cooling gimmicks?

[NarcolepticFlea@aol.com (NarcolepticFlea@aol.com)]

The way I figure Water Wetter and that stuff works is that it either disappates heat at a lower temperature than water and, when mixed with water, makes water disappate heat at a lower temp. As it is not just absorbing heat, but giving off more of it, I don't believe it would raise your coolant. This is just based on high school physics/chemistry though, so I'm not sure. As a side note, I drove 6hrs yesterday (3hrs at a time) and even in the occasional standstill and 90+ temps, my car didn't overheat with the ac on! It wasn't frigid in my car, but it was nice and cool. If your r12 is dead, I highly reccommend converting, it makes warm weather much more tolerable. For the people who have done this conversion, when running the blower on high, have you experienced a very noticable drop in power?

Thanks,
Dan

> List-
>  Are Water Wetter, etc. just gimmicks? Here's how I look at it:
> WW can't reduce the heat that your engine generates. Agreed?
> If your water temp gage reads 20 degrees lower when you use WW, that means
> your coolant is 20 degrees colder, since the temp sensor directly reads the
> water's temp, right?
> If your engine is generating the same amount of power/heat, and the coolant
> is absorbing less heat (it's 20 degrees colder than before), then that extra
> heat must be staying in the metal/oil of your engine.
> I conclude that WW must prevent your coolant from absorbing as much of the
> engine's heat.
> If WW increased the absorption of heat by the coolant, the coolant should be
> getting HOTTER than it was without WW!
> What do ya'll think?
> 
> Larry  (jeeze, that guy's such a skeptic....)
> 
> (Oh, yeah, Dan-
>  You should not need any additives/gimmicks if everything  in your cooling
> system is in good shape. If you start modifying your motor, and making more
> power, then you may have to upgrade the cooling system.  I'm not sure I
> understand your last question....could you rephrase?)
> 
> 
> 
> > Yeah I'm a bit slow, but as for your coolant comment, does that mean that
> all the special coolant stuff like Redline's Water Wetter and other products
> that are supposed to lower the temp by like 20 degrees are just gimmicks? As
> for the a/c heating deal, I assume that running it where the line is isn't
> considered running really hot for a scirocco?
> > Thanks for the patience,
> > Dan
> >
> > In a message dated Tue, 13 Aug 2002 10:22:10 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> rocco16v@netzero.com writes:
> >
> > >
> > > Well, techtonics' cat back is $205 (dynomax muffler/non-stainless).  Add
> > > $325 for their downpipe/cat.
> > > I just put both items on my 16V this weekend.  More horsepower?  Maybe a
> > > little more midrange.  I wouldn't call it a performance upgrade, at
> least
> > > not on a stock motor.  (my old, stock system was just plain shot, and I
> > > needed a replacement....) I also installed their fuel enrichment
> > > module....no discernable difference in the motor, but that could be from
> a
> > > malfunctioning cold start enrichment injector.
> > > If your roc had  factory AC, there should be no reason to fear running
> it.
> > > If AC makes it overheat, turn off the AC, then fix the problem!!!!!
> > > Coolant will not determine if your car overheats (unless there isn't
> enough
> > > of it!)
> > >
> > > Larry
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: <NarcolepticFlea@aol.com>
> > > To: <mailto:rocco16v@netzero.com|; "Larry" <rocco16v@netzero.com>
> > > Cc: <scirocco-l@scirocco.com>
> > > Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2002 7:53 PM
> > > Subject: Re: 88 16v modding help
> > >
> > >
> > > > I just worry about the coolant as my car is a daily driver and its
> been
> > > around 95 or so every day. My commute to work involves lots of stop and
> go
> > > traffic and my temp needle usually runs about 3/4 to the right. Now that
> I
> > > want to run air conditioning, I was wondering how much risk there is in
> my
> > > car overheating. I know I can change the temp and the fan settings, but
> that
> > > seems like something I'd like a guiding hand for. I'm a quick learner
> but I
> > > have A LOT to learn...Anyways, if I could, I would definitely put a
> > > supercharger on, (stupid Autotech not producing any more) or even a
> turbo,
> > > but I can't seem to find any. Wasn't sure if the turbo on the newer
> Jetta
> > > 1.8T engines would work, but either way, that's in the distant future.
> I've
> > > been looking at performance exhaust and I have no idea which way to go.
> It
> > > seems most companies claim '15hp increase' and up, but somehow that
> seems
> > > fishy to me. Do people any reccommendations for exhausts around $300? Is
> it
> > > possible to get one that cheap?
> > > >
> > > > Once again, thanks for the info,
> > > > Dan
> > > > >
> > > > > Dan-
> > > > >  Sounds like you are well on your way.
> > > > > Don't worry about the antifreeze, as long as it's GREEN, you'll be
> okay.
> > > > > Keep reading and listening...and not only to the list, either!
> > > > > Your best best, for a next step, may be a performance exhaust.  It
> won't
> > > be
> > > > > pocket change, but effective modifications are not cheap.
> > > > > I believe the "most bang for the buck" would be a turbo.  Hold on,
> let
> > > me
> > > > > finish.....Granted, it's several thousand dollars, but you could
> spend
> > > > > (easily) $2000 on cams, head work, pulleys, exhaust, enrichment
> module,
> > > > > etc., and not get one third the actual horsepower increase that a
> > > well-set
> > > > > up turbo will give you. I'm not a turbo fan, but them's the facts.
> (I'd
> > > > > recommend a supercharger, if only one were available....)
> > > > > That's my opinion.
> > > > >
> > > > > Larry
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > Thanks much for the info. I have a K & N airfilter in it now and
> I'm
> > > in
> > > > > the process of retrofitting the a/c. Next on the list is a coolant
> > > system
> > > > > flush and the addition of Water Wetter or some other extra cool
> coolant
> > > > > stuff. I remember reading in the manual not to use phosphate (?)
> > > antifreeze
> > > > > as it was bad enough to void the original warrenty. Why is this and
> is
> > > it
> > > > > really as bad as it sounds? Also, is it hard to find nonphosphate
> > > > > anti-freeze? As for books, I have Greg Raven's newer one as well as
> Per
> > > > > Shroeder's and a Bently of course. Most of the people I have found
> > > around me
> > > > > are of no help, so the list is my main source of info. I know that
> most
> > > > > performace stuff isn't cheap, but I'm not looking for a 200hp
> monster or
> > > > > anything (you should see the body of the car, 'sleeper' doesn't
> begin to
> > > > > describe it...) I'm just looking for suggestions and
> > > little
> > > > > things that
> > > > > aren't a small fortune and make some kind of 
> difference.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Thanks again for the info,
> > > > > > Dan