Date:         Mon, 21 Aug 2006 14:25:49 +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:      Re: first sign of coolant under engine
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

 

Date:    Sun, 20 Aug 2006 21:25:29 -0600
From:    ScotiaWesty <ScotiaWesty@ADELPHIA.NET>
Subject: first sign of coolant under engine

Hey List:

Well, I have sort of been waiting for this since I first got into the
List years ago.  I drove the van up Pikes Peak today - 14 110 feet.
Drove diligently and slowly, never exceeding 4000rpms (green on
tachometer, etc).
When I finished the trip and the van was back in the garage there were a
few drips of coolant on the cement under the engine.  A quick check
revealed the leak was coming down near the oil filter and had mostly
evaporated on the bottom of the engine.  By the looks of it, it is the
very first time it has leaked.  I can't even quite see where it is
actually leaking, just where it is coming down around the side of the
engine.

Has anything changed for dealing with coolant leaks since the info was
posted on the Vanagon site?  Does anyone have any insight into whether
an engine with

52 000 miles on it should just have the seals or heads repaired or
should I be considering doing away with it and getting a new engine.
Are there any other typical coolant leaks that it could be?  Anyone know
of any expertise in this regard to lean on in the Denver / Front Range
area of Colorado?

                                  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Don't write your engine off just yet...

There's several small short coolant hoses located in the vicinity of,
and above the oil filter....adjacent the water pump. Check inside the
engine bay that it isn't one of those first.

Several months ago I had to replace the O ring oil seal above the oil
filter and that work disturbed one the coolant hoses to which I refer.
Next day I had a small coolant leak dripping down in the same place you
describe.

I probably could have nipped up the hose clamp but the hose was an
original and now 14 years old so I just replaced the hose and clamps. 

Anyway, worth a look first.

Cheers,
Steve O
NSW Australia
'92 Transporter WBX Kombi
'00 Transporter Double Cab
'03 Transporter Double Cab (work truck)
'78 Land Rover 109 Series 3 soft top ute (ex-Aust.Army)