Date: Sun, 3 Jan 2016 09:25:20 -0500
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Warming the oil in cold weather? Other options.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
When looking at engine preheating there are two different systems that need
to considered. For really cold climates and especially for Diesels the
primary consideration is getting the engine to start. So here coolant
heaters are the first priority. Warming the coolant does transfer some heat
to the oil. It also keeps the oil film on the cylinder walls warm and as
soon as the engine starts the warm engine parts will warm the oil. Also, if
the engine has a substantial oil to water heat exchanger (on the engine side
of the thermostat) some heat will transfer to the oil.
When looking to install a coolant heater you need to consider the type and
where. There are pump types and convection types. Unfortunately the Water
Boxer does no lend itself to freeze plug heaters as most other engines do.
The non-pump heaters rely on thermal currents to make the coolant flow. With
the 2.1L cooling system you can install one in that water pump inlet pipe.
Other wise one of the pump types installed in the heater circuit will work
best.
The pad heaters are also an option. Consider attaching directly to the water
jacket either on top or underneath between the jacket and pushrod tubes.
This lower location will also do better transferring heat to the oil as you
will be heating the case also.
If you want to really go out install one of these Espar heating systems. Set
the timer and get into a nice heated van with a warmed up engine. You can
also set this up for interior heating while camping although it does get a
bit power hungry as ti will need to operate a heater fan. The heater under
the seat works best for this use as it is recirculating the air.
http://www.lubricationspecialist.com/espar/
The Water Boxer usually has no problem starting at cold temperatures. But we
are concerned about oil flow and avoiding excess wear. Since these engines
can also run hot and like higher viscosity oil we tend to avoid using light
oils that would be better suited. So oil heater should probably be a higher
concern for us.
In the industrial world whenever we have engines especially for emergency
power pre-heaters, pre-lubrication, monitoring is utilized much more. When
emergency generators are also used for emergency lighting the usual
requirement for the lights to be in less than 11 seconds. That means when
power fails, detect the loss, start the engine, stabilize the speed, and
drop the load on it. Usually the oil and coolant jackets are maintained
~120F.
One option for the Water Boxer which is best done during a rebuild is to
install a cartridge type heating element in the crankcase.
You will need to drill-tap the case to install one of these
http://www.mcmaster.com/#4668t52/=10irkel
But they are extremely effective. Be sure that it is installed low enough so
that it is always submerged in oil. It would also be a good idea to use some
type of thermostat control.
When using electric type heater I wish to emphasize the importance of doing
things safely. Follow the electrical code for any installed systems. Use a
GFCI protected outlet-circuit for the power source. Image a heater shorting
and putting 110V on the body and you are walking in the snow and then grab
the door handle! This stuff does happen. If you are not sure find or hire
someone that does. When you plug into an outlet you do not control use of
those outlet testers to make sure it is wired correctly and that the ground
is there. It amazing how many outlets I have found over the years with the
black-white wires reversed. Especially in RV parks. Yes it matters.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Karl Wolz
Sent: Sunday, January 3, 2016 3:44 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Warming the oil in cold weather?
Had a teacher way back in high school tell the class to never buy a truck
from "up on the Rez", because they commonly would park their trucks against
the house and run it all night with the heater going full blast to provide
warmth inside the house.
Karl Wolz
Sent from my electronic umbilicus
> On Jan 2, 2016, at 11:59 PM, Mark Tuovinen <aksyncronaut@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> Last but not least and used for decades in some parts of Alaska and
> other cold climates best left to creatures other than human you can
> always get it started and leave it running until Spring arrives. i
> don't recommend this option especially with a Vanagon but it does
> work. It is also why used trucks from the North Slope are a bad
> investment, way too much idling for their low mileage. Years ago I
> worked in the Parts Dept of a Ford dealership and we sold reman. engines
like they were popcorn to the Slope.
>
> Mark in AK
>
> On Sat, Jan 2, 2016 at 2:04 PM, Rocket J Squirrel
> <camping.elliott@gmail.com
>> wrote:
>
>> On 01/02/2016 02:35 PM, Richard Smith wrote:
>>
>> All of our vehicles had block heaters. The vws had a circular thing
>>> under the centre of the crankcase. They also had a "battery blanket"
>>> to keep the battery warm. Vanagons have no space for those, but they
>>> were essential back in the day.
>>>
>>
>> Seems like there'd be enough space for something like this:
>>
>> <
>> http://www.autozone.com/1/products/18125-battery-pad-heater-22400-kat
>> s-heaters-22400.html
>>>
>>
>> --
>> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
>> 1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
>> Bend, Ore.
>>