Date:         Wed, 19 Jun 1996 14:07:23 MST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Mike White" <MIKE.WHITE@law.utah.edu>
Subject:      Overheating Trauma 

It continues.  My plight of heat and woe.

I took the pioneer out last evening when the temparature was about 65 
degrees.  

After a quick 30 minute jaunt on the freeway and around town I parked 
the bus.

Immediately after hopping out I could smell the akrid smell of 
burning oil and a cooking engine.  I opened the decklid and could 
feel the heat coming off.  I touched the dipstick but for just a 
second, too hot.  The engine was making those "tick-tick-tick" of 
metal cooling down and the oil was gurgling.

I stepped back and could see smoke rising from the louvers on the 
drivers side.  Not a good sign.

So in order to get some idea of what we're talking about, I took my 
dipstick with me to the "spatula warehouse" store close to work and 
purchased a candy thermometer that will fit down the dipstick tube 
(the one I bought yesterday was to big !$#@!$) and goes to 400 
degrees.  I plan to start the engine and write some numbers down this 
evening.

What is a normal oil temparature?  Mid 200's?

Lastly here's the new and improved list to troubleshoot your 
overheating:

* No crap in cooling fan
* Fan nut is tight, and fan is not loose on shaft
* Belt to generator taut
* Engine tuned properly:
    - valves adjusted
    - timing adjusted
    - fresh oil
    - carb adjusted (adjusted slightly rich to burn 
      cooler)
    - good compression ( > 100 in my case)
    - all spark plugs are firing
    - distributor is working properly
* Fuel system functioning properly
    - good strong fuel pump
    - no silver regulator
    - clean fuel filters
* Bottom and top of engine scrub washed 
  clean.  (It is shiny under there!)
* Oil pressure release spring and valve clean and operational
* Freeze plugs in fan shrod
* Holes in engine tin are covered, and has good seal between apron 
  and tin

So what's my poor engine's problem?  Have I not payed my tribute to 
the VW god?

- Mike White 

[Mail: mike.white@law.utah.edu   -   mwhite@eng.utah.edu]
Visit my '57 23-Window VW BUS at: [http://cloud8.law.utah.edu/]