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/]