, but I've spent sizeable $ on my deal - worth it
depending on purchase price and gen'l condition.  Bueno Suerte.

RJ  87 Westy, 66 Type I

-----Original Message-----
From: Don Record <DrocerNod@AOL.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Tuesday, January 26, 1999 5:09 PM
Subject: Head Problems (87 GL) How bad is it.

>I am considering buying an 87 Gl with "head problems".  I can find no
visable
>leaks but the owner says the cooling system pressurizes every 50 miles or
so.
>Any ballpark on how involved the problem is.  What about suggestions on how
to
>get it to "limp" home if I buy it?  I have owned many aircooleds many years
>but this will be my first experience tearing into a waterboxer.
>Thanks for your help
>Don
>