Would it be correct to suggest that there should be a thermostatically
controlled electric water pump installed in the line to alleviate the slow
traffic overheatings?
Something to think of...
Zoltan
----- Original Message -----
From: "pensioner" <al_knoll@PACBELL.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2001 9:40 AM
Subject: Checking a Radiator.

> Hi volks,
>
> Some radiator shops have an infrared "gun".  It measures heat radiated
from
> whatever it is pointed towards.  You can use this to scan the radiator for
> "cold" areas.  A new radiator will be uniformly "hot" across the front
> surface.  As radiators clog or become coated internally with various
> materials (including the worst of all, Alumaseal), the coolant is
thermally
> isolated from the inner surface of the tubes.  Heat transfer from coolant
to
> tube to fin is impaired.  The coolant can't dump as much heat and the
> temperature rises.
>
> The heat transfer across a boundary is proportional to the temperature
> difference across the boundary and also to the thermal conductivity of the
> material at the boundary.  The poor conductivity of the insulating sludge
or
> the blockage of some of the tubes can lead to severely reduced cooling.
>
> If you can find a shop with a "heat sensing" gun, have them profile your
> radiator.  They'll usually do it for free as it points out the problems
for
> which they would be more than willing to sell you a solution.
>
> IMNSHO, the WBX cooling system is marginal at best with a poor waterpump
> design and location and lots of flow restriction in the rest of the
system.
>
> cheers,
>
> pensioner