Date:         Fri, 26 Jan 2007 18:56:01 -0800
Reply-To:     Ed Wiebe <wiebeis@SHAW.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ed Wiebe <wiebeis@SHAW.CA>
Subject:      Overheating? Something to consider
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I would like to relate my experience with our 1990 Westy on our recent trip to Arizona from Vancouver Island.
On our trip back one tire developed a slow leak which forced me to put on the spare tire while staying overnight in a soft, gravely campsite.  Since the spare had not been removed from it's cradle for a long time, I struggled to get that thing out from under there.  After some banged up knuckles and forceful language the thing finally dropped.
So you ask, "What does that have to do with an overheating problem?"  Well, ever since I've had this van, the temperature gauge needle has been sitting at about 2 needle widths above the red indicator light.  The radiator fan also would come on in stop and go traffic.  The thermostat seemed to function and the radiator was warm/hot from top to bottom.  This overheating was a nagging problem that I meant to get to eventually.  
While driving along highway 1 south of San Francisco, I looked at the gauge to see that the needle was just above the red indicator light.  In other words, it was running much cooler and at the right temperature.  I stopped immediately and checked everything I could think of.  It all seemed OK, so I started up and continued.
The needle now goes up to the right spot on the gauge and stays there.
The only answer I can come up with is that the spare tire was pushing onto the plastic coolant pipes and restricting flow enough to cause a higher running temperature.
Another problem that may be cured is the oil/buzzer alarm coming on.  When the oil was topped up close to the top line on the oil stick, driving hard for an hour or longer and then bringing the rpms down quickly to 2000rpms would almost always get the buzzer to go off.  With the cooler engine temperature this has not happened.
This list has helped me with many problems I've encountered, so I felt I would share this.  It is just another thing to consider.
I felt pretty good about this experience.  I got a tire leak fixed, an overheating engine cooled and maybe fixed the oil light/buzzer problem.
Happy travelling to you all!

Ed Wiebe
1990 Westy