Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2019 15:07:01 +0000
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Milestone
In-Reply-To: <2A730B9B-126D-4B5A-AFCD-83DE80F220C0@Comcast.net>
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Here is a link for some pics of a typical install. There is also one pic of a 19 plate cooler to be fitted.
Dennis
https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqaEiIhKCAKbjcRdktvRvCMCVqIwZw
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of OlRivrRat
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2019 12:04 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Milestone
Dennis
Is there, somewhere, a Description of Your OilCooler SetUp & if not would You be so kind as to describe Please ~ I have
a Vanagon Friend in SantaFe that has a VeryNice Low Mile '89 that We are about to install a GoWesty EFI System on & I'm
suggesting to Him that since He is putting that sort of investment into His H2OBoxr that an OilCooler should be Next on the
ToDo List ~
ORR ~ DeanB
On 20 Jan , 2019, at 9:07 AM, Dennis Haynes wrote:
> To a large extent I believe there was an element of luck wit this engine. Overall I drive it fairly hard and much of it mileage is long trip mileage. While we had a 55 mph speed limit when it was purchased we all know that many did not follow that and many highways now have 70 mph speed limits. I tend to drive keeping up with traffic and staying out of the way of others so generally this van is pushed to boogie. NY to Florida trips are usually drive through just taking rest and meal breaks. 65 to 75 mph is normal for us.
>
> So back to your question. Having worked on many of these engines over the years I have some patterns that stick in my head. For the head corrosion under the gasket area this is a case which came first. Just inside the gasket are there is rarely any corrosion at all. All the original heads had some type of yellow coating on the head face. I don't know what it is. But even replacement heads only get the corrosion under the gasket. What this tells me is that it isn't the corrosion that causes the gasket to fail but rather the gasket failed allowing the coolant to seep in there. Now we have some hot coolant able to mix with air and now the oxidation process can begin. Add some northern road salt or that brine solution and you can have real fun. This is the same affect that happens at dome hose connections where you get the white stuff. The hose was weeping before the white stuff started growing there.
>
> So what are some ways to extend the life of the outer gaskets? Protect them from excessive heat. Of course we know to maintain the cooling system and that means no appreciable leakage. If you are adding coolant even twice a year I feel you have a problem. Evaporation from the recovery tank is the only make up you shoals ever need. Unlike oil adding fresh coolant or water is not of benefit. The bad stuff stays behind and increases in concentration and every addition is more dissolved oxygen to make for both corrosion and erosion.
>
> The Waterboxer engine has to work very hard to do its job. Regardless of coolant temp many parts such as pistons valves, exhaust ports, etc. operate at temps much higher than the coolant bulk temp. On a dark night, remove the engine cover, run the engine and hold just 4,000 rpm for a few minutes. Watch the exhaust pipes turn red! Some 1,300F here. Now if we suddenly turn off the engine stopping the flow of coolant and oil where do you think some of this heat will go? This is a form of heat soak. Some of this heat will go to the head surface where that gasket sits. So how do avoid this? Counter intuitive but coming off the highway let the engine idle down for a minute or 2. Yes, the coolant temp gauge will rise and maybe even the radiator fan will turn on. The manual for the Cat engine in my motorhome actuals states to let it idle down for 3 minutes for temps to stabilize especially for the turbo. The Waterboxer has much less mass but still unless driving some distance between the highway and wherever I'm stopping I give that minute or two. Little things like that I believe help.
>
> Oil temperature is also factor. The oil cooler was added almost immediately, after the first 800 mile round trip. Oil temp is usually kept between 170F and 210F with some excursions to 220F such as 75 mph with the AC on. Again if you shut it off with 275F oil in there that heat is also going to cook stuff like gaskets or leave deposits on rings or other places. That black crusty stuff that often plagues high mileage engines. While I generally think that OEM knows best for most things VW missed the boat on this one. They knew they had a problem. But the I4 engine oil cooler off the shelf is not quite enough.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: thewestyman <zolo@foxinternet.net>
> Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2019 3:22 AM
> To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Re: Milestone
>
> My question is; how did you make sure, the electrolysis won't push the gaskets apart from the heads by the build up of aluminum oxide.
> Zoltan
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dennis Haynes
> Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2019 2:52 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Milestone
>
> Yes, Fun has never had the heads removed. We are the original owners haven taking delivery February 1988. Shortly after getting it home oil temperature and pressure gauges were added. After the first trip the oil cooling system was added. From the 1st oil changed it has lived on Mobil 1 15w-50 until I started using it as daily driver to get it to this milestone. For winter I now use Mobil 1 5w-50. I generally change the oil at 7,500 mile intervals.
> Sometime around 2006 coolant was changed to Global Final Charge.
>
> It is soon coming time that the heads need to be done. The bottom end of the engine still seems to in good shape. No strange noises and oil pressure still on spec. I'm thinking of just doing the heads and rings and see what happens. I need one more NY to Florida trip in February. After that I hope to have time do something with the engine and begin body and paint work.
>
> Dennis
>
>
>
> From: Bruce Todd <beeceetee@gmail.com>
> Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2019 1:59 PM
> To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>; vanagon <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
> Subject: Re: Milestone
>
> What a milestone Dennis - congratulations. I am assuming FB is water cooled and if so I am curious on how many head gasket replacements over those many miles?
>
> Bruce
>
> On Sat, Jan 19, 2019 at 7:27 AM Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com<mailto:d23haynes57@hotmail.com>> wrote:
> Last night Fun Bus turned 350K
>
> Dennis
>
>
> Sent from
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> for Windows 10
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