Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:05:36 -0600
Reply-To: mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Rear heater control
In-Reply-To: <3919AC53-6F41-44AB-93BD-DE3818958CFA@SHAW.CA>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Alistair, I do not mean such suspended materials as the silt in a sample of river water, but rather chemical suspension including solution. My term was precipitate, not settle. In a perfect world, I would not expect the dissolved materials in coolant to precipitate out, but since they interact with several different materials in the coolant system, I am not convinced that precipitation will not take place. I do know that that was one of the problems some folks had with early generations of the coolant sold by GM and the brands intended to substitute for it. Maybe you are correct, that this would never be a problem. Certainly, fresh, clean coolant solution should behave better than old, contaminated coolant solution. And maybe flow would not matter. In my system, I have obviated any problem of static coolant in the rear heater by removing the thing. If it is a problem, it should apply to the front heater as well, of course.
BTW, when I mentioned to my mechanic recently that I intended to flush the cooling system and replace the coolant this winter, he asked me why. I said that the coolant was more than two years old. He said if I do it, save the coolant and give it to him, that he would run it in his vehicles if it looks clean. It does look clean, in fact, quite clear. mcneely
---- Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
> Dave,
>
> my point it that I can't see, or have seen proof, that closing the rear heater valve will cause any harm to the heater, given that the van has a good charge of coolant. There is no proof that anything will precipitate out as you think it would. What suspended matter is there in the coolant? If you can tell me that then we can have a discussion. Perhaps take a sample of your coolant and let it sit for a while and see what drops out?
>
> alistair
>
>
> On 2012-11-19, at 12:38 PM, <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
>
> > Alistair, while I agree that chemical environment matters to chemical processes, I am not sure that the facts you cite would prevent precipitation of suspended matter in a static setting with tiny passages. But, I (like others) have been wrong before. mcneely
> >
> > ---- Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
> >> Dave,
> >>
> >> the comparison you make between a car's cooling system:
> >> - closed loop, low O2 (if not anoxic), water, ethylene glycol, corrosion inhibitors
> >>
> >> and a dishwasher:
> >> - open loop, O2 rich, water, caustic cleaning solution
> >>
> >> doesn't warrant much more thought than just how bad an analogy you made .
> >>
> >> :)
> >>
> >> alistair
>
--
David McNeely
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