Date:         Thu, 22 Apr 1999 14:27:07 PDT
Reply-To:     Javier Saenz <gordita70@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Javier Saenz <gordita70@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Engine Block Heater (for a syncro)
Comments: To: dfrandolph@TALKAM.NET
Content-type: text/plain

As to sound phony or stupid, my suggestions and knowledge may of
lower quality, but they work.  For an engine block heater try a
single burner camp-stove.  Make sure you have NO leaking oil.  Place
the stove under the block and turn it on so the flame does not touch
the block, but provides good heat.  After about 10 minutes you will
have good starting.

Javier, the phooney one


>From: "Fitz-Randolph, Douglas" <dfrandolph@TALKAM.NET>
>Reply-To: "Fitz-Randolph, Douglas" <dfrandolph@TALKAM.NET>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Engine Block Heater (for a syncro)
>Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 16:42:17 -0400
>
>Hello all. With winter just around the corner...
>
>AC (alternating current, not air cooled) block heaters have
previously been
>discussed here from time to time over the years. In (brief) summary,
it
>seems there are 3 approaches:
>
>1) "Frost Plug" Heater - a heating element inserted in place of one
of the
>frost plugs in the engine block. Postings regarding these heaters
mostly
>seem to concern what to do about coolant leaking from around them.
>2) "External Tank" or "Coolant Circulating" heater - a heating
element and
>pump inserted into the cooling system plumbing which warms and
circulates
>coolant. Postings included speculation as to how effective warm
coolant
>circulation is through the Vanagon's massive hose run.
>3) "Plate" style heaters - an aluminum heating element plate bolted
beneath
>the engine block. Postings included references to magnetic heaters
bonded
>(glued or duct-taped(!?)) to the block.
>
>I'd really prefer not to deal with leaking coolant or add any more
>complexity to the cooling system, so I'd personally rather avoid
type's 1
>and 2 (heaters, not VW's).
>
>Of the type 3 (plate) heaters, there seem to be two different models
in use
>(excluding the magnetic-glued-to-aluminum-block affairs)...
>
>1) VW part "ZVP 289 104", available from VW. VW specifies that this
model
>fits all Vanagons EXCEPT SYNCRO. Bummer, because I have a syncro. On
the
>list, one posting reinforced that this model would not fit on a
syncro, but
>didn't indicate whether this advice came from personal experience.
Through a
>p-mail, I learned of a fellow syncro owner (same year - a '90) who
did in
>fact install this model on his van, though he seems to remember
having to
>drop the skid frame and (possibly) bend some part of the heater to
make it
>fit. He also let on that it was "a little tight". A check with my
local
>dealer indicates this model is still available.
>2) This seems to be a Canadian model. It's part number has been
reported as
>"VW  PN LR20976" on the list and as "CSA Model OP8 LR 20976" in a p-
mail to
>me. The p-mailer indicated that while he thought initially that his
heater
>was a VW part, upon closer inspection he concluded it was not. It
seems to
>have been deployed on syncro's without problems. Calls to two
Canadian VW
>dealers returned no leads as to where this heater came from or how
one might
>obtain one.
>
>My questions to the list are...
>1) Has anyone else used the ZVP 289 104 heater successfully on a
syncro?
>2) Does anyone know who manufactures the "Canadian model" or where
one could
>be obtained?
>3) Are there any other bolt-on (non-cooling-system, no-glue) heaters
out
>there?
>
>I've read about all the workarounds - the 100W light bulb, the 1500
watt
>heater in the cabin, Weba$to parking heaters, bales of hay, etc. I'm
looking
>for a clean, permanent and fairly affordable solution! (Yeah, I
suppose I
>*could* build a heated garage...) And yes, I will be adding a
battery warmer
>as well. I just can't stand turning the key next winter when it's -
12F and
>hearing that AWFUL sound, then getting out and watching the oil and
coolant
>dripping forlornly on the snow 'til the engine warms up. Poor Vana!
>
>Your help is much appreciated!
>
>Doug Fitz-Randolph
>Yarmouth, ME
>dfrandolph@talkam.net
>'90 Syncro
>
>ps. I suspect I may be responsible for contributing HTML garbage to
the list
>- sorry. I can't get it to stop - it's a global setting on our
network and
>I'm lobbying to get it changed!
>


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