Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 18:47:06 -0500
Reply-To: Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Subject: Re: For Aircooled crowd only...Revs to MPH + crusing spd
In-Reply-To: <C1DE60D2.359B%npoole@telus.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
Hi Nathan,
Hi Nathan,
VW had a warranty program in place during the aircooled era. If a
gauge had been a cost-effective method to prevent engine failure then
I am certain the German engineers at the factory would have added it.
The factory didn't install gauges because when the bus was new it
didn't need them. There are two reasons for that:
1. People were more willing to slow down. A lot of new cars weren't
very powerful back then. 200HP+ in a sedan was the exception, not the
rule back in those days. People didn't change cars as often, either;
which means that more than half the vehicles on the road were older
and slower than the bus. Traffic was kinder and gentler, in other words.
2. Fuel has changed. There are additives in gasoline and refining
practices that make it quite different from what it used to be. None
of the major oil companies will admit that their fuel is any
different, but the empirical evidence speaks for itself, and I have
heard of "off-the-record" conversations with chemists that bear this
out.
Driving inside the performance envelope of a vehicle makes good sense
to me. Don't overload it, and don't exceed the recommended speed
limit in the manual. But I don't think that arbitrarily reducing the
performance envelope will extend its lifespan. (Other than
consumable items like tires and brakes).
Maintain the vehicle according to the proper schedule and it will
deliver the specified performance. That's what it was built for.
Happy Trails,
Greg Potts
1973/74/77/79 Westfakia "Bob The Tomato
www.pottsfamily.ca
On 25-Jan-07, at 4:27 PM, Nathaniel Poole wrote:
> Go to http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?
> p=2024533#2024533 near
> the bottom of the thread there is a description. Only works on the
> flats of
> course...
>
> And my comments reflected more a philosophy than anything really
> empirical.
> But it makes sense when you are running an underpowered vehicle of
> that age
> that babying it will make it last longer than running the edge. And
> the fact
> that they were never designed for speed in the first place should
> make one
> cautious. I suspect that the the reason the road behind aircooled
> buses is
> littered with blown heads is that folks have forgotten this point,
> and try
> to drive like everyone else. And the fact that VW foolishly never
> installed
> temp gauges on their AC buses. That's an absolute must, IMO.
