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Date:         Mon, 9 Apr 2001 04:21:15 EDT
Reply-To:     Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeffrey R <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Temperature guage LONG
Comments: To: mjruskin@home.com
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 4/8/2001 10:16:06 PM Pacific Daylight Time, mjruskin@HOME.COM writes:

> Therefore, "summer" and "winter" thermostats solve the extreme climate > problem.

First off I'm not an expert at anything. Never have been.

But I would agree that "summer" and "winter" thermostats solve extreme climate problems. But the key is "extreme". And for most of us I don't think the conditions we live in come under the catagory of "extreme." (And as Tom Likus would say "I said most. I didn't say all."

Here's the deal. A properly function cooling system on the Vanagon should keep the engine running at normal operating temp. While Florida is warm where one listee is having cooling problems I don't think it falls into the "extreme" catagory. And I'll bet you'll find plenty of Vanagons running there with all stock cooling componants. The unfortunate side of whoever's Vanagon it was which is running hot is I think there is something wrong. My guess would be the radiator since the original post said the rig has a new water pump.

Here's what I found. The copper radiator on my 83.5 Westy was corroded and needed to be replaced. It was afterall almost 20 years old and copper. It was full of crud which is what, lime deposits? calcium? ( The new genuine VW replacement radiators are aluminum by the way. )

The previous owner had replaced the thermostat with the "cooler" thermostat and the "cooler" fan switch. And yes that helped to a point, but did not solve the problem. Because as another listee pointed out, once the thermostat is open it's open. At that point the coolant can only get as cool at the radiator will let it cool.

Now here's the catch. In my case the radiator fan would come on way late in the game. the needle would be almost to the top of the gauge and then on a long western mountain climb it was too late. Hope for the best. Open both heaters. I can give you four captain but I can't give you five. That sort of thing. In traffic I could usually save it from overheating by turning on the heaters and that would bring the needle down.

I have a theory. Since the fan switch is in the lower half of the radiator (my radiator was a 2 chamber system basically and I assume they are all the same. The water came in the top, ran through tubes in the top half. Then did a hairpin turn to run through the tubes in bottom half and headed back to the engine) Since the radiator was sluggish and clogged it took a while for the hot coolant to reach the fan switch. Or the fan switch was in a spot where the hot coolant didn't reach right away to heat the switch enough to complete the electrical connection to turn on the radiator fan. Whatever the case eventually the outcome was overheating--even with the "cooler" components.

The end of the tale is I installed a new genuine VW radiator from the VW dealer manufactered in South Africa (get one from Ken at Vanagain.com for about 50% of what you'd pay the dealer for the same animal) and the stock (87 degrees I think) thermostat and the stock fan switch and as far as cooling it's a different bus.

My needle may run different that others--and as I understand it from previous list discussion there are different sending units in some Vanagons compaired to others--but my needle enters the "normal" area on the gauge during normal conditions and stays there. (Normal being moving forward at a steady speed) In traffic the needle will rise and it will get just above the LED before the radiator fan comes on the slower of the two speeds. And when the fan comes on it will run for about a minute usually then go off and the needle has gone down to about the center of the LED.

Climbing mountains is about the same as traffic. the needle will rise above the LED the fan will kick on and the engine will cool in a minute or so. On a long climb I think the fan will need to continue to run to keep the engine cool. Previously with the old radiator the fan would run and run and the temp needle would not move, unless it moved up, and the heaters were both on.

(just so I've shared all the facts I also replaced the water pump during the radiator swap for good measure)

Whether I've ever been right about anything I still say if the cooling system is working properly it should work properly with the stock thermostat and fan switch in all but EXTREME conditionsFor my money the "cooler" thermostat and fan switch are for extreme conditions like for those who live at the bottom of a mountain on the Equator or anyone in northern Canada. And for those of you in Canada, the draft is over you can come home so forget about the cooler thermostat.

I'm kidding. I tease the Canadians because they get all the film work these days.But I love Canadians. I'm a big fan of the imperial gallon and Jim Carey. My engine was remanufactured by VW of Canada. Molson Golden..the list goes on..

That's the coolant story I'm going with. Hope it helps.

Jeff 83.5 Westy LA,CA

and ain't nothing gonna >


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