Date: Sun, 24 Oct 1999 19:35:55 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CYBERMESA.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CYBERMESA.COM>
Subject: Re: cold weather ???what to do !
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
Pierre, if you really want to get far out for cold starts, you could do
what the old time bush pilots use to do. many of the airplanes were
equiped with an oil dilution button. Based on the weathermans
anticipated overnight temperature the button was depressed for so many
seconds of engine operations just before shutting down the engine. The
button injected raw gasoline directly into the oil system, to thin or
dilute the oil for an easier start the next day. Upon startup in the
morning, the engine was allowed to idle slowly until it was completely
warm. This of course allowed the gasoline to evaporate out the crankcase
breather pipe.
I suppose if some bright and enterprising Vanagon owner was desparate
enough he could take on the project of working out the
dilution/temperature tables and build an oil dilution system.
John Rodgers
Who after too many years in the frozen north decided to stay in warmer
climes, where his "88GL starts easier in winter.
Pierre A Lachance wrote:
> I really enjoyed this letter of someone last week that was asking
> what to do..., for he had to change his spark plugs every 20K or 30K
> miles because they were "eaten" ... yes "eaten". I was brought up in a
> family that, in the end of october, when you now change the batteries
> in your smoke or fire detector, and change the time on your clock, to
> spend a good afternoon on your car... First, change the spark plugs,
> even if they look like new, look and change any ignition parts that
> ...; look at the electric blanket that surrounds and heats the
> battery; the engine heater... I do not know if Dr Tim will read
> this... Whatever... In a way, I believe in DM, but "god save the
> queen", the vw engine heaters are the worst that I have ever seen, not
> to say more. I have used them since the 60's, they look and are these
> things that they sell at a " dollar store " to heat your coffee. I
> think they were never legal for heating hot water ( at least in canada
> ) ... but are for Vws ??? and you have to use them... but on the
> contrary, what I really like, about westies is the second battery.
> You can always carry your wires to " boost " the other one ! More,
> change the oil with a mixture of 5W30 syn and regular or better 0w30;
> 5W50 if your are planning to go down to florida and see your
> inlaws...Next, wipers, blowers, rear window heater and wipers
> ,tires,scrapers...etc etc as somebody already said HAPPY Winter with
> a capital W...pierrelac beauport, pq
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