Date:         Tue, 30 Mar 2004 08:47:46 +1000
Reply-To:     Stephen Overmyer <s.overmyer@UWS.EDU.AU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Overmyer <s.overmyer@UWS.EDU.AU>
Subject:      Coolant leak with a happy ending :-)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

>Hi Guys,
>
>A couple of weeks back I noticed a wet spot on my garage
>floor under the van approx where the fuel pump is located.
>Checked it..wasn't fuel and dismissed it as something else
>I'd spilt there un-VW related.
>
>Anyway,I noticed it was still there last weekend and the wet spot
>had increased in size and this time,upon a more thorough
>investigation,made the heart sinking discovery it was coolant.....
>the constant fear in the back of the mind of all wasserboxer drivers...;)
>However this puzzled me as I know there are no coolant lines
>in that vicinity (and I don't have a rear heater) but when I got under
>and looked properly,sure enough,coolant was dripping down from
>one of the bolt holes that hold the rear seat.
>
>At this point the light bulb finally went on.....that's the side where
>I keep my bottles of spare coolant under the back seat!
>Sure enough,after pulling out spare fuel filters,air filters,expansion
>tank cap,47 alternator belts old and new, and all manner of
>assorted VW crap,there it was...one of the coolant bottles was
>lying on it's side with a split in the cap.Coolant had been slowly
>weeping out for God knows how long.It had spread in a thin yet
>obvious film under most of the rear floor and under rear seat area.
>
>So,out comes everything and the clean up begins. A good detergent
>and water seems to have done the trick as there is none of the
>slightly greasy film left that coolant tends to leave after it all
>dried out however....
>
>The question I have for anybody still tuned in is...is there any
>remaining danger to the paint on the rear floor? I have not had
>any spilt coolant problems on paintwork previously but was
>concerned if any problem could still result.
>The paint on the rear floor is in pretty much pristine condition
>and I would just like to make every effort to keep it that way....
>
>Thanks for reading if you've made it this far...;)
>Steve O
>NSW Australia
>'92 Transporter WBX Kombi
>'00 Transporter Double Cab
>'03 Transporter Double Cab (work truck)
>'78 Landrover Series 3 Ragtop (ex-Aust Army)