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Date:         Sun, 7 Jul 2002 16:54:03 -0700
Reply-To:     mike <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         mike <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
Subject:      Re: Aircooled vanagon acceptable oil temperature / timing problem?
Comments: To: Simon Glen <simonglen@bigpond.com>
In-Reply-To:  <3D28CF64.3532B03E@bigpond.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Wow.

And the road sign just outside your town says "Hell, 10 KM"?

Double wow.

I'd like to be able to say I'll quit bitching about 100 degree weather but I won't.

Mike

> From: Simon Glen <simonglen@BIGPOND.COM> > Reply-To: Simon Glen <simonglen@BIGPOND.COM> > Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 09:31:47 +1000 > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Re: Aircooled vanagon acceptable oil temperature / timing problem? > > John Brush wrote: > >> My 81 air cooled will reach 230 easily on a 93 degree day, and in fact, it >> has sat totally useless in my garage for the last few weeks as the temps >> here in Utah are exceeding 100 degrees. As much as I love the van, I have >> to admit, its of no use in the heat. A thirty minute drive down the 6 lane >> concrete freeway, and the temp gauge (in the drain plug) leaps to 250 and >> beyond. > > Oh, ye men of little faith!! > > If your air-cooled engine's thermostat is working properly, nothing is > blocking your fan, > your timing is correct, you have correct plugs at correct settings, your sump > > is full of good oil, your oil pump is not worn out, your oil cooler is not > split, etc. then you should have no problems in even the hottest of desert > conditions on earth. A standard VW air-cooled motor correctly tuned and in > good condition just loves hot weather. > > I owned and used a 1973 Type2 camper with AD series 1600 single carb motor > for 460,000km or 290,000 miles. It was always fitted with a VDO dipstick > thermometer. I lived in Nigeria in West Africa with it for three years. It > crossed the Sahara Desert twice in mid-summer (July), the desert in Iran and > Pakistan as well many trips through the central Australian Desert. In the > Sahara this little 1600 magnesium alloy motor would labour all day everyday > pushing two tonnes on vehicle in terrible deep sand and it never missed a > beat. In desert conditions oil temperatures would remain all day at 270F and > often higher. > > This series engine lasted over 460,000km (290,000miles) before I sold the > vehicle. Although during that time it was taken apart twice, the crankshaft, > bearings, valve guides, camshaft and camshaft bearings remained original. > Heat did not damage that little engine. The car was maintained meticulously, > though, with oil changes and tappet and timing checks every 3,000km (2,000 > miles). I also let it idle a while before switxching off. > > I have owned Type4 engined aluminium engined Type2s as well: a 1982 Microbus > (Vanagon) with 2litre AFC injection CV-series engine and a 1978 Westfalia > with CJ-series twin-carb engine and used both in hot tropical and desert > conditions. > (I've lived at Townsville in northern Australia in the hot tropics for the > past 20years.) Being aluminium engines and of much more recent design they > run cooler than the venerable 1600. My 1978 Westfalia now has 300,000km > (190,000miles) behind it and it still has the original barrels and pistons, > crankshaft, bearings, valve guides and camshaft. On a hot day on the open > road it runs at a constant 230-250F, even hotter if I push it over 100km/h > (60mph) or power it up hills. Again, it is meticulously maintained with oil > changes, tappet, dwell angle and timing checks every 3,000km (2,000miles) and > oil filter changes every 6,000km (4,000miles). I also try to let it idle a > while before switching off. > > To me the idea of not using an air-cooled VW because outside temperatures are > around 40C or 100F seems just crazy. Now, I have also owned a 1992 T3 > Syncro (panel van version of the US Vanagon) with 2.1 MV-series Digifant > injection engine for the past four years. With this vehicle I could > definitely understand not wanting to use it in hot weather. The water-boxer > engine does not like heat especially when it comes to slow low gear work in > sand or idling in traffic or powering up steep gradients. Not so the > air-cooled engines! They seem to thrive on heat. > > Simon Glen > Toowoomba, Australia. >


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