1985 Westy 1.9 - Expansion Tank Dry

[thomast]

Issue 3 on a list of many....

For the past week, I've had an odd leak of coolant dripping from the jack point by the passenger side read jack point. Usually about a 1' square area of coolant in the morning after the van has sat all night....and each morning after driving it the day before, my expansion tank is bone dry.

I've look all around the tank and the line going to the main coolant tank and there doesn't appear to be any leaks there.

Yesterday I filled the expansion tank in the morning right in the middle of the Min and Max marks. I drove around town for about 3 hours. Van drove great, no over heating, no temp gauge spiking. Then this morning the expansion tank was dry again.

If it was a head gasket leak, wouldn't there be a loss of power or burning coolant smell or something?

Any thoughts on what I might be dealing with here?

Thanks!

[Wildthings]

Check the rear underseat heater, they are notorious for leaking and since the coolant ends up on the floor pan it can run out most anywhere.

If you can't easily see where the coolant is leaking from have your system pressure tested.

[thomast]

Thanks! The rear heater was leaking right at the valve. There was a lot of coolant on the floor under the heater. I really appreciate the help!!

[E1]

It's probably that little, Diamond-shaped gasket.

The prior owner's boyfriend chased this for months and finally gave up. If he'd found it, we'd be full-timing in our '96 Jetta now!

His failure became our Westfailure.
_________________
‘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

[Wildthings]

If you don't live in a place where you need the rear heater, disconnecting and plugging the hoses will put an end to the problem. If you do need the heater you need to determine exactly where it is leaking.