I once had a leak of brake fluid from power brakes into the vacuum
line and the resultant white cloud was simply amazing. My whole casr
was enveloped as I stopped.

NOT in a VW, but it was probably the most memorable motoring event in
my 44 years driving.  It is almost worth trying as a stunt!

Dave
downunder.

2008/10/1 Don Hanson <dhanson@gorge.net>:
>  I concur about the headgasket now probably being blown from your
> overheating the poorly installed motor. That is probably causing the white
> smoke.  Easy to check by having your spark plugs out and inspecting down the
> holes to see if there is coolant in the cylinders.
>  I, too, have a 1.8 inline in my 84 and I overheated mine, after I totally
> muffed bleeding my radiatior when changing the coolant.  That caused the
> headgasket to fail.  With mine, I put some compressed air into the cooling
> tank reservoir and I could actually hear the coolant leaking into two of the
> cylinders.
>  Don't freak out.  Changing the headgasket on an inline four is quick and
> simple, unlike a WBX (from my reading).  I did my own gasket in about 3 hrs,
> motor in, with simple hand tools..so a *capable* shop should be able to do
> the same, barring complications.
>  It sounds like your mechanics suck.  What you describe, it seems like
> sloppy and uninformed work has turned a simple swap into a painful and
> costly ordeal for you.  Get the van to another mechanic that is competent.
> Bad luck choosing the wrong wrench...
>  Don Hanson
>