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panel Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2001 Posts: 1090 Location: Victoria B.C. Canada
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syncrodoka Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005 Posts: 11997 Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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panel Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2001 Posts: 1090 Location: Victoria B.C. Canada
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syncrodoka Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005 Posts: 11997 Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 12:35 am Post subject: |
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RMW offers a aluminum version if that is the way you want to go. |
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insyncro Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002 Posts: 15086 Location: New York
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 8:18 am Post subject: |
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syncrodoka wrote: |
RMW offers a aluminum version if that is the way you want to go. |
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malibu Samba Member
Joined: March 03, 2011 Posts: 116 Location: Horse Heaven, WA
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 8:29 am Post subject: |
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Im sure this has been asked before....why would you want aluminum over stainless? Wouldnt the harder stainless be better under the van? _________________ 85 westy weekender - 2.5 suby
85 full westy - 2.2 suby - Sold |
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Crankey Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2004 Posts: 2651
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 8:32 am Post subject: |
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I decided it was more of an issue with VW magnesium alloy, but not so much with aluminum.
I did think about the aluminum vs stainless durability...but they have been just plastic for over 25 years w/o a problem. usually aluminum cracks when it's bent too much...at least more than stainless. |
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Jake de Villiers Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007 Posts: 5911 Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 9:17 am Post subject: Re: Stainless steel coolant pipes? |
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That's a really good technical explanation of why you shouldn't use stainless or copper in your cooling system. Should be required reading for Vanagon mechanics. _________________ '84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com |
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16450 Location: Brookeville, MD
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bluebus86 Banned
Joined: September 02, 2010 Posts: 11075
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 9:59 am Post subject: |
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dobryan wrote: |
I have rubber inner tube pieces wrapped around my SS pipes at all points that could contact the body. Should be mostly electrically isolated from the engine that way. And flush coolant every two years too. |
not if the coolant is conductive, then it aint electrically isolated from the engine. |
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PDXWesty Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006 Posts: 6234 Location: Portland OR
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bluebus86 Banned
Joined: September 02, 2010 Posts: 11075
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:10 am Post subject: Re: Stainless steel coolant pipes? |
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Jake de Villiers wrote: |
That's a really good technical explanation of why you shouldn't use stainless or copper in your cooling system. Should be required reading for Vanagon mechanics. |
I read the linked page, it talks about corrosion and states copper is a bad choice for use in the cooling system. I guess VW never got that notice, My original Vanagon radiator is COPPER. Yes i know later ones are aluminum, but mine ran fine for 20+ years with that copper radiator.
Becuase the radiator was copper and lasted so long, I would have no hesitation to use copper elsewhere in my van without fear of corrosion.
Note as near as I can tell it was just after 1986 that the radiators become made of aluminum on the vanagons. Replacement ones are aluminum. |
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ShootingFish Samba Member
Joined: July 25, 2010 Posts: 330 Location: Portland, OR
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:12 am Post subject: |
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Let us move on from this discussion.... We have beat it to death in previous threads. _________________ SF
Props aren't just for boats....
'88 2WD ALH-TDI Westy
'90 Syncro 16 Doka |
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Terry Kay Banned
Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:21 am Post subject: |
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Amen to that.
Funny thing---
If in fact the stainless was harmful to a Vanagons cooling sytem & engine, why in the heck do all of the major distributor's of the pipes (me too) offer stainless only?
Old wives tale.
And the only reason aluminum pipes from RMW were offered in the first place is that you guys talked yourselves into that.
They accomodated just a few wild men--
Opportunity was knocking--ringing their door bell. _________________ T.K. |
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insyncro Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002 Posts: 15086 Location: New York
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:29 am Post subject: |
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Terry Kay wrote: |
Amen to that.
Funny thing---
If in fact the stainless was harmful to a Vanagons cooling sytem & engine, why in the heck do all of the major distributor's of the pipes (me too) offer stainless only?
Old wives tale.
And the only reason aluminum pipes from RMW were offered in the first place is that you guys talked yourselves into that.
They accomodated just a few wild men--
Opportunity was knocking--ringing their door bell. |
I'd be curious to know the percentage RMW sells...aluminum vs stainless?
Care too share Mike?
I would venture to guess 10 to 1 stainless to aluminum. |
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Terry Kay Banned
Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:50 am Post subject: |
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And just for the heck of it, I do check my anti freeze at least once / twice a year for corrosive activity.
Seeing as I was numero uno in having the stainless relacement pipes in a Vanagon.
I think that was 15--16 years ago.
Ya know what I have found detremental to my engine in the coolant?
Zip,Nada, Nothing.
But--I do change my ant freeze every two years--period.
No questions asked.
The tubing is basiclly hung under the van between two rubber hoses on each tube.
The cross member passage & the hanger's could very well be insulated real easy from any possibe grounding situtation, if a guy was worried to death regarding this unwarrated crazy magical engine corrosive phenomna--that somebody dreamed about one night & posted all about it.
Nuts.
I'd be more concerned about dumping the coolant in a regular, timely manner than stainless melting my engine.
And I do know folks side step this maintainence --often. _________________ T.K. |
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theDrew Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2011 Posts: 1155 Location: Camas, WA
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r39o Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 9800 Location: San Diego
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 11:13 am Post subject: |
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I am using aluminum pipes from RMW. Close to 2 years now. Everything still nice and clean. No pitting I can see when I opened it up for a minor fix.
This is truly not an old wives tale. I have seen plenty of eaten out aluminum heads in my time. If you mix and match metals with different potentials you are going to get current flow. You must minimize this. Using aluminum pipes is a way to get a step closer.
As stated elsewhere I have old cars with custom stainless pipes. Unless we use zinc anodes in those cars, we have issues in a few years. It is a problem in Vanagons to add something like a Neutrarod which goes under the radiator cap because it does not ground. But you can add into a cooling pipe like the Burley pipe I use.
I am sure that the stainless pipes are just fine for several years. Just do not whine later when you find you have leaks because your heads have pits eaten in them. _________________ "Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
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r39o Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 9800 Location: San Diego
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 11:14 am Post subject: |
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theDrew wrote: |
Oh not this debate again! I thought this was put to rest! |
Tempted, so tempted to lock....but hey, I am in the debate too, so it would be poor form. _________________ "Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
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Terry Kay Banned
Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 11:38 am Post subject: |
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Poor Form Bobby?
Naw--Just do as I say--not as I do---
LOL.
I know I have mentioned this somewhere in one of my rants--
And because I was my own test unit--
Plus the hundreds of folks I have manfactured the pipes for--eons before the other guys got into the act.
No-body , anywhere, at any time has reported any unusual electroletical meltitus..
And it's been an awfully long time---
And, again, if they were really that a bad of deal, I'm sure the rest of the supplier's wouldn't want to be purveying them.
Especailly the Van-Cafe who are top shelf, & very informed guys.
It's OK you can sleep better at night thinking your water jackets aren't melting with them aluminum pipes.
Whatever trips your trigger.
I just am cofident that it's a slight over reaction to some hype posted on the internet.
Do you know that Pamela Anderson is really a guy in drag?
I just read that on the internet--must be true.
_________________ T.K.
Last edited by Terry Kay on Mon Dec 03, 2012 11:21 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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