Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:47:47 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Side Air Intake Engine Cooling Question (searched)
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTik+OsRuD1ww9CSakd53Jkrop7ww2FSgKm+n_27U@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Neil's van was air cooled, if I am not mistaken. He may have not exactly
duplicated the air flow routing into his radiator, given he did a home
install. Also, I think he runs an inline four motor...which should run
cool...at least mine always does. So first I would replace the
thermostat...and check it works out of the box...some do not work properly
even brand new.
If I were having overheating problems with a known good water pump,
radiator and thermostat...Scoops might be the next logical step to
try...Pretty simple to stick something on with a few sheet metal screws or
pop rivets..I don't think Neil is one of those Barrett/Jackson collector
types....so a few holes won't hurt and you can refill them easy enough
should you decide to go back to no scoops.
With all the inexpensive plastic food and closet storage boxes, bins,
tubs, etc that you can find at places like Mall Wort you should easily be
able to find the appropriate sized and shaped dishpan, sweater box, tool
tote or something.. You can just cut something in half, down the middle,
and use half over each D-pillar..It will certainly help. Back in the day,
on a cross country rock climbing epic journey we use a galvanized trash can
lid as scoops on the sides of my '57 S.A. 36hp splitty bus...After cutting
the lid in half with a machette and making the holes in the bus with a nail,
we used self tapping screws. It took care of the problem we were having
with the motor seizing up solid on steep mountain passes, causing the old
bus to stop....Right there!...then we'd have to roll backwards downhill and
find a place to get out of the traffic flow while the motor cooled down
enough to free up and move us again..
Try it, can't hurt and it may fix all.
Don Hanson
On Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 5:48 PM, Jake de Villiers <
crescentbeachguitar@gmail.com> wrote:
> I ALWAYS look cool Tom. ;)
>
> Sounds like your thermostat needs to be replaced. The needle is supposed
> to
> live on the LED when the engine is at operating temperature.
>
> Jake
>
> On Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 3:00 PM, Tom Buese <tombuese@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> >
> > On Jul 27, 2010, at 3:39 PM, Jake de Villiers wrote:
> >
> > I managed to lower the temperature of my 1.9 WBX when driving in 100+
> >> temps
> >> by making cardboard deflectors for the D pillar air intakes and propping
> >> the
> >> license plate door open.
> >>
> >> These steps moved the needle about an eighth of an inch lower and helped
> >> me
> >> relax a little during a long, hot and arduous trip. ;)
> >>
> >> I think the open license plate door was more of a factor in that will
> >> extract hot air from the engine bay into the low pressure area behind
> the
> >> van.
> >>
> >> YMMV
> >>
> >> Jake
> >>
> >>
> > LOL!- I bet you & your vanagon look really COOL w/ that mod, Jake!
> > What is wrong w/ your cooling system? I have the same engine & drive in
> > those conditions all Summer w/o the coolant temp-o-meter going above
> 1/3+-,
> > unless I am going very slowly in heavy traffixc or up a steep grade, then
> it
> > might go above 1/2 until I speed up, & then it's back to 1/3.
> >
> > YMMV,
> >
> > Mr. BZ-no mods to be cool needed
> >
> >
> >
> >>
> >> On Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 11:44 AM, neil n <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> Hi all.
> >>>
> >>> My '81 was air cooled. There's a cold air outlet on frame in engine
> >>> bay. The tub on my engine lid may be holding excessive amounts of heat
> >>> on hot days. Pic: http://tinyurl.com/23sdnyc I know nothing of air
> >>> flow, etc. stuff so....
> >>>
> >>> Theory: install ducting on cold air outlet to direct cooler air into
> >>> tubbed portion of my engine lid.
> >>>
> >>> I bet there's lot's of air whooshing around in the engine bay at
> >>> highway speeds. Would that whooshing air interfere with the air coming
> >>> out that new short piece of duct?
> >>>
> >>> Can anyone guesstimate if this would actually help cool that area? I
> >>> can provide pics if need be.
> >>>
> >>> I will also install cardboard at air cleaner in driver side area
> >>> behind tail light. Archives suggest that the WBX uses a cardboard
> >>> piece to help intake pull in cooler air and not hotter air from engine
> >>> bay.
> >>>
> >>> Thanks!
> >>>
> >>> Neil.
> >>>
> >>> Why I'm curious about air flow:
> >>>
> >>> This pic gives rough idea of what resides in tubbed portion:
> >>> http://tinyurl.com/25859ye Coolant sensor at front of head in a
> >>> cutout at firewall.
> >>>
> >>> In hot weather, engine consistently:
> >>>
> >>> - throws coolant sensor error code: 'Intermittent short to ground'.
> >>> - turns MIL (check engine) light on at highway speeds
> >>> - hunts at idle when shut down for 10 or so minutes, then restarted.
> >>>
> >>> Changed coolant sensor, no difference.
> >>>
> >>> Theory: excessive heat in tubbed portion of lid causes coolant sensor
> >>> to get too hot. Resistor in it then zeros out allowing near or full
> >>> electrical flow. i.e. recently, on a flat section of highway, 100F
> >>> ambient, MIL stayed on at ~ 60 MPH. I propped the license plate door
> >>> open hoping to get better air flow at tubbed portion of lid. The light
> >>> then stayed off.
> >>>
> >>> A3 Bentley mentions that if MIL light comes on while driving, certain
> >>> "serious conditions" such as an overheated CAT may cause this. This
> >>> led me to the "excessive amounts of heat" theory.
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
> >>>
> >>> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Jake
> >>
> >> 1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
> >> 1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'
> >>
> >> Crescent Beach, BC
> >>
> >> www.thebassspa.com
> >> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
> >> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
> >>
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> Jake
>
> 1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
> 1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'
>
> Crescent Beach, BC
>
> www.thebassspa.com
> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
>
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