OK, gotta put my two cents in here.

One of the problems with the WBX is that because of the configuration...where
the engine is, and how the exhaust pipes are wrapped around the engine...heat
entrapment simply cooks the engine when you are driving slow, or the engine is
shut down. Containing the heat in the exhaust system by using an insulating
material is one way of getting more of the heat to exhaust to the rear of the
vehicle through the muffler. It is true that the internal heat in the exhaust
will be higher, and maybe use up the pipes sooner,  but it is moving to be
exhausted through the end of the system. The heat does not radiate out into the
engine area, and when the engine is shut off the amount of heat escaping the
pipes is minimized, thus keeping the engine from just sitting there cooking in
its on juice so to speak. This heat soaking thing is a problem for engines in
all kinds of installations, vanagons, airplanes, industrial applications, and
insulation is often the means used to control it.

The last few days here in Birmingham, AL have been incredibly hot. We had an
all time high on Tuesday, and today my cooling fan came on while I was driving
down the road. Scared hell out of me. And I wasn't mushing along in bumper to
bumper traffic either. That has never happened before. It was just some kind of
hot.

When I got home, rather than park the van and let the engine and those precious
cylinder heads and seals just heat soak, I raised the rear gate(door) and
raised the engine hatch. Gad was that engine hot. I now plan to do that every
day until the weather cools off.

I beleive that chincing on the pipes may cost you later in other repairs, some
maybe very costly sure enough.

I think Robert Lilley was absolutely right when he went on a holy quest to
lower the temperatures of things all the way around on the WBX.

I certainly am going to pursue it. I think the WBX could be a long lasting
engine if those efforts are made, and maintainence is strict.

Bye the bye, can anyone point me to exact page in the JC Whitney catalog for
the insulating tape. Can't seem to find it. Other sources would be OK as well.

TIA

John Rodgers
88GL Driver in Hot Birmingham, AL

Ken Hunter wrote:

> In a message dated 8/30/00 6:46:31 PM Mountain Daylight Time,
> mark_hb@HOTMAIL.COM writes:
>
> << >I am even considering wrapping the exhaust pipe >>
>
> That will work but decreases the exhaust life. An inside/outside coating is
> $$$ but will do the trick IMO.
>
> Ken Hunter
> 82 Westy 1.9D
> 84 Jetta 1.5D
> 89 Mitsubishi van