Date:         Thu, 21 Mar 1996 10:33:00 -0800 (PST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Maher, Steve (SD-MS)" <SMAHER@gi.com>
Subject:      Followup: engine cooling non-problem


Thank you to all the hardy listmembers who offered suggestions and
descriptions of their watercooled buses' cooling characteristics-- I'm
now much more at home with the V6anagon's apparent refusal to
overheat (if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is).

Most people said that their cooling fans almost never come on at all,
except for long drives in very hot weather, long times idling in traffic
jams, long hill climbs, and one fellow who combined all three. Plus
an epsilon-minus who opined that Chevy engines couldn't produce enough
power to get hot anyway.   >:-p

Drove the V6anagon home last night after work, and let it idle in the
parking lot for about 20 minutes. Sure enough, temp gauge finally
started rising past the halfway point on the gauge. When it hit the
220 mark, the fan came on as nicely as you please. Gauge then dropped
fairly quickly, fan turned off, gauge rose slowly, etc. I still can't
suppress that feeling of surprise when something I put together,
actually works. There's even a chance the gauge might be fairly
accurate. Ain't modern technology wonderful?

Stuck in one of those Radio Shack 30A continuous-duty relays, to
provide switched power to the cooling fan and electric choke, and
the V6anagon is back to its old robust self again. Next project:
put another switched-power relay up front, for the headlights (only)
and heater fan.

Thanks again for your help. Vanagon@lenti forever!   :^)

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 Steve Maher   smaher@gi.com       '80 V6anagon w/Chevy 2800
                                   '66 Mustang Coupevertible, for sale

 Check out the cars at http://www.lookup.com/homepages/76242/home.html

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