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Date:         Thu, 21 May 1998 16:20:12 EDT
Reply-To:     GMBulley <GMBulley@AOL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         GMBulley <GMBulley@AOL.COM>
Subject:      The long answer, was: engine run cooler w/ heater on full-blast?
Comments: To: turinsky@JUNO.COM, Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

In a message dated 98-05-21 14:49:51 EDT, turinsky@JUNO.COM writes:

<< snip>> I've notice that I can get the coolant temp. needle to drop about a needle's width by cranking the heat to FULL. The needle will drop even a little further if I turn both fans on full. Why is this? Anyone have any ideas? I've never heard this topic come up on the List before. I like having a cool engine, but I getting roasted in the Westfalia! >>

Kevin--

Your question is pretty simple. Allow me to give a long, explicit answer (as usual?). : )

Imagine under any circumstance that your motor gives off a quantity of waste heat we will call "100%". Normally, in summer, the cooling system of your van tries to discard all 100% through the radiator. Sometimes (under light load, cool outside temps) it is successful at discarding all of the waste heat, and your motor runs dead center on the operating temperature.

Other times, (heavy load, hill climbing, high outside temp) the cooling ssytem is insufficient to discard all 100% of the waste heat. Your temps climb to the upper end of the operating temp range. If VW has done its homework and you have maintanied your vehicle, you will never see the bliniking light and pegged needle that tells you "I just can't get rid of enough heat...shut me down!"

By turning on the heaters in your van you add one (or two with the back heater) radiators (s) to the cooling system. That's right. Your heater cores are nothing but little radiators, with fans pushing the heat into the passenger compartment. As you can imagine, when you add two radiators to the cooling system, you increase the capability to shed the waste heat of the motor. Thus your temps drop. A handy thing to remember when the chips are down and it is 102 degerees outside.

A word of caution, however. Your motor WANTS, no NEEDS to be at a certain operating temperature. Otherwise it is less efficient, and the fuel injection system will compensate, and try to "warm up " the motor by dumping a little extra fuel. I the lower 48, this may not be much of a problem. In Alaska, maybe.

I don't know enough about gasoline engine operation in extreme cold to tell you it is okay to block a portion of you radiator. I do this on my TD Jetta in the dead of winter, but again the thermals and needs of a diesel are VASTLY different from a gasoline motor. If you want to stay toasty warm, and keep your motor warm too, research radiator blocking tarps in your area and find someon who REALLY knows their stuff about extreme cold and blocking cooling air flow.

best of luck

gmbulley cary, nc 86 degrees & sunny


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