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Simpdog5 Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2017 Posts: 57 Location: Marin County
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 3:00 pm Post subject: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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Merry Christmas Eve everyone! Hope today finds you warm and happy with family and friends. Since it's Christmas Eve I don't expect to get much response but am lobbing it out there regardless.
After 6 months of no leaks, no issues, and limited gremlins appearances, I just today noticed a little leakage coming from my 87 Vanagon. Not sure exactly what it is, but I'm scheduled to be leaving at 5:00 am the day after Christmas to go on a 4 day surfing/camping trip with my 12 year old son. total mileage roundtrip will be about 600 miles..... Obviously no shops open today or tomorrow, so I'm going to need to self-diagnose.
Any ideas judging by the looks of the leakage? light green, watery substance.
Thanks in advance Samba Community!
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HBB Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2014 Posts: 156
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 3:04 pm Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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Coolant is the only light green liquid I can think of that is likely to spew out of a Vanagon. |
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joetiger Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005 Posts: 5078 Location: denver
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 3:09 pm Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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I'd start checking every hose connection in the engine bay. A lot of times it looks like a head seal at first glance but turns out to be something much more easily repairable.
Good luck and Merry Christmas! _________________ Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9810 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 3:34 pm Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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I agree, looks like coolant. Get the engine dried and look closely to spot the exact source.
Sometimes a really cold night can bring on a morning leak that will go away once it warms up. Still cause for investigation though as it can be the first sign of trouble some time later. |
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[email protected] Samba Member
Joined: April 29, 2015 Posts: 704 Location: Berkeley Ca
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 3:53 pm Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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Coolant leak. Open the engine bay. Take more pictures to show us. Dry it up with paper towel. Start car. Try to pin point area. Take pictures. Post. How low is your reservoir? Like others said could just be a 2 minute fix if Santa is around. |
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Simpdog5 Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2017 Posts: 57 Location: Marin County
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 5:32 pm Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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Thanks guys. Off to a Christmas dinner with the family but sounds like a fun Christmas day project for me (in all seriousness). You know Christmas Day you sit around with family and eat and drink and get fatter? Well this gives me something to do!
Hope Santa drops off a little good news for me tonight and I can sort this out tomorrow! |
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0to60in6min Samba Member
Joined: November 27, 2006 Posts: 3416 Location: OR & CA (Oregon/California)
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 5:58 pm Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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if you could, get 3 bottles of Subaru Coolant conditioner... remove some coolant and pour them in.....while waiting for a better diagnostic (ie. replace head gasket)
in the meantime check all the clamps related to coolant hoses...
https://www.amazon.com/Subaru-SOA635071-Coolant-System-Conditioner/dp/B00IGZP2UE |
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jocoman Samba Member
Joined: August 11, 2016 Posts: 427 Location: Ottawa, Canada
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 7:15 pm Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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Mine always leaks a bit from the head seal only in cold weather. Once it warms up its fine. The Subaru conditioner will address that if this is your case. _________________ '86 Westfalia 2.0L Zetec
'97 Volvo 850 AWD Turbo
" The fun never stops" |
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16504 Location: Brookeville, MD
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E1 Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013 Posts: 6559 Location: Westfalia, Earth
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Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2018 8:19 am Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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Yep. If there's even a tiny chance of radiator clogging, less is more.
Standard protocol is two bottles with our 16 liters of coolant. We have a head gasket leak that had me pondering an engine six weeks ago, so I asked the mechanic to throw two bottles in. He only did one, and it's holding -- so far. _________________ ‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman |
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vanagonjr Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010 Posts: 3431 Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
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Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2018 8:24 am Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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One place to check, as you look at hoses, is the level sensor in the pressurized expansion Coolant tank inside the engine compartment, as these crack over time.
If it is such, you can fill the underneath with JB Weld and run it a while (BTDT)
Tank -(On Left)
Sensor -
Inside the threaded area is hollow - that is what I filled wit JB weed after cleaning it on a trip and it held for about a year (Forgot to replace it)
I always carry a spare tank with a new sensor in the van. Fits behind the glove box BTW.
Give us an update, when you can. _________________ John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798 |
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16504 Location: Brookeville, MD
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WestyWanter Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2017 Posts: 459 Location: San Diego
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Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2018 10:17 am Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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I had a leak coming from the head seals that would only occur when the motor was cold during winter mornings once I started the van it would go away. I still however pulled heads and resurfaced them but felt like i could have driven it. |
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Simpdog5 Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2017 Posts: 57 Location: Marin County
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Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2018 3:47 pm Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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Confirmed location fluid on/around the coolant expansion tank. Doesn't appear to be very much as tank is full. Going to fire her up and let her run for a bit a check it with the engine bay open. Please stand by.
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DanHoug Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016 Posts: 4790 Location: Bemidji, MN
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Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2018 4:03 pm Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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looks like you might have an oil cooler, nice addition. your fuel lines look like they've been replaced once but also look very old. wouldn't hurt to redo those. _________________ -dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.
'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd
Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com |
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Simpdog5 Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2017 Posts: 57 Location: Marin County
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Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2018 4:14 pm Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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OK, ran the engine for 15 minutes. Dripped a little bit at first (it's been cold the past 24 hours) then after a few minutes no leak at all.....I'll drive her around town a bit and see if she leaks upon my return home. |
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Simpdog5 Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2017 Posts: 57 Location: Marin County
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Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2018 6:34 pm Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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Interesting.
Drove around town running a few errands. Parked at a friends house. Level ground. No leak. It was only when i pulled in at home, where I back DOWN a short decline into our carport that a little bit began leaking out again. From where I've seen the leaking before it occurs when the van has been angled with the rear end DOWN so perhaps the coolant is escaping out the top of the coolant expansion tank.
Checked coolant level and all good there so will head off on the road trip tomorrow morning and just monitor it. Thanks everyone for the advice. |
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vanagonjr Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010 Posts: 3431 Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
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Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2018 8:54 pm Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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Simpdog5 wrote: |
it occurs when the van has been angled with the rear end DOWN so perhaps the coolant is escaping out the top of the coolant expansion tank.
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When my coolant level sensors cracked, there was a pool of coolant in the recessed area of the pressurized coolant expansion tank.
Example pic from gallery. _________________ John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798 |
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blockhead squarewheels Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2017 Posts: 55 Location: Santa Cruz
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2018 9:53 am Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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My coolant junction leaked when i got cold last christmas. Changed it out for a stainless one and left for a 2500 mile road trip an hour later. First big (1k plus)trip i had with no breakdowns. you got this. |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22668 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2018 10:11 am Post subject: Re: ARGH!!!! New leak just before road trip.....what to do? |
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Take the trip, ignore the Nervous Nellies, come back and post how awesome it was. Drive it like any other car over 10 years old, with situational awareness and checking systems on a regular basis. _________________ .ssS! |
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