Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2001 07:28:57 -0700
Reply-To: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Subject: Re: Temperature guage
Walt,
Don't quite recall who it was that gave me the information, but it seems it
may have been the nice folks at Camelback VW, who told me to go with the
higher temp stat because the fuel management system is designed to run in
that temperature range. The lower temp stat will work if the cooling system
is marginal, like partially blocked radiator, etc. Don't know how accurate
this is, but it was what I was told, and it worked for me.
The reason that the fan is not recycling any faster is that your cooling
system is working properly (your radiator is losing heat at a fast enough
rate) and you are flying under the temp at which the fan switch kicks in
(around 92, as I recall).
Karl Wolz
----- Original Message -----
From: "Walt Spak" <wnsopc3@3RDM.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, April 09, 2001 6:55 AM
Subject: Temperature guage
> List,
>
> I thought I ought to put my 2 cents in about the temp gauge situation. I
> installed a Boston Bob rebuilt engine in my 91 GL last spring. At the
same
> time, I replaced both of the temp sensors in the thermostat housing and
the
> fan switch in the radiator (along with just about everything else).
>
> I was planning to install an 87 degree thermostat, but Bob insisted that I
> should use an 80 degree. With the 80 degree, the temp gauge came only
about
> half way up to the light, even during 90 degree weather. The fan would
> cycle on low speed when I was at a stop light or in traffic, but the gauge
> would still not go much above the 1/2 way point to the light (1/4 up the
> gauge). I ran the bus this way through Dec. when I started to notice that
> my heater was not sufficient with the colder weather. I then installed
the
> 87 degree thermostat. The temp gauge immediately went to the normal
> position of just covering the lower half of the light. It was 80 degrees
> out side yesterday and the temp gauge stays in the normal position, except
> that at traffic lights when it climbs slightly to cover the upper portion
of
> the light. The fan continues to cycle when I am idling just like it did
> with the cooler thermostat.
>
> I was surprised by this because I expected the fan to run considerably
more
> frequently with the higher thermostat. So, the engine is defiantly
running
> hotter, but the fan does not cycle any more often. I really can not
explain
> this situation. Can anyone else?
>
> Boston Bob's theory was to keep the engine as cool as possible,
particularly
> in the summer. With all due respect, I am disagreeing and here is why. I
> was pulling a steady 20 MPG with the old engine (87 degree thermostat).
The
> new engine gave me only 18 MPG. I attributed this to the engine being
> tight, but I had already put 20,000 miles on it by Dec.. When I switched
> back to the 87 degree thermostat, the gas mileage jumped right back up to
> 20. This leads me to believe that the engine runs more efficiently at 87
> degrees.
>
> Comments?
>
> Walt Spak
> Pittsburgh, PA.
> wnsopc3@3rdm.net
>
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