Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2007 08:44:08 -0400
Reply-To: Bob Donalds <donalds1@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bob Donalds <donalds1@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: In praise of aircooled vanagons
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Its true that the air-cooled van has to tolerate poor quality fuel AND there
are things you can do about it.
The addition of an external oil cooler prevents the oil from hitting that
magic temp of 225 F. Oil at 225 F
has what could be considered a phase change. I have seen this while testing
air-cooled engines with real time digital temp gauges. As the oil reaches
225 F the head temps soar due to the fact that the oil stops accecpting heat
from the heads at the same rate. Air-cooled engines acumulate heat over time
depending on load and abient air temp. As I like to say the air-cooled
engine has has a max running temp limited only by the melting point of
aluminum.
Gene berg often said that gauges are worthless he was right the event is
over long before the gauge reacts can you say VDO.
Gene Berg Ent sells a oil temp dip stick and guess what it makes the oil
light flicker at 225 F
Bob Donalds
Boston Engine Exchange
all rights reserved
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Keezer" <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 3:26 AM
Subject: Re: In praise of aircooled vanagons
> "I'm not sure of any particular problem specific
> to
> airheads except the overheat problem which is
> operator-controlled."
>
> I think the other word for it is "denial".
>
> Heat is the main culprit with aircooleds but to
> believe it's solely operator controlled is
> misleading.
>
> Air-cooled engines in Busses and Vanagons are
> usually short lived.
>
> When octane was lowered the air-cooled was
> doomed. They are from an era that had higher
> octane, leaded fuel, and when the average car was
> owned only a few years.
>
> Simplicity? So were 8-track players.
>
> Puddlers? Waterboxers, glorified flat -four
> engines. They last longer because they run
> cooler.
> Heat is the enemy of motor oil.
>
> Savor this moment of momentary air-cooled bliss.
>
> As I remember on a plane flight long ago, the
> mayday was sent after the radial engine swallowed
> a valve, billowing black smoke.
> The pilot had spoken to the co-pilot minutes
> before'Amazing how well it runs for not having
> had an overhaul in 25 years".
>
> Capture the moment .
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- Nathaniel Poole <myth.wright@GMAIL.COM>
> wrote:
>
> > I know the list is mostly populated by
> > piddlers, and so not an even
> > sample, but I have seen repetitive posts on
> > similar issues with the
> > puddle engines. I'm not sure of any particular
> > problem specific to
> > airheads except the overheat problem which is
> > operator-controlled.
> > Earlier ones really seemed to have a problem
> > with the twin carb setup,
> > but VW had a very good engine worked out by the
> > late 70s - just to
> > drop it under market forces. It's a shame
> > really. After driving all
> > those miles (a lot on the interstate), I don't
> > see the horsepower
> > problem as a problem at all. I would buy a new
> > one tomorrow. It is
> > such a simple engine, like a motorcycle but
> > bigger. Of course it would
> > never pass muster in the smog department.
> >
> > Nathaniel
> >
> > On 4/3/07, Benny boy <huotb@videotron.ca>
> > wrote:
> > > Aircooled van/bus are strong runner! if kept
> > cool and clean, they are GREAT,
> > > sometime better than the wasser.
> > >
> > > Cheers, Ben
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
>
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