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Date:         Wed, 15 Nov 2006 14:42:59 -0800
Reply-To:     Raymond Paquette <raymondpaquette@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Raymond Paquette <raymondpaquette@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Aircooled Vanagons
Comments: To: neil <goofymuso@yahoo.ca>
In-Reply-To:  <20061115204737.52807.qmail@web54708.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I've had both head and oil temp guages on earlier ('66 and '71) busses, and don't think the head temp was very useful. Once warmed up, it only climbed above 350 if I did things I shouldn't, like push up a hill that was really too steep for the gear I was in. While you can cook your heads pretty quickly, it should really only happen if you're messing up. Interestingly, it did give me info on tuning, like it would settle around 335 when I had my points and timing set right, good spark plug wires, good gas. If it hovered higher (without obvious cause) I knew I had some maintenance to do. Outside air temp made little difference, aside form how long it took to get warmed up.

Oil temp can climb without you realizing it though.

I've had external coolers as well. Best one had an electric fan that turned on around 170 degrees. You can also get an oil thermostat to keep from overcooling. It bypasses the cooler until you get up to temp.

If I had to choose one thing to keep me safe, I'd go with the oil temp guage. You can always slow down and/or downshift to keep them temp down. My guage saved my ass several times when the oil bypass plunger stuck down (bypassing the stock oil cooler). Without it, I wouldn't have known until something really bad happened.

My $.02

Raymond

On 11/15/06, neil <goofymuso@yahoo.ca> wrote: > > I recently installed a head temp sensor on my 81 AC. > It read 350-475(475 on hills) on a recent trip in mild > weather. I've replaced the engine seal, and have > brought rest of engine up to snuff (as best I can w/o > dealing with internals). It runs well and I'm > confident that this engine won't overheat. But..... > > An external cooler can't hurt, especially in hotter > climes. Since this van was made for travel, and is > heavier (Westy) it might make sense to install a > cooler. Regardless these engines work fine stock IF > properly maintained. i.e. I didn't realize just how > important the engine seal was (thanks list) to keeping > the engine within safe temps. > > For now the expense of adding a cooler isn't > warranted. Who knows, if I travel to much hotter > climes, I may install a cooler. But if it doesn't over > heat, then no need IMHO. Besides I may just end up > being the neighborhood nutter who puts in an AZZ-TD or > Subie in his AC van. > > (need a dang-diddly-o-dry garage first. These > carport-capers just aren't cutting it with this > sideways rain! And am I nuts to be thinking of selling > and moving to a place with a proper 2 car garage/shop > just because I own and work on a Vanagon????) > > Cheers but not nuts, > > Neil. > > > > --- Conrad Klahn <conradk@MAC.COM> wrote: > > > Hi, > > > > I have an aircooled Vanagon in need of a rebuild. > > I'm sure I have > > been hell on this thing per Bob's comments - but it > > has never broken > > down on me. All I want is to go 55 up a 30 degree > > grade, which I know > > would require a miracle and a 55 MPH tail wind. > > > > I was recently discouraged from Jake Raby's rant on > > Aircooled > > Vanagons. So I know that there are people with all > > sorts of opinions, > > even from those that know more than me. However, I > > do think an > > additional oil cooler and ceramic coating offset > > many of the pitfalls > > of this design. > > > > Conrad > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com >


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