Date:         Fri, 20 Jul 2001 19:59:20 EDT
Reply-To:     Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeffrey R <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Could Faulty thermostat cause poor mileage? GASKET?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 7/20/2001 4:30:18 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Oxroad writes:

> Since I put in a new thermostat

And more importantly for those who know about 1.9 liter thermostat gasket. My
old thermostat had a large O ring as a gasket. The new thermostat from a list
vendor had a O shaped seal of course, but it was squared off in it's
perimeter instead of a true O ring. Meaning if you split the O and
straightened it out you would have a long piece of rubber with square sides
for the most part--really slightly pointed on one side--not a perfect square.

I thought I must have accidentally been shipped the wrong gasket so I ordered
one at the VW dealer which ended up being the same exact gasket when it
arrives. I figured they must have changed the  style. Anybody have a clue
what the H#** I could be talking about. And if the 1.9 thermostat gasket is
an O ring or an O ring with squared off sides.

I have a phobia about opening the thermostat housing since it cost me $225
for the upper thermostat housing last time I opened it -- that's the cost of
the part only BTW. (it should go easier this time since I didn't use tons of
JB Weld to hold it together like the DPO)

Thanks
Jeff