----- Original Message -----
From: The Gunnings <ngunn@landmarknet.net>
To: Joel Walker <jwalker17@earthlink.net>
Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2000 5:39 PM
Subject: Re: Is It Cool To Be Cooler?

> Hey Joel,
>
> Good hearing from you.  As I am still getting the hang of this email
> responding to list way of doing things, I hope you will bear with me.
> Sometimes I do it right, and other times I begin to wonder if my reply is
> getting thru.  For example, did you receive my response to the "Power
> Assisted Steering" info you were good enough to send?  It may be that I
must
> reply thru the mechinations of the list and not in any other manner, I
> guess.
> In any event, I appreciate your getting back to me.  Regarding the cooler
> thermoswitch/stat from BMW, this is something I was turned onto by a
> California based High Performance Vanagon engine rebuilder.  I thought
they
> said it was something they recommended and did with their own rebuilds.
> Maybe they realize that Norway is only two towns away from where I live
> (about 15 miles), and just down the road from Denmark and Paris, Maine.
Not
> too close, however, to Peru and China.   .   .   .
> As may be, I am not nearly as concerned about the fuel efficient aspect,
> which you alluded to, as I am with engine longevity.  I only want to do
> things to my engine that will help it run cooler, if possible.  As
everyone
> knows, there is nothing will kill a vanagon wbx engine sooner as excessive
> heat.  Auto engineers are only human (I think) and it is unlikely that
they
> always have yours or my best interest at heart.  Maybe their running our
> vanagon on the hot side has more to do with planned obsolescence more than
> anything else.  How am I to know for sure what was originally intended by
a
> bunch of guys running around with plastic shirt pocket pen pouches and  a
> head full of numbers alternated by funny looking Greek letters?
>
> Dave Gunning
>
> Lovell, ME 04051
>
> 85 Wolfsburg
> Kubota 4wd
> Limmer Boots
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Joel Walker <jwalker17@earthlink.net>
> To: The Gunnings <ngunn@LANDMARKNET.NET>
> Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2000 3:31 PM
> Subject: Re: Is It Cool To Be Cooler?
>
>
> > > thermostat.  My question is if this is such a good idea why haven't
> > others
> > > done it and spread the word via this enlightening list?  If running
> > Hot is
> > > to be avoided, and I agree that it is, doesn't it make sense to
> > notch the
> > > thermoswitch and thermostat down an easily done ten degrees?  That
> > this is
> > > not being done makes me wonder what it is that I do not know that
> > might make
> > > this not such a good idea.
> >
> > all auto engineering is a compromise ... and if you looked at the
> > operating range of temperatures of autos over the last 50 years, you'd
> > see a marked increase: today's cars run hotter. period. supposedly,
> > this makes them more fuel efficient, like the diesel trucks (where
> > hotter = better. ever see them close off the radiator grill with
> > blankets in the winter?). so a thermoswitch or thermostat for a
> > bmw-designed cooling system MIGHT not be quite so fuel efficient as
> > the vw-designed thermostat/switch IN THE SAME VEHICLE. maybe. sorta.
> > kinda. somewhat. the thing is, the vw designers picked a certain set
> > of components to meet a certain set of compromise solutions to what
> > they considered their design objectives. there's plenty of room for
> > adaptation or re-design in that set of components. you could
> > 'blue-print' the engine and gain horsepower and smoothness. you could
> > increase the compression, use a larger alternator, bigger exhaust,
> > etc. and the car will still run fine.
> >
> > but the design was set, in some committee meeting, and that's what
> > they built. i doubt that ten degrees will make much difference, one
> > way or the other, unless you lived somewhere like Norway. :)
> >
> > good luck! hope it helps.
> > joel
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Unless I receive listee contrary views on the
> > > subject, however, next time I drain my system, think I'll give it a
> > try.
> > > Ten degrees is, after all, ten degrees.  Anyone want the part ###s,
> > let me
> > > know and I will post them on the list.
> > >
> > > Dave Gunning
> > >
> > > Lovell, ME 04051
> > > Kubota 4wd
> > > Limmer Boots
> > >
> >
> >
>
>