The engineering loss for a normally aspirated engine is 3%/1,000 feet. So at 10,000 feet, 30% of the engine horsepower is not available. I have to wonder why Aaron thinks he should keep the engine RPM's below 3,200? If it runs at 4,000 on the highway in 4th gear, why not let it go to 4,000 in second? he is actually lugging the engine and not doing the valves or bearings any good. 4,000 to 4,200 rpm should be no problem. 4,500 for short periods is also acceptable. Much above that can cause oil heating/thinning. I've run to the 5,200 limit for short bursts many a time. I've done both the route 70 and 80 passes and usually find second is too short and third sometimes too high. So I run in second at 4,200-4,500 keeping an eye on the oil temp. Having the water temp gauge increase by a "needle width" over the LED is not an issue. As the engine is loaded, the water temp will increase, the t-stat will open further, then as the radiator heats, more rise will occur. What is important is that it cools after the hill climb and that the temp does not go out of control. Dennis ----- Original Message ----- From: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@TELUS.NET> Date: Monday, July 11, 2005 12:56 pm Subject: Re: slow van, overheating, fast white westy on 91 > Sounds to me as though your van is fine, Aaron. Both my 84 GL and > 86 Westy > Weekender climb pretty slowly, especially at altitude. Since a > naturallyaspirated engine loses 5% of its horsepower for every > 1000 feet above sea > level, we amuse ourselves on long high-altitude ascents by > calculating the > likely horsepower left to us at the top of the pass. At 7130 feet > in Wyoming > we were down to 52 hp, which pretty much explains everything! I > wish that > someone would engineer a turbo or supercharger kit for the > Vanagon; like the > Judson kit fot early beetles. You should put it over the scale > next time > you pass a closed one.You'll be surprised. > > Seeya, Jake > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Aaron Pearson" <Aaron.Pearson@GXT.COM> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> > Sent: Monday, July 11, 2005 6:40 AM > Subject: slow van, overheating, fast white westy on 91 > > > we took our '87 syncro 7-pass gl to aspen from boulder (colorado) this > weekend, "moderately" loaded (~200 lbs, plus two light people). > we took > it over independance pass and stayed at a national forest > campground on > the aspen side of the pass. i'm happy with my van, i know it's slow, > but if it can make that trip in four hours, that's good enough for me. > HOWEVER, on the way back, on 91 between leadville and copper mtn, > i am > passed on a steep uphill grade by a 89-91 westy. i'm doing 25 mph in > 2nd gear, and this guy (ponytail dude, i gave you a thumbs up- are you > out there?) is at 40 mph at least. i assume he's got a transplanted > engine, but maybe not? i've only driven one vanagon in my life, and > assumed it's normal. the compression is fine on it, it's had a > tune-up > within a year, and it sounds and smells fine. but maybe i'm > suffereingneedlessly? this is the stock motor, 95k miles. > > another calibration point: on i-70 east over eisenhower, i'm > again in > 2nd going 25 mph. the temp needle gets higher then i've ever seen > it (a > full needle-width above the led), so i pull over and cool off. > when we > start again, we have the heaters on and keep it below 3200 rpm and we > make it up, no problem. air temp is ~75F. > > so, is this right? i've always assumed my van is healthy, but can a > front range local with a stock 2.1 confirm that eisenhower in 2nd > is the > best i can hope for? my van is noticeably stronger at 5300' elevation > then 11000', of course, and i'm willing to live with that until > it's new > motor time. but if i have the slowest van in the world, i'd like to > know. > > thanks, all. sorry for the colorado-specific ref points and long > post. > aaron > '87 syncro gl > |
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