Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 09:31:47 +1000
Reply-To: Simon Glen <simonglen@BIGPOND.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Simon Glen <simonglen@BIGPOND.COM>
Subject: Re: Aircooled vanagon acceptable oil temperature / timing problem?
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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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