Date:         Fri, 3 Feb 2006 15:15:35 -0800
Reply-To:     Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Subject:      Re: running hot....any ideas?
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

Getting some objective data is the whole point of putting gauges in- I want
to know the temperature of the water and oil in real time as I'm driving,
not while it's idling as I check here and there with a thermometer. If the
stock setup keeps the temps within permissible parameters under the
conditions in which I drive the van, then fine, I don't have a problem. If
they move too close to the upper end of that range for my comfort then I'm
going to make some modifications.
As I was checking the archives I repeatedly ran across the idea that a very
common first condition to catastrophic engine failure is overheated oil. In
addition to the conditions I mentioned before, I'm surrounded by mountains
where I live so any trip out of town involves drives up long grades, and our
annual trek to my Dad's involves driving across the desert in the dead of
summer with the A/C on ending in that long climb into Flagstaff from the
west. From my reading driving up these grades is precisely when the engine
and oil is under the greatest strain.
If I'm going to use this or any other Vanagon for those trips (particularly
with my kids in the car) I'm going to address the problem as well as I can
before I try it.
After reading some of the rest of this thread, I'm even more inclined to go
to a temp gauge- I'd like to be 'reading' the temperature of my fluids, not
the resistance of the electronics. I wonder if you went through cleaning the
wiring if it would then give you a new 'normal' reading lower on the
gauge...?
Getting back to Chris' problem, I suggested he test the new thermostat on
the stove. He said the radiator fan was coming on so I would suspect if the
thermostat had a problem it would be that it was opening partway as opposed
to not at all.
For the list in general (if y'all are still reading), how does one check for
proper flow from the water pump? I haven't seen that addressed.

Cya,
Robert

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sam Walters" <sam.cooks@VERIZON.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 4:22 AM
Subject: Re: running hot....any ideas?


> Robert,
>
> It has been pointed out many times, several times in this thread, and
> hundreds more in the past, that the needles can be highly variable and
> inaccurate.
>
> Before you start adding oil coolers or paying for new parts, get a
> infrared thermometer device and point it at a number of parts of the
> engine to determine if it is really hot, or is just giving you a too
> high reading.  Monitor it as it is heating up from cold and while
> running to get an idea of how hot different points are.
>
> For years, I used to worry about this in my old 84 when it would read
> pretty high and the fan would run a lot while in stop and go traffic.
> Once I got the infrared and took some measurements and found out it was
> doing just fine.  The fan would come on and lower the coolant
> temperature just fine.
>
> It doesn't take much fan time with the fan running to lower the
> temperature 20-30 degrees.  Get some real data on the issue.
>
> And as several people have said check the thermostat, even if it is
> new.  And before putting a new one in, check the old one in a pot of
> water on the stove, and if it is bad, check the "new" one before
> installing it to make sure it is good.
>
> Sam
>
> --
> Sam Walters
> Baltimore, MD
>
> 89 Syncro GL, Zetec Inside
> 85 Westy Weekender
> 85 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel - to become veggie oil powered
>
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