I was in Harbor Freight buying X-treme Tape (on sale for 3.99 USD till
8/25, BTW, save $1) and I mentioned to a guy in that aisle that it got
high marks from folks on the Vanagon list serv.

He said he used to own a Vanagon and said I can reduce heat in the
engine compartment by 70% if I:

Wrap the exhaust pipes (engine block to the cat) with fiberglass
(using some kind of high-temp fiberglass stuff), securing with
stainless steel wire, which in time will bond the whole shebang
together.  That helps to send the heat out the exhaust and, as the
exhaust pipes will no longer act as radiators into the engine
compartment, reduce engine overheating, heat stress on electrical
components.

I guess I can see the reduction of waste heat part in a general sense,
but I am puzzled about the engine overheating part.  I'd think that a
properly running Vanagon's cooling system will keep the block and
heads cool enough that the hot exhaust pipes won't add that much to
their heat load...

He made a particular point about engine overheating, saying, after a
long trip, you slow down, engine overheats, you lose compression,
etc...  and that this will fix all that.

My guess is that if that fixed or improved something for him, then he
had something else wrong with his van.   But I smiled and thanked him,
as I wanted to beat the traffic home.

Thoughts from the collective brain power of the list?

Mark, "one week till road trip!"

--
86 Campmobile Six-Seater "Monty"

Black dogs are euthanized at a greater rate than other-colored dogs,
regardless of temperament. Learn about Black Dog Syndrome at
http://www.blackpearldogs.com/