Date:         Sat, 20 Apr 2002 15:24:30 -0400
Reply-To:     "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Organization: Bulley-Hewlett
Subject:      Re: Air Cooled or Water Cooled
In-Reply-To:  <000901c1e897$4ded2f20$1ebcbad0@LorenLaptop>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

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.