Date:         Tue, 27 Apr 2004 08:31:33 -0700
Reply-To:     gary hradek <hradek@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         gary hradek <hradek@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: coolant system trivia
Comments: To: Larry Alofs <lalofs@rcn.com>
In-Reply-To:  <E1BIToC-0003x1-00@smtp03.mrf.mail.rcn.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Larry,
      This sort of adjustment could make the
difference between using my AC or not.   Last year the
high speed fan kicked on most of the time I would be
wanting a nice blast of cold from the AC.
   I have found a simple way of changing out the
coolant.   If you point the van on a downward slant
there is a slope where the top of the radiator is just
above the top of the blue cap.   Then you remove the
bleed bolt from the radiator and slide a soft tube
down to the bottom of the radiator.   In this way you
can syphon out much of the coolant. Fill in reverse.
   Two things to keep in mind.   Heaters valves and
thermostat should be open.  Always remove the radiator
bleeder valve before the blue cap when the engine is
warm.   Obvious question is what is the best mixture
for summer heat?   regards gary
--- Larry Alofs <lalofs@rcn.com> wrote:
>
> Sounds like a reasonable idea if you're willing to
> adjust the
> mixture twice a year.
>   Depending on the climate where you live you might
> be able to
> use considerably less antifreeze than the 50-50
> mixture year
> round.
>
> Larry A.
>
>
> ---- Original message ----
> >Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 20:05:57 -0700 (PDT)
> >From: gary hradek <hradek@yahoo.com>
> >Subject: Re: coolant system trivia
> >To: Larry Alofs <lalofs@rcn.com>
> >Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >
> >Larry,
> >      I am suggesting a lower gycol level for the
> >summer only with perhaps some additives.
> >This is why I call it trivia.
> >              regards gary
> >--- Larry Alofs <lalofs@rcn.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> Water is a better coolant than most any other
> liquid
> >> because
> >> of its high specific heat; it absorbs a lot of
> heat
> >> energy for
> >> a given increase in its temperature.  Pure water
> >> would be the
> >> best coolant, but of course it provides no
> corrosion
> >> resistance and it would tend to boil at the
> >> temperature that
> >> your engine should run at for good efficiency.
> When
> >> you mix
> >> in antifreeze you sacrifice some of the cooling
> >> ability.  This
> >> is why you're seeing a difference in temperature,
> >> not because
> >> of a change in circulation rate.
> >>   BTW that IR thermometer from Radio Shack is "a
> >> good thing".
> >>
> >> Larry A.
> >>
> >>
> >> ---- Original message ----
> >> >Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 09:11:59 -0700
> >> >From: gary hradek <hradek@YAHOO.COM>
> >> >Subject: coolant system trivia
> >> >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >> >
> >> >I have been dealing with a conditon that I
> believe
> >> to
> >> >be a plugged radiator.   I have ruled out most
> >> other
> >> >cheaper fixes.   Over the past week I have
> isolated
> >> >the radiator at the point of the rear most end
> of
> >> the
> >> >big pipes and plugged them with corks and soaked
> >> the
> >> >isolated system with 0.2M citric acid for a
> week.
> >> >Flushing the system with hot water under house
> >> >pressure gave a flow rate about 6 gallons per
> >> second.
> >> >The first flush was very black and showed
> evidence
> >> of
> >> >bits of aluminum from what I am hoping to be
> some
> >> >after market sealer rather than the radiator
> >> itself.
> >> >After flushing the system I filled with the
> orange
> >> >stuff.   What I find intersting about the
> vanagon
> >> >coolant system is that the flow rate for water
> >> alone
> >> >is much faster than with antifreeze added.
> This
> >> is
> >> >reflected well by the (temperature at idle as
> seen
> >> by
> >> >the gauge) TAI.
> >> >The TAI with water alone is much lower and at
> >> position
> >> >determined by the thermostat.   The low speed
> fan
> >> has
> >> >no problem keeping the engine temperature on the
> >> red
> >> >light dot even on a very hot day.   Once you add
> >> >antifreeze the TAI goes up above the light
> unless
> >> you
> >> >increase the rpm.   The TIA on a hot day(about
> 95)
> >> >will respond more slowly to the cooling affect
> of
> >> the
> >> >low speed fan.
> >> >   My question is would I be better off adding
> less
> >> >antifreeze and more water and perhaps adding
> some
> >> >after market corrosion inhibitor and water pump
> >> >lubricant?   thanks gary
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >__________________________________
> >> >Do you Yahoo!?
> >> >Yahoo! Photos: High-quality 4x6 digital prints
> for
> >> 25?
> >> >http://photos.yahoo.com/ph/print_splash
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >__________________________________
> >Do you Yahoo!?
> >Win a $20,000 Career Makeover at Yahoo! HotJobs
> >http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/careermakeover






__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Win a $20,000 Career Makeover at Yahoo! HotJobs
http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/careermakeover