Date:         Mon, 24 May 2010 16:39:25 -0700
Reply-To:     Robert Fisher <garciasghostvw@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Fisher <garciasghostvw@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: 2.1L engine failure? (Side question about the belts)
In-Reply-To:  <4BFB0663.9050205@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

It may be that his belts gave first and that his early warning system (read:
absolute last split-second chance to cut the engine off system) wasn't
working properly (or he didn't notice). I've had belts go on the WBX at
highway speeds and you'd be surprised how fast the temp gauge spikes, as in:
alt light comes on; temp needle starts climbing like the fuel gauge needle
when you start the car.
I suppose that the momentum in the belts and the pulleys could generate a
lot of heat for a moment, particularly the alternator, but I don't know that
it's enough to pop the belts. I think generally one belt gives out and takes
the other ones with it; that was my experience.

You can get engine cut-off sensors for pressure washers that go on the pump
head. If the pump reaches the sensor's set point it turns off the engine and
hopefully prevents the pump from burning out. It'd be interesting if
something like that could be put on a car engine. It'd be a rude shock to
lose power suddenly, but I think that practically speaking you'd be losing
power 40 seconds later anyway and for a much worse reason. The set-point on
the pressure washer doohickey is something like 160 so it obviously wouldn't
work in a car. I wonder what temp you would want that set at, if you could
make/buy one? If you could add an audible alarm to it... (beep... beep...)
when it went over a certain temp, and (BEEEEEEEP) when it went over the next
set point, that would help. (It could give a Wilhelm Scream as the engine
died, if you let it go that far).
I don't know about anybody else but something about that windshield keeps
you looking around outside the van. I have to try to discipline myself to
look down at the dash every thirty seconds or so.

Cya
Robert

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel"
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 4:06 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: 2.1L engine failure? (Side question about the belts)

Jack Reynaert wrote:
> ... when we pulled the motor cover, both fan belts were off the motor

If the engine just plain seized do the driven pulleys have enough
momentum to blow off the belts?

Note: this is a side question that may not provide anything useful for
Jack, so I'm branching the thread with modified Subject. I hope that's
okay. I'm asking because I'm curious.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Bend, OR
KG6RCR