Click and Clack suggest waving a smog hydrocarbon sensing rod over the
expansion tank.  If present, exhaust gasses are probably getting into
the coolant.

Cheers, Tom Neal

On Mon, 24 May 1999, Dennis Haynes wrote:

> 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
>