Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2001 19:59:19 -0700
Reply-To: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Subject: Re: Suggestion, Re: Checking a Radiator.
I've thought of the same thing in the past.
Problem is, you're putting a Band-Aid on a cancer. If the system is working
properly, it will not overheat in traffic. If it is not, then it should be
fixed properly, rather than adding an unnecessary feature, which will not
really fix the problem, but make diagnostics more difficult in the future.
Most commonly, the problem is not coolant flow, but a clogged and insulated
radiator not allowing a proper heat transfer from coolant to outside air.
Karl Wolz
----- Original Message -----
From: "Zoltan" <zol@FOXINTERNET.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2001 11:09 AM
Subject: Suggestion, Re: Checking a Radiator.
> Would it be correct to suggest that there should be a thermostatically
> controlled electric water pump installed in the line to alleviate the slow
> traffic overheatings?
> Something to think of...
> Zoltan
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "pensioner" <al_knoll@PACBELL.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2001 9:40 AM
> Subject: Checking a Radiator.
>
>
> > Hi volks,
> >
> > Some radiator shops have an infrared "gun". It measures heat radiated
> from
> > whatever it is pointed towards. You can use this to scan the radiator
for
> > "cold" areas. A new radiator will be uniformly "hot" across the front
> > surface. As radiators clog or become coated internally with various
> > materials (including the worst of all, Alumaseal), the coolant is
> thermally
> > isolated from the inner surface of the tubes. Heat transfer from
coolant
> to
> > tube to fin is impaired. The coolant can't dump as much heat and the
> > temperature rises.
> >
> > The heat transfer across a boundary is proportional to the temperature
> > difference across the boundary and also to the thermal conductivity of
the
> > material at the boundary. The poor conductivity of the insulating
sludge
> or
> > the blockage of some of the tubes can lead to severely reduced cooling.
> >
> > If you can find a shop with a "heat sensing" gun, have them profile your
> > radiator. They'll usually do it for free as it points out the problems
> for
> > which they would be more than willing to sell you a solution.
> >
> > IMNSHO, the WBX cooling system is marginal at best with a poor waterpump
> > design and location and lots of flow restriction in the rest of the
> system.
> >
> > cheers,
> >
> > pensioner
>
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