Date: Tue, 12 Oct 2004 18:05:46 -0500
Reply-To: wlail@OU.EDU
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Warren Lail <wlail@OU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Highway speeds
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Hi Doug,
I'm not sure about airbox resonance, but I'll take my engine lid off and drive down the interstate at 4,000 and see what it sounds like, then I will report back.
Thanks.
Warren
88 Westy "Billy Bones"
----- Original Message -----
From: Doug in Calif <vanagon@astound.net>
Date: Tuesday, October 12, 2004 4:43 pm
Subject: Re: Highway speeds
> "I suspect, however that its new owner ( and my close friend) will
> drive it
> into the ground within a couple of months. I just
> > don't think these buses were designed for driving at high speeds"
>
> I have a different opinion Warren. It is my belief and experience
> that a
> properly maintained 1.9 or 2.1 will run all day long flat out as
> almost all German engineered vehicles will do as all were designed
> with the
> high speeds of the autobahn in mind.
>
> A new vanagon has no problem maintaining speeds of 80+ mph all day,
> day in
> and out, with a full load on board.
>
> If you are "nursing" a tired motor without lots of cash ready to
> fix broken
> parts of course 3800-3900 is a good safe range to keep the bus at.
>
> I personally find many VWs (as well as my Porsche) run especially
> well and
> feel "right" at about 71-72 mph for some unknown reason.
> I believe this is right around 4 grand in the stock vanagon. If you
> listento the engine you will hear the air box resonance at that
> speed as well
> taking advantage of resonance air induction which Porsche also uses
> to gain
> a 2-3 psi boost in intake pressure.
>
> Doug
>
> .
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Warren Lail" <wlail@OU.EDU>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Sunday, October 10, 2004 8:15 PM
> Subject: Highway speeds
>
>
> > FWIW, I have always driven Vanagons, air-cooled and waterboxes,
> at between
> 55 and 62 mph on road trips. Those slow
> > speeds (and low rpms) are, I think, easy on the engine, easy on
> gasoline,and give me time to enjoy the ride.
> >
> > I recently sold my 87 GL ("Long John") to a friend who decided
> to drive
> it at speeds between 70 and 80. Long John is a
> > very nice bus, has been very well-maintained, has 154,000
> original miles,
> and has been extraordinarily dependable.
> > I suspect, however that its new owner ( and my close friend) will
> drive it
> into the ground within a couple of months. I just
> > don't think these buses were designed for driving at high speeds.
> >
> > I would like to install oil pressure and oil temp gauges, but I'm
> not sure
> where to begin.
> >
> > I must say, I went through hell getting Billy Bones up and
> running, but
> I've driven mostly trouble free for about 10,000
> > miles now. A trip from Oklahoma to Myrtle Beach, SC in May, and
> morethan 5000 miles in New Mexico this summer,
> > all without incident. Dependability is a nice thing. These days
> when I
> go on a trip, what I experience is fun, not anxiety.
> >
> > Warren Lail
> > 88 Westy "Billy Bones"
>
>
| 
