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Date:         Thu, 27 Dec 2007 16:08:21 -0500
Reply-To:     Geza Polony <gezapolony@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Geza Polony <gezapolony@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Overcooling Hypothesis--Long
Comments: To: Allan Streib <streib@CS.INDIANA.EDU>

These long grades may be more of a Western problem, I don't know. In places like Tehachapi or the Grapevine in SoCal you probably have 40 or 50 miles of downhill grade, and I can't imagine coasting down them as you'd have no brakes by the end of the hill. But running cold is also intolerable. The engine runs terrible, and you freeze. There are times when the downhill grade lasts for an hour or so.

I don't know if bypassing the idle switch would make it run lean or not. Doesn't the ECU look at RPM and all the other factors as long as the idle switch isn't telling it to cut off fuel?

On Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:21:32 -0500, Allan Streib <streib@CS.INDIANA.EDU> wrote:

>If you trick the system so the computer thinks you are at idle but >your engine is turning 3000 RPM then won't you be really lean on your >fuel/air mixture? Also if you have fuel firing in the cylinders won't >you lose a lot of the engine braking anyway? So you might as well be >coasting? > >If the grade is too long to coast safely with just brakes, I guess you >have to just be cold until you get to the bottom. Turn the heat off >and close the valves the interior will probably stay warmer with no >heat than with a fan blowing cold air. > >If you could rig some kind of a PTO to drive a generator, you could >feed a big space heater then you could turn that on and let the load >slow the vehicle *and* keep the interior warm. LOL. > >Allan > >Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> writes: > >> Yes but, descending long grades in neutral isn't very safe in terms >> of vehicle stability. There are some serious long grades in the >> west coast. Like there's one here, about 7 miles long, if you cost >> in the top 4 miles of it, you'd be doing 80. And it curves. And you >> wouldn't want to be breaking to keep speed under control >> there. . And it's technically illegal to coast in some states I >> think. >> And you sure wouldn't want to be in gear holding the clutch in >> going 60 or so down a big hill. Trick it electrically I say. >> Scott


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