Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:09:29 -0500
Reply-To: Max Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Max Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET>
Subject: Re: Acceptable Aircooled Oil Temps
In-Reply-To: <E97981B9EF0CC44EAC6EC0653851CC65037682E4@spotsrv2.dpswirel
ess.com>
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Although this may not be exactly apples and oranges comparison, maybe
more like peaches and nectarines!
I owned a 79 VW Breadloaf van and had the motor apart. I balanced the
rotating parts, added a mild 3/4 cam, had FAT performance port the
intakes and install bigger intake valves, cc the combustion chambers,
and bought under the barrel shims(think they might've been .100) to
drop the CR to 7:1. The van had two 44IDF Weber carbs on it, and a
huge Harrison oil cooler with thermostat and segregated air ducting
over it so the hot air wouldn't get recycled through the engine
cooling fan. the #8 Aeroquip hoses had an Amot thermostat in line
that would not open until 165 F and was at full flow at 185 F. My
VDO head temp gauge sender was mounted on the #3 exhaust manifold
stud so if anything, I would get higher than normal
readings. Highest it ever got climbing the 7% grade on I-24 up to
Monteagle, TN from Chattanooga in August with 2 huge canoes on top
was 450 F. The oil never got over 205 F and ran normally around 195
F in the summer. The head temp sender on the exhaust gave me instant
changes in head temp, unlike mounting the sender on the factory FI
sender or under the spark plug. The oil temp sender was one of the
VDO dipstick models and I boiled water on my Coleman stove at 400' of
elevation ad it read a perfect 212~F, so that part was accurate.
Gene Berg used to quote some old research that for every 10 degrees
over 200F your oil gets, you cut your engine life in half. Some will
refute that by saying the newer synthetics will tolerate the heat and
I won't argue. That motor was run hard and put up wet and it lasted
over 100,000 miles and although it had solid lifters in it, every
3,000 miles I checked the valve clearances, only twice did I ever
have to adjust them. Berg was right about one thing, to make you
motor last forever, you need the right octane for your CR, enough
fuel to cool the engine, and meticulous assembly and break in. He
wasn't a fan of the type 4 either.
The peaches to nectarinesissue is that your AC Vanagon probably
weighs a little more than my old Loaf..
Hope that helps.
DM&FS
At 11:20 PM 8/13/2007, Burdett, Jean-Pierre wrote:
>Hi Guys,
>
>I think I've made a newbie mistake. My cylinder head temps never go
>above 350 which is good. The bad part is I never verified what oil temps
>I should be running. I've read the archives but would like to hear it
>first hand... here is what is happening.
>
>When traveling fully loaded on the highway I often see a steady 260
>degrees and 35 psi oil pressure. The odd time it will go to 270 if the
>weather is hot and the oil pressure drops to about 28. It hit 275 when I
>took to poor girl up to the top of Mt Washington (I had to... I believed
>in her). I've probably driven 1,800 miles like this and no problems have
>occurred that I can tell.
>
>SO...Have I've been too rough on her? What kind of temps are other
>people with Air Cooled engines seeing when road tripping? From some
>posts their oil temp is 230 etc. Should I be worried about going that
>high for sustained periods? Should I just ease off the pedal a bit more?
>Will changing to semi synthetic help?
>
>Other Info
>- She seems to run very happily
>- I'm running castrol 20W50 oil & filter changes every 3,000kms /
>1,800miles
>- I think I've had to top her up about 1 quart oil in 3,000kms /
>1,800miles
>- I have an auxiliary oil cooler
>- All the tin is good and engine compartment seal in place
>- Engine bay is quite clean
>- My van is well maintained / stock
>- I've been driving about 105Kms(62mph) on the flats and about
>80Kms(50mph) up the hills, downhill I tend to let it go to 110kmh(70mph)
>to help get up halfway the next hill.
>- She gets 20mpg consistently on the highway
>
>Thanks for your opinions!
>
>JP
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