ruckman101 wrote:Amskeptic wrote:Bleyseng wrote:To and from Maupin I was running 355F at 70mph...tops going up loooong steep hills was 387F following IBX at 3/4 throttle in 4th. Downshifting to 3rd dropped the temps to 365-370F still climbing the long hills. Oil temps stayed at 220F all the time...even though we were fighting the wind the whole way back. I got about 17mpg leaving Maupin to Portland and 13mpg coming down to Portland fighting a headwind at 75mph.
DD on #3
I re-confirmed yesterday on I-15 that holding in 4th dropped my CHTs, when I down-shifted, they stayed at the lower reading. This is all very interesting to me.
I am discovering that I have been "over-thinking" the hell out of all of this, and the engine deals with load and ambient temperatures according to its own dictates. No driving technique makes a whit of difference. The conclusion I am rapidly arriving at is:
Just Drive
When does technique become abuse?
Sitting around the campfire tonight with the Easter clan, I heard again tales of Cheryle's Dad's bus experiences, and I think his driving technique crossed that line.
1972 passenger bus, bought new, used to show potential buyers small vacation lots in a development next to Lake Merwin. Water skiing, park your camper, amenities, tennis courts, covered swimming pool, etc. He also made many a run to Seattle and back. So it crawled through barely developed steep hillside forest stuff (I've driven through the development, and even paved, those little roads are challenging), and made freeway runs to Seattle.
Under 10,000 original miles and it dropped a valve. "It wouldn't go over 70, and hills took it down to 50, 55, but you could hit 75 downhill, not much more." The freeway speed limit was 75 at the time. His first VW.
He said on his freeway runs to Seattle, he would put the accelerator pedal to the floor, and tuck the toe of his shoe under a flap of the air system to hold it there. I find it hard to believe he could only get 70 out of it, but....
I haven't had an opportunity to grill him on his break-in procedure or maintenance schedule, but I suspect it could be on the scanty side of paying attention to that that needed paying attention to with a spanking new engine etc.
He just drove it. And I think it was technique, not an inherent design flaw by VW that put the sour taste in his mouth for VWs. The '72 was replaced with a '73 model, and his experience was similar.
Uhh, sorry for the stray, back on topic. No gauges in Bertha. Just the warning light for oil pressure. If it flickers in a hard corner, getting low.
We've been using a tactile data collection system to gauge engine operating temperatures. It's tough to monitor trends, as the data collection window is very narrow. You can increase the frequency of data collection, but this also necessitates more frequent stops so you can open the engine hatch, and grab hold of the dip-stick. Too hot can't touch? Oh oh. Can get a grip on it, at least for a second or two, hopefully a bit more before it gets too hot to hold? In the range. Can power up five miles of a steep, twisty incline of a road in third, a few times even needing second and hop out at destination and really not even having to release my grip from the heat? Happy.
neal
CA. can stick it up their you know what. As long as CA. remains a non-business/consumer friendly state we'll see more & more flee the state. Serves em right.
