Date: Sat, 2 Jan 2016 21:46:38 -0900
Reply-To: Mark Tuovinen <aksyncronaut@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Tuovinen <aksyncronaut@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Dodged a bullet -- blowed the oil filter right off
In-Reply-To: <56886529.7010203@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Our engines are a bit of a challenge to warm up but where there is a will
there's a way. I will let others speak to using circulating heaters on
water boxers I have not done so my self. I have used them on other
vehicles in the past with success. One issue with them is that some
vehicles cooling/heating systems do not allow for the coolant to circulate
when not running and this can cause the heater to catch fire. Dipstick
heaters are more of a desperation measure best left for when no other
choice will work and not reported to work well on our vans. On engines
with a traditional sump glue on electric heating pads work and I suspect if
one wanted to they could make and attach a plate to the underside of their
engine and mount one of these to it. The stock heater VW used mounted
underneath and had a plate on it(see prior post with link to photo) and a
similarly mounted plate with a glue on heater is what I envision. Both the
original VW and aftermarket counterpart heaters are no longer available so
unless you can find one at a swap meet or ??? you have to choose a
different path. One option I have used in a pinch from time to time as was
mentioned above is a light fixture, halogen work lights, even a trouble
light with a 60w or 100w bulb will do. Just put it under the engine and
let it do its thing. The closer the lamp is to the engine the better but
heat rises so in time it will work. There are a couple of other more
extreme measures that are best left for times when no other option is
available and one of them should only be done with extreme caution. First
and safer but more troublesome, If you know that you have no way to warm
your engine and plan ahead you can drain your oil out after shutting down
for the night, bring it into a warm place and put it back in when it is
time to start up again. Its not fun especially since you are doing this in
the cold but it was a common way of dealing with cold weather starting in
the past. This applies to the battery also, pull it, bring it into warmth,
reinstall in the morning. Just remember that batteries can produce
explosive gases and don't place it anywhere near an ignition source.
Second you can use a small camp stove for a heat source but again, extreme
caution must be used with this option Be thankful if you never have to try
this one. As Don mentioned houses built in cold climates often are or at
least used to be, not so much anymore around here, built with a switched
outlet just for this purpose. For regular use you can purchase a timer
from your local hardware, electrical, or ???? store and set it to go on and
off when you want. They don't cost much and keep you from forgetting to
flip the switch, if your house has one, so your van will warm up.
That said I think I have one aftermarket version of the old NLA block
heater in storage that assuming it still exists a list member in need could
acquire. If I recall a number of years ago a local vendor found three for
me when I was looking and I bought them all. One went on my then daily
driver Syncro, one I gave to a coworker, and One I kept for our Westy but
it is not driven in Winter and does not need it. The challenge will be
finding which box it is in and at which house it is being stored. These
were an aftermarket version that by part number might have been designed
for the 1.9L but can be made to fit the 2.1L but my memory may be off on
this it has been awhile since I got them. They are similar to the one in
the photo from OlRivrRat but the shield is different or not there at all.
Mark in AK
On Sat, Jan 2, 2016 at 3:02 PM, Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@gmail.com
> wrote:
> Mmmm -- fries.
>
> My van gets parked on the street. I think that leaving a glowing heat
> lamp or lit light bulb under it overnight might draw attention . . .
>
> 4 degrees (F) last night. Up to a temperate 22F today.
>
> The rare and possibly NLA block heater p/n "ZVP 289 104" -- possibly
> manufactured in Canada for VW? -- would be a nice option, if I could
> find one.
>
> OlRiverRat Dean pointed me to a post on gerry.vanagon.com that suggests
> that this part was sold in Canada with a reported part number of LR20976
> or "CSA Model OP8 LR 20976"
>
> <http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4355040> about midway
> down.
>
> But LR20976 seems to bring up frost plug or radiator cap heaters on ebay.
>
> --
> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
> 1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
> Bend, Ore.
>
> On 01/02/2016 10:59 AM, David Beierl wrote:
>
>> At 01:34 PM 1/2/2016, KI4TLF wrote:
>>
>>> I tried the dipstick heater, which didn't work too well. What I
>>> found that worked the best, was an infrared 150 watt spot bulb
>>> pointed straight up at the bottom of the engine. It's the same bulb
>>> you see hanging over your fries at a fast food restaurant. I put it
>>> and the coolant heaters on a timer for 2 hours prior to needing it.
>>>
>>
>> That's the heat lamp bulb I mentioned. Handy devices. Also good
>> over a workbench in a cold shop to keep your hands supple.
>>
>> Yours,
>> David
>>
>
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