Date:         Thu, 7 Feb 2002 07:27:01 -0500
Reply-To:     Vanagon man <vgonman@MSN.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Vanagon man <vgonman@MSN.COM>
Subject:      Re: Cool Air-Cooled
Comments: To: Chuck Hill <hilltech@NETINS.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> So what are the secrets to having an Air Cooled Vanagon that runs cool?

I feel the key is to have gauges up in the "cockpit"....I have oil pressure,
oil temp, cylinder head temp, and a tach.............soon to add vacuum and
volts............

I drive by the gauges, and you can really see what is happenning.  I live in
coastal SC, and most of the time it is 80+ and very humid here...........so,
in those types of conditions, my oil temp promptly gets to 100C-110c, CHT
around 350, and oil pressure = to rpms......3500 rpms=35lbs
pressure.........i never push beyond that, which means 60-65 cruising speed.
I intend to add an auxillary oil cooler by next summer to drop those temps
some.

In winter, I can do a lot more, for the air temps outside are lower.  For
example, two nights ago did a 300 mile trip from Raleigh.  80C for oil temp,
350CHT, and 48 lbs of oil pressure turning 4000 rpms going
75mph........19.15mpg pretty damn good even if the land was flat.

Without the gauges, sure i could go 70-75 in the summer, but i would be
running the motor hot, and shortening its life.  With gauges, i know
better......

PS.....let it also be known i fix any little oil leaks as they pop up, keep
my motor clean, and make sure if any tin screws are missing to replace them.
I just drove over 1100 miles in the past 4 days in this car, and it is a
real trooper.