Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (November 2009, week 1)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Wed, 4 Nov 2009 14:06:32 -0500
Reply-To:     Jonathan Poole <jfpoolio@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jonathan Poole <jfpoolio@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: The Otter Has (CRASH) Landed!
Comments: To: Doug Alcock <doug.alcock@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <1ed6d210911041101l5cdc5893q541b9cf9949a1dc9@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I can't agree more, my AC vanagon is a great vehicle and has been performing flawlessly over a lot of miles in a wide variety of conditions. It gets better care than most but the longer I drive it the less inclined I am to worry with converting to a more modern engine. Good cooling and careful monitoring keep the AC engines very happy.

Jonathan Poole

On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 2:01 PM, Doug Alcock <doug.alcock@gmail.com> wrote:

> I know a 30 year VW dealer mechanic who has a flawless 82 Westy (and > of course it is flawless). He argues that the air-cooled engine at > that stage had been refined over 25 odd years and if your kept it > right it was state of the art. Keep the tin good and you're golden. > Adding water cooling to this engine in the middle of 1983 was, at > best, a bandaid solution that has caused the head/coolant leaking > problem. that we are all familiar with. Not too mention those > incredibly long and hard to bleed hoses that go from front to back of > a 14 foot van. I have heard that VW added water cooling to the > horizontally opposed air-cooled engine because they couldn't make > enough I4 engines to put in them -- and that the I4 engine was what > the van was designed for. I have an I4 conversion (1.8 from a Jetta) > in my 84 Westy and love it. I had a 78 with an air-cooled 2 Litre FI > engine and loved it -- lots of power -- reliable etc. I don't think > air-cooled is a mistake --- but be really serious about the engine tin > --- that is what keeps it cool. Don't ask why I know this :-) > > Cheers, > Doug > > On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 1:33 PM, Jonathan Poole <jfpoolio@gmail.com> wrote: > > I haven't been keeping up with this thread,, not enough time to read much > of > > the list unfortunately. Anyway, I did see Ben's statement on how buying > an > > '82 was a mistake and just in case this anti air-cooled perspective is > all > > that you are hearing I wanted to shed a bit of light from the other side. > > > > Ben knows these beasts better than most of us and he may have good reason > > for dissing the early vanagons but in my experience an '82 isn't really > much > > different than any other year vanagon. It is a bit older but that > doesn't > > matter too much now. How it was taken care of is what matters at this > > point. The biggest difference is obviously in the cooling of the engine. > > Both engines have their problems and both their strengths. Either, if > > properly setup and maintained provide good service for a long time. > > Performance from both is very comparable when you are comparing examples > of > > them that are in good repair. So, did you screw up buying an '82?? Not > in > > my opinion. It was only a mistake if you paid too much for a really beat > up > > and run down van, but in the end most can be fixed if you are up for it > so > > do what you want. > > > > Anyway, I love my air cooled vanagon. I drive it all over at respectable > > speeds, getting good mileage etc. etc. It is pretty simple to keep up > with > > and I never have to worry about leaking antifreeze! My heat isn't as > good, > > but it is still more than adequate. I have melted stuff that was > > accidentally left in front of the heater outlet,, so it will get hot.. I > > also like some features of the early westies better as they have a little > > less plastic and such. Again, in most ways there aren't many real > > differences in my experience. A lot of the bad experiences folks may > have > > had with early vanagons are probably the result of vans that were in poor > > repair. > > > > Good luck getting her sorted out, > > > > Jonathan Poole > > '83 AC Westy > > > > > > -- > http://www.dougalcock.com >


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.