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Date:         Fri, 17 Nov 2000 04:59:09 GMT
Reply-To:     Mike Finkbiner <mike_l_f@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mike Finkbiner <mike_l_f@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: winter vanagon complaint #2
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

John -

A few years ago I dug around in the library to see what the experts said on this subject. The couple of articles I read said that idling was hard on an engine, and for best long term wear it should be run under load.

They recommended that you start off slow, and not accelerate fast or run at high rpms until you are up to temperature.

But as you say - when the weather is really cold, you do need to bring things up to temperature or risk damage. (I grew up in Minnesota and North Dakota)

My feeling is that if it is below about 15 F, I like to give it a couple of minutes to get warmed up. If it's warmer than that, I wait a few seconds to make sure the oil pressure is up, and drive off at a moderate pace. I switch from 20-50 to 15-40 oil in the fall.

Also, if I have to wait for a train or a flagman, unless I need the heater, I turn the engine off.

- Mike Finkbiner '87 Westy Moscow, Idaho (Looking forward to one of Robert's heaters!)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 20:18:26 -0600 From: John Rodgers <inua@HIWAAY.NET> Subject: Re: winter vanagon complaint #2

Larry, it would be interesting to get the response of the list on this. I base my comments on 30 years of experience in living through and driving in some brutal Alaska winters. I realize not everyone might want to go through the same routine I have gone through until it is virtual habit. More than once in those cold climes I have seen engines seize where the temp gauge said warm enough to go, but the oil temp didn't agree, and upon drive off and opening the throttle the bearings ran dry and the engine seized. But again, that was in an extreme environment. In warmer climes it may not be necessary to wait that long. But I personally do like to have full heat online when I start out on a cold day.

John Rodgers 88 GL Driver _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

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