Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 16:42:17 -0400
Reply-To: "Fitz-Randolph, Douglas" <dfrandolph@TALKAM.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Fitz-Randolph, Douglas" <dfrandolph@TALKAM.NET>
Subject: Engine Block Heater (for a syncro)
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
Hello all. With winter just around the corner...
AC (alternating current, not air cooled) block heaters have previously been
discussed here from time to time over the years. In (brief) summary, it
seems there are 3 approaches:
1) "Frost Plug" Heater - a heating element inserted in place of one of the
frost plugs in the engine block. Postings regarding these heaters mostly
seem to concern what to do about coolant leaking from around them.
2) "External Tank" or "Coolant Circulating" heater - a heating element and
pump inserted into the cooling system plumbing which warms and circulates
coolant. Postings included speculation as to how effective warm coolant
circulation is through the Vanagon's massive hose run.
3) "Plate" style heaters - an aluminum heating element plate bolted beneath
the engine block. Postings included references to magnetic heaters bonded
(glued or duct-taped(!?)) to the block.
I'd really prefer not to deal with leaking coolant or add any more
complexity to the cooling system, so I'd personally rather avoid type's 1
and 2 (heaters, not VW's).
Of the type 3 (plate) heaters, there seem to be two different models in use
(excluding the magnetic-glued-to-aluminum-block affairs)...
1) VW part "ZVP 289 104", available from VW. VW specifies that this model
fits all Vanagons EXCEPT SYNCRO. Bummer, because I have a syncro. On the
list, one posting reinforced that this model would not fit on a syncro, but
didn't indicate whether this advice came from personal experience. Through a
p-mail, I learned of a fellow syncro owner (same year - a '90) who did in
fact install this model on his van, though he seems to remember having to
drop the skid frame and (possibly) bend some part of the heater to make it
fit. He also let on that it was "a little tight". A check with my local
dealer indicates this model is still available.
2) This seems to be a Canadian model. It's part number has been reported as
"VW PN LR20976" on the list and as "CSA Model OP8 LR 20976" in a p-mail to
me. The p-mailer indicated that while he thought initially that his heater
was a VW part, upon closer inspection he concluded it was not. It seems to
have been deployed on syncro's without problems. Calls to two Canadian VW
dealers returned no leads as to where this heater came from or how one might
obtain one.
My questions to the list are...
1) Has anyone else used the ZVP 289 104 heater successfully on a syncro?
2) Does anyone know who manufactures the "Canadian model" or where one could
be obtained?
3) Are there any other bolt-on (non-cooling-system, no-glue) heaters out
there?
I've read about all the workarounds - the 100W light bulb, the 1500 watt
heater in the cabin, Weba$to parking heaters, bales of hay, etc. I'm looking
for a clean, permanent and fairly affordable solution! (Yeah, I suppose I
*could* build a heated garage...) And yes, I will be adding a battery warmer
as well. I just can't stand turning the key next winter when it's -12F and
hearing that AWFUL sound, then getting out and watching the oil and coolant
dripping forlornly on the snow 'til the engine warms up. Poor Vana!
Your help is much appreciated!
Doug Fitz-Randolph
Yarmouth, ME
dfrandolph@talkam.net
'90 Syncro
ps. I suspect I may be responsible for contributing HTML garbage to the list
- sorry. I can't get it to stop - it's a global setting on our network and
I'm lobbying to get it changed!
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