Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:51:39 -0600
Reply-To: mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Diagnosing temp rise issue
In-Reply-To: <CAK-ud2hT1d5NUzVMVq4G_Rr8ab3nWVmuVZR-NWPfkNna8Gy7jw@mail.gmail.com>
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Gregg, frankly, your description sound perfectly normal, exactly as expected for a waterboxer, from my limited experience. If the guage needles rises up toward the high end, you might consider the radiator. They do get gunked, and replacing mine helped the engine run cooler. But mine was getting hotter than yours.
You might try this when the needle starts to creep up: push the lever for the heater all the way to the right and turn on the heater fan to the second position. It should cool the engine a bit. If so, and the needle is not climbing any higher than you described, I would not worry about it. mcneely
---- Gregg Carlen <gregg.carlen@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> Hey folks,
>
> After my self-induced challenges with my engine (90 Westy automatic in the
> DC area, ~70 deg F outside), I finally have Blueberry back and running. So,
> after having heads rebuilt and reinstalled (correctly this time), new
> gaskets/seals all around worked on areas, new SS long coolant pipes,
> various coolant hoses, thermostat housing and thermostat and pink VW
> coolant (bled), I've got a strange symptom that I had actually noticed
> before the head leak problem started. While the engine was being worked on,
> I took the opportunity to take care of several coolant related issues as
> well (see below).
>
> The issue that I observe is an unexpected rise in temp on the engine temp
> guage. Upon start-up, everything seems to increase in temp as exected.
> After reaching what I believe is operating temp, the needle sits just at
> the low side of the LED. It stays there as long as I'm driving.
>
> Once I stop for a few minutes (~3-5), like in typcial DC traffic, the
> needle will rise to just above the top of the LED. Once I get driving again
> (above about 20mpg and about 2,500 -3,000 rpm, she'll cool down to the
> middle or low end of the LED.
>
> Another fact: the PO replaced the fan with a non-Vanagon fan and a
> hard-wire on-off switch. I did my observations with the fan manually turned
> on all the time (e.g. during stop and go traffic when the temp rises, the
> fan is runnning). Also, the PO ran regular non-VW coolant in the van for
> years on end.
>
> Given almost all the cooling system has been replaced in the past year, the
> only components I see that were in the van before I got it is the radiator,
> upper/lower/rear over-transmission coolant hoses and water pump (an older
> dead one was in a box in the van, so I assume the one in the engine is not
> originall and had been replaced sometime in the past, but unknown when).
>
> I noticed when stopped and the temp rises, by increasing the RPMs for 2-4
> minutes, the temp would drop.
>
> My first thought is a failing water pump (no indication of leaks from it
> and the belt is new and properly tightened).
>
> Barring a water pump, the radiator is the only other thought I have. Anyway
> to prove or disprove these two components? Other things to look at? I have
> a heat gun, but haven't taken any measurements yet.
>
> Gregg
> 90 Westy (Blueberry).
--
David McNeely
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