Date: Mon, 22 Apr 2002 16:28:01 -0500
Reply-To: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Re: air-cooled air conditioner effectiveness
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
The best thing about Vanagon, Bus or Westy air conditioners is that if
you see a radar trap you just turn the AC on and it drags your speed down
from 80 mph to about 60 in just a few seconds. Works just like the flap
brakes and reverse thrusters on a 747 aircraft.
I have personally never had one or seen one that was working.
I sold two Westies with them and never fixed them before the sale.
I've pulled about three of them off of vehicles I've restored or wrecked
out.
If you've got one, just leave it there.
Someone down the line may perceive that it adds value to your vehicle or
possibly you may feel like Bill Gates some day and make it operational.
Stan Wilder
On Mon, 22 Apr 2002 16:13:43 -0400 "G. Matthew Bulley"
<gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM> writes:
> The Air-cooled AC units are nothing but trouble...horribly
> ineffectual,
> cause poor mileage, rapid hair loss, impotence, flatulence,
> forgetfulness, world-wide-hunger, and friction between family
> members.
> Fundamentalist clergy of various denominations preach fiery sermons
> against this AC unit's evils, knowing that many a soul is crackling
> in
> the fires of hell for using an air-cooled-engine-powered VW AC
> unit.
> Save yourself.
>
> If you aren't using yours, you should count your blessings, remove
> it
> immediately, and send it to me for 'disposal'. I'll have it crushed
> into
> unrecognizable bits, have those bits incinerated, and then have the
> ashes scattered on inaccessible mountaintops, really I will.
> Really.
>
> Okay, all joking aside, they don't work any better or any worse than
> any
> other car's AC. They make the inside of the van cold. On the
> downside,
> they use a horribly in-efficient piston compressor which puts about
> an 8
> hp load on the motor. Couple this with the mileage decline from
> hauling
> around an extra couple hundred pounds of AC gear.
>
> A buddy from AZ had a 1978 bus with this AC and I LOVED that AC,
> even
> though it made his bus really slow... My 1976 had only the 5-65
> AC... 5
> windows open, 65 mph.
>
> The extra load on the motor from the AC means even SLOWER
> acceleration,
> and more frequent downshifting. It also means you *ought to* install
> a
> head temp and oil temp gauge, as well as an thermostatically
> controlled,
> fan-forced, auxiliary oil cooler.
>
> Without much argument, the AC's probably reduce engine life, but
> that's
> why God made Boston Bob, Jake Raby, AVP, and all that ilk. I'll opt
> for
> less miles on my motor for the comfort of a cool ride in my Westy.
> If
> you decide to save your soul and remove your evil AC, call me.
>
> Developing business and guiding change since 1996,
>
> G. Matthew Bulley
> Bulley-Hewlett
> Corporate Communications
> Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
> Alliance: www.ntara.com
> Phone: +1.919.658.1278
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On
> Behalf
> Of Tim & Kim Dayton
> Sent: Monday, April 22, 2002 2:45 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: air-cooled air conditioner effectiveness
>
> How potent (or impotent) is the air cooled air condition? All of
> this
> talk of air cooled air conditioner part got me to thinking about
> this.
> I have air condition set, the type under the front dash, yet it
> isn't
> working. If it isn't very effective need I should remove it to
> reduce
> weight and strain on the engine.
>
> tim
> 82 "ole yeller"
>
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