Usually, if you are leaking water into the cylinders, you will also be
leaking combustion gases into the cooling system. This will cause all sorts
of cooling system problems. Have the cooling system pressure tested and
properly repair all external leaks.  Then have the coolant tested for
combustion gases.  Then you will know whether or not you have a problem.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Keese, Brian W <bkeese@INDIANA.EDU>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Sunday, May 23, 1999 1:08 PM
Subject: Water in the exhaust

>Hi all,
>I am new to this list and am already very impressed.
>I have just bought an 84 Westfalia.  It is beautiful and I love it, but I
am
>concerned.  It is loosing coolant:  in 100 miles it drained the overflow
>tank and part of the expansion tank.  I smelled the coolant smell when I
>turned on the heater and soon found the puddle by the rear heat exchanger.
>BARSleak seemed to fix that problem.  The water level stayed the same for a
>couple of days, but now it has started to go down again.  I haven't had a
>chance to see if the heater core is leaking again, mostly because I fear
>that my real problem is more severe.  There is a lot of water in the
>exhaust.  At times it comes splashing out of the tailpipe.  At first I
>thought, "Oh it's just water, a natural part of the combustion process."
>But I think it is too much.  I have read about the head gasket problem and
>am afraid that coolant is getting into a combustion chamber around one of
>the o-rings.  Any advice out there?  Or is this a definite candidate for a
>head gasket and/or possible head repacement?  I really don't want to tear
>the engine apart if there is some quicker or easier fix.
>
>Any help is greatly appreciated.
>
>Brian Keese
>New 84 Westy owner
>bkeese@indiana.edu