On my walk home this last week I saw a 85+ vanagon (not sure if the year
but it was definitely a water cooled model, painted silver.  Besides the
fact that I only see another van 1-2 times a month, what caught my eye was
the bizarre exhaust system coming out the back---two large pipes coming
out the back and wired to the lift supports (yuk).  I got on the ground
and looked it and the van had been fitted with an air cooled engine.
Everything was screwey in the engine compartment.  I wish I had had my
camera there to take a photo.  I was so taken by the engine I forgot to
look at the van closer to determine the year.  And, the van was not a
total junker.  Other than the ugly engine/exhaust there wasn't much rust
and it just looked like a "normal" 7 passenger van.

Blake
St. Louis

On Wed, 4 Apr 2007, Joseph Fortino wrote:

> WOW and oil dip stick that gives a oil temp reading.. * nice *
>
>
> Joe
>
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: Bob Donalds <donalds1@VERIZON.NET>
> >Sent: Apr 4, 2007 5:44 AM
> >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >Subject: Re: In praise of aircooled vanagons
> >
> >Its true that the air-cooled van has to tolerate poor quality fuel AND there
> >are things you can do about it.
> >The addition of an external oil cooler prevents the oil from hitting that
> >magic temp of 225 F. Oil at 225 F
> >has what could be considered a phase change. I have seen this while testing
> >air-cooled engines with real time digital temp gauges. As the oil reaches
> >225 F the head temps soar due to the fact that the oil stops accecpting heat
> >from the heads at the same rate. Air-cooled engines acumulate heat over time
> >depending on load and abient air temp. As I like to say the air-cooled
> >engine has has a max running temp limited only by the melting point of
> >aluminum.
> >  Gene berg often said that gauges are worthless he was right the event is
> >over long before the gauge reacts can you say VDO.
> >Gene Berg Ent sells a oil temp dip stick and guess what it makes the oil
> >light flicker at 225 F
> >
> >Bob Donalds
> >Boston Engine Exchange
> >all rights reserved
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Robert Keezer" <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
> >To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> >Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 3:26 AM
> >Subject: Re: In praise of aircooled vanagons
> >
> >
> >> "I'm not sure of any particular problem specific
> >> to
> >> airheads except the overheat problem which is
> >> operator-controlled."
> >>
> >> I think the other word for it is "denial".
> >>
> >> Heat is the main culprit with aircooleds but to
> >> believe it's solely  operator controlled is
> >> misleading.
> >>
> >> Air-cooled engines in Busses and Vanagons are
> >> usually short lived.
> >>
> >> When octane was lowered the air-cooled was
> >> doomed. They are from an era that had higher
> >> octane, leaded fuel, and when the average car was
> >> owned only a few years.
> >>
> >> Simplicity? So were 8-track players.
> >>
> >> Puddlers? Waterboxers, glorified flat -four
> >> engines. They last longer because they run
> >> cooler.
> >> Heat is the enemy of motor oil.
> >>
> >> Savor this moment of momentary air-cooled bliss.
> >>
> >> As I remember on a plane flight long ago, the
> >> mayday was sent after the radial engine swallowed
> >> a valve, billowing black smoke.
> >> The pilot had spoken to the co-pilot minutes
> >> before'Amazing how well it runs for not having
> >> had an overhaul in 25 years".
> >>
> >> Capture the moment .
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --- Nathaniel Poole <myth.wright@GMAIL.COM>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> > I know the list is mostly populated by
> >> > piddlers, and so not an even
> >> > sample, but I have seen repetitive posts on
> >> > similar issues with the
> >> > puddle engines. I'm not sure of any particular
> >> > problem specific to
> >> > airheads except the overheat problem which is
> >> > operator-controlled.
> >> > Earlier ones really seemed to have a problem
> >> > with the twin carb setup,
> >> > but VW had a very good engine worked out by the
> >> > late 70s - just to
> >> > drop it under market forces. It's a shame
> >> > really. After driving all
> >> > those miles (a lot on the interstate), I don't
> >> > see the horsepower
> >> > problem as a problem at all. I would buy a new
> >> > one tomorrow. It is
> >> > such a simple engine, like a motorcycle but
> >> > bigger. Of course it would
> >> > never pass muster in the smog department.
> >> >
> >> > Nathaniel
> >> >
> >> > On 4/3/07, Benny boy <huotb@videotron.ca>
> >> > wrote:
> >> > > Aircooled van/bus are strong runner! if kept
> >> > cool and clean, they are GREAT,
> >> > > sometime better than the wasser.
> >> > >
> >> > > Cheers, Ben
> >> > >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
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