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Date:         Thu, 27 Aug 2015 18:25:01 -0700
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Coincidence?
Comments: To: Roy Nicholl <RNicholl@NBNET.NB.CA>
In-Reply-To:  <C3AF2387-6B67-4F46-8F04-00DA7A8A5339@NBNet.nb.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Roy,

The load on the water pump is constant at idle. It just pushes coolant around, so the load only varies with rpms, and it's not much. A/C has a variable on/off load at idle, but there are compensating rpm gizmos for that. Irregular idle can have many sources, especially with the Digifant system.

Stuart

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Roy Nicholl Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2015 5:02 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Coincidence?

It's only my second year with a WBX, but am staring to think my '88 Westy (the Hyena) has its own sense of humour.

I spent many hours last summer, after our trek across the country trying to get the Hyena to idle reasonably - without loping and surging, well mostly surging, but only when she was warm and there was no load (head lights, blowers, etc) on the engine. I had limited success.

This summer, life has been much different and the Hyena has spent most of the summer sitting in the driveway (only 3 tanks of fuel spent) while last year's dinosaur tracking 3-year old, now four patiently await the opportunity for adventure. The Hyena, distraught over the child's lament, began weeping right there in the driveway.

Finally the water pump has been changed and the boy has his things packed in his cupboards, so we went for the shakeout drive (only ~75km). About 25kms in, we stopped in the middle of the road for five minute to observe that universal summer event - Construction. I was going over the checklists in my mind (pancake mix, chocolate chip cookies, camera, peanut butter ... you get the picture) when the boy called out from his command post on the rear bench, "Dad, the Hyena is purring!"

... and it was. Smooth, like ... well like only a WBX can be ... no loping, no surging, the radiator fan came on twice ... no loping, no surging ...

On the way home we stopped to observe Construction from the southbound vantage point and the Hyena purred (I know, Hyena's don't purr ... I believed that myself until this evening).

After the boy went to bed, I went out in the drive to check tyres (including spare), lights, and more check lists and let the Hyena idle while I was doing it ... radiator fan came on a couple of times ... no loping, no surging.

Was the water pump really placing that much intermittent drag on the engine? Or, did I inadvertently disturb something else.

Either way, it should be an enjoyable adventure.


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