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DORIGTT Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2003 Posts: 260 Location: Forest Grove, OR
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Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2024 5:57 pm Post subject: Vanagon AC system cut out when fan comes on. How to 'stop it'? |
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Hey all,
Anyone know of a thread or information on stopping the Vanagon AC from shutting off when the high speed fan comes on? There has to be a better way for the system to work, since modern cars don't operate that way.
Just planning to do some interior work on the Van and would like to 'fix' that problem so when the fan comes on, we don't roast in the van.
Thanks,
Kevin. _________________ To err is human, but if the eraser wears out before the pencil does you're a major screw-up. |
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dhaavers Samba Member

Joined: March 19, 2010 Posts: 8405 Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2024 6:10 pm Post subject: Re: Vanagon AC system cut out when fan comes on. How to 'stop it'? |
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You need to know that your “problem” is actually a feature. In hot running conditions it turns off the AC
compressor to reduce additional heat transfer from the condenser to the radiator, and therefore your engine.
Yes… “modern” cars might not work this way, but your van is not a “modern” car…in that sense.
I suggest you make sure your engine cooling & AC systems are up to snuff so that you’re getting
all the possible cooling from both. A new radiator could work wonders for you!
- Dave _________________ 86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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Sodo Samba Member

Joined: July 06, 2007 Posts: 10639 Location: Western WA
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Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2024 6:15 pm Post subject: Re: Vanagon AC system cut out when fan comes on. How to 'stop it'? |
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If you manually override that feature you should be watching your temperature to make sure it doesn’t get too much hotter than what VW already decided was the engines “max” temp.
Do you have a digital water temperature gauge?
And how much hotter than VW’s max do you think you would allow?
(——>before cancelling your override.?)
IIRC my A/C cuts out at 206F (1990).
My radiator was new in 2008, 16 years old now.
I changed the coolant very few time (over those 16 years).
Maybe just when I blew an engine so a couple times plus leaking episodes.
Anyway I wonder how long a radiator lasts without much coolant maintenance.
There could be a high-performance coolant you can change to,
to allow the engine to operate at higher temperatures. _________________
'90 Westy EJ25, NEW oil rings (!) 2Peloquins, 3knobs, SyncroShop pressure-oiled pinion-bearing & GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox.
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered original gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb
Last edited by Sodo on Mon Sep 02, 2024 8:36 pm; edited 6 times in total |
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