There are various features that are identical, and some that are quite different between the Air to water cooled Vanagons, particularly for a novice. Depending on options, they two can look identical. However, the most apparent difference is the front grill(s). If you only have one (upper) grill, you definitely have an air-cooled (perhaps a cause for celebration). If you have two grills (one near the bumper, one between the lights), it is probably water cooled, but could be an air-cooled with AC. So, let's look in the motor compartment. If you see a large, aluminum colored fan housing and 10" diameter squirrel-cage fan at the very back of the motor box, and black tin-work encasing all of the heavy mechanical parts of the motor, it is an air cooled. If instead, you see pulleys at the back of the motor, and if by peeking around the hoses and wires you can see the ground underneath the motor anywhere in the motorbox, it is water cooled. Both motors have advantages and disadvantages. Chiefly the air-cooled is distinguished as being more reliable, more powerful (for its weight/displacement), lighter weight, easier to "hot-rod" (if that is your fancy), extensively tested in more than 12 years of service in 6 different vehicles worldwide prior to being used in the Vanagon, able to produce far hotter/faster heat (with some slight modifications), is nearly impossible to overheat, and is cheaper to own/maintain. The "water-cooled", on the other hand stands apart by needing expensive VW-esque coolant to keep itself on the road, by having the longest, most convoluted, and most finicky radiator plumbing system of any vehicle on earth, while also featuring lackluster performance, and a knack for needing obscure components, and voodoo-repairs (JB Weld on the Heads, AFM-capacitor trick) in order to work semi-reliably. It is slightly quieter, and if you like cachet, this motor has it... VW cobbled it together in 1983.5, and threw the motor design in the ash-heap shortly after ceasing import of the Vanagon to the US, seven years later; the shortest production run of any VW motor type. You'll be part of an exclusive clique, if you like that sort of thing. ;-) wink. Can you guess which type I own? G. Matthew Bulley God-like Creator and Grand Emporer of the VW Heat, Rust, Noise Web Page http://www.bulley-hewlett.com/VWindex/ Owner of too many VW's to mention Mount Olive, NC -----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of Loren A. Busch Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2002 2:15 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Air Cooled or Water Cooled Re: Date: Sat, 20 Apr 2002 00:21:43 +0200 From: buscofurgo buscofurgo <buscofurgo@HOTMAIL.COM> Subject: air-cooled or water-cooled? how can i tell if my 83 van is a water-cooled or a air-cooled ? thanks
If it overheats, it is. |
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