Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:30:39 -0800
Reply-To: Mark Tuovinen <mst@AK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Tuovinen <mst@AK.NET>
Subject: Re: Takes a darn long time for the heater to come up to speed
In-Reply-To: <49B923FA.1060500@gmail.com>
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Oil pan heaters for VW's do exist. There is a different part number for air cooled vs water cooled but either will work on a water boxer. I am not sure if anyone is still making them but I have not looked either. I have one for an air cooled on my daily driver Syncro and use it regularly during the Winter months. If you like I can check the brand and part number when I get home as I have a new spare on the shelf. An oil pan heater is going to help the engine but will not do much for getting warm water to the heater core more quickly as it is designed to heat the oil making the engine easier to start. Heating the coolant also makes the engine easier to start but via slightly different means. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, in extreme cold climates it is common to do both and add a battery blanket. When we prep cars headed North they usually get a pan heater(oil), block heater(coolant), battery blanket, and synthetic lubricants. This is just to make sure
the vehicle will start. Getting the occupant warm quickly upon start up is a function of the apparel they are wearing, not the heater. A more expensive option would be a Webasto heater for your cooling system, they make one specifically intended to help warm the interior. Last but not least, you could always move back to California.:<)
Mark in AK
----- Original Message -----
From: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2009 7:04 am
Subject: Re: Takes a darn long time for the heater to come up to speed
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> A kind listee provided a link to this "tank type" engine heater:
> http://www.jcwhitney.com/ZEROSTART-TANK-TYPE-ENGINE-
> HEATERS/GP_2000837_N_111+10201+600001648_10101.jcw
> I'm looking into it. The Mercedes adapter mentioned on the page has a catalog number that their search tool can't find, dunno if that would be needed to hook this heater - designed for 5/8'' hose -- to the Vanagon'sheater hoses or not?
>
> Speaking of which, what hose would be good to cut to insert this gadget?It looks like it wants to go into the heater hose loop somewhere, would it matter whether it goes into the heater send or return hose? Possibly not. Anyway, if someone has a good idea, the Bentley page and hose callout would be cool. I'm also looking for the rumored oil pan heater. It may be a chimera, but there have been mentions of such things.
>
> --
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
> Bend, OR
> KG6RCR
>
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