Peter Noto wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> I'm new to the list and vanagons in general.  I just bought a 86 westy with
> 82,000 on her.  Of course I had to find this list and learn about the head
> gasket problems after I plopped down my $.
>
> I've read all the info under the problems section of the site and I know I
> have the ability to swap out heads if I have to.
>
> I bought the van because I am moving from the Florida Keys to San
> Francisco, and needed transportation that could get me, the dog and all my
> junk to the west coast.
>
> The van runs great, and always well within the center of the temp gauge
> after worm up.  I have had it for about 3 weeks.  I checked the cooling
> fluid after reading about the head gasket problem last week.  The fluid was
> about 3/4 of an inch bellow minimum.  I was in a hurry and at a gas station
> which wanted $10 for a very small bottle of anti-freeze so i topped it off
> to just below the maximum line with water.  Within a day i started to notice
> a sickening sweet smell when I got out of the van after a drive which got
> the van to mid temp gauge reading (I make a lot of very small trips, I live
> on an island).
>
> At first I thought it might be burning out the clutch or something, but
> after some sniffing around I found a wet spot on the top of the forward left
> cylinder right at the seal of the head.  I ran the van until it warmed up an
> left it idol.  I could see a very small amount of fluid escaping at this
> point and cooking off, hence the sick sweet smell.
>
> Now obviously I have a problem, my main question is this.  Is it fatal and
> if so, is it immediately fatal?  I need to move soon and I want to know if I
> can make this 3,000 mile drive without killing my engine.  The van does not
> run hot, if I leave it to idol after a good hard run, it runs with the
> needle just about above the bulb of the warning light, if I am driving any
> speed, it stays pegged dead center of the heat gauge.  It does not leak any
> fluid parked with the engine off.  I am wondering if the addition of water
> lowered the boiling point of the coolant fluid, allowing it to boil and
> create steam pressure forcing the leak?
>
> Any thoughts, comments or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Peter Noto
> Westy 86
> peter_noto@bigfoot.com
> 305-292-1484

Do not make the 3000 mile journey without first changing the head
gaskets.  It won't be fatal until all the coolant is lost and...

John S