Date:         Tue, 8 Nov 94 19:50:42 EST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         dcarment@ccs.carleton.ca (David Carment)
Subject:      Re: Re- Drivin' in Mean Wind

Norman Leong writes:
> 
> Drafting a semi or bus does work under head/side wind conditions, as I found
> out with my dad's Type 3 a few years back.  I'd never seen the needle go down
> so slowly.
> 
> My dad didn't think it was such a hot idea; I think he was a little nervous
> about the proximity of the trailer's back and my ability to react in time.
> 
> Anyway, here's something that I haven't seen in this thread yet...
> Aside from stone chips peppering the face of your fine vehicle, has anyone
> noticed any rise in engine temp from the reduction of air being rammed down
> the vents.  I imagine this would have some detrimental effect down the line
> somewhere, especially if you were air-cooled.
> 
> Norman "oh damn, I'm off the back again!..."
> 
> 
Finally, a question for which I can provide a definitive answer!. On our
trek this past summer from Palo Alto to Ottawa in the 82 we spent a lot of
time drafting
behind trucks on I 90 and I 80, sometimes at 100 mile stretches through
Colorado, Nebraska etc (and just between you and me, the US truck
drivers are a whole lot friendlier than up here- not once  did a driver
give any
indication that they minded). The Westfalia is equipped with both an oil
pressure guage and a head temp gauge.  This in essence is what I found: a)
oil pressure increased by between 10psi and 20 psi; b) head temperatures
dropped by F 25-50 degrees (depending on grade of hill); gas consumption
decreased (highest maximum mpg obtained -25mpg). A few times we were able to
go 300 miles before filling up. These are reliable findings, since we drafted
close to the entire trip (3000 miles).   

In sum, drafting does have some serious advantages, staying at or
accelerating to 65 or 70 is relatively effortless meaning that it is
easier to stay with the flow of traffic, gas consumption goes down and
there may be less wear and tear on the engine. IDEA!!! - California trip
people, why not take turns drafting each other like the bike racers and
measure the effects?


DC

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David Carment
School of International Affairs
Carleton University
Ottawa, Ontario
K1S 5B6
voice - (613) 788-2600-6662
fax - (613) 788-2889
Email address: dcarment@ccs.carleton.ca
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