Date: Thu, 4 Apr 2002 14:03:23 -0500
Reply-To: Ben huot <huotx@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ben huot <huotx@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Subject: Re: cooling question
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Good day Jim, take a look at my coolant section:
http://pages.infinit.net/engine/cooling_system_flow.htm
And you will see that both heater core don't go trough the thermostat, so
normally if you blow the 2 heater fan at the full & HOT position the needle
should slightly go down (a good way in heavy traffic to lower the engine
temperature)
Note: I live in Montreal, Canada. The temperature those days is around the
freezing point; the front rad is always cool, even if engine idles for a
long time. That with the new thermostat. With the old one the front rad is
warm but not hot at all.
The cooling fan thermo sensor is located on the front radiator and as
nothing to do with the real engine temperature, she just go on when the rad
is to hot.
(By the way, Bus Depot sells a cooler thermostat)
The front radiator stays cold!!! until the thermostat open (but the engine
as been at operating temperature for some time) The fuel injection system
depend and vary on engine temperature so it is crucial that you have a
fully functioning thermostat.
VW is now at the letter "F" (part # generation) for the standard 87deg
thermostat, but I called VW Canada yesterday and they explain to me that
the "F" thermostat was a bit higher than 87 deg and the older model were a
bit lower than 87deg!!!!!!, they say that the van was running to cold with
the subsequent model (A to E!!!!!)
So to you're problem, if the front rad never come hot there is a few
possibility:
-A clogged radiator or a main cooling line (the gauge should reach full hot
4/4)
- To cold outside and the engine need all the heat it can get (over the
cooling level light)
- A faulty thermostat or it's going away slowly (not very probable). A
thermostat is mostly to stay open when failure occurs and they mostly stop
working all the way.
There is nothing electronic about a fully operational cooling system; the
thermostat is a mechanical part.
Also, VW confirm that the new thermostat and the new temp gauge sensor (the
one in front of the thermostat housing) are giving a higher reading (for
the sensor, about 15% more) and higher temperature (for the thermostat,
about 20% more heat). The gauge should normally (by VW spec) read ¾ or a
bit below that.
I find that completely stupid that a gauge is not in the middle when at
normal temperature, it is logic to have the same proportion each side of
the needle for an accurate reading and safety (more time to stop the car in
case of overheating). My little Honda gauge is always in the middle like
it's freeze there, I once had an overheating problem due to a lost of
pressure and in went all the way near the red section giving me some time
to stop the car.
Note: the VW car (not van) I worked on had a 3.4 reading in the front at
normal operating temperature.
I just change my thermostat and sensor and I had the ¾ reading in the
front, I didn't like that at all and went back with the old one. I like to
see my needle in the middle, period.
We should do a poll here:
Poll: what is the position of you're temp gauge needle…
Good luck my friend, Ben
http://pages.infinit.net/eurokit/
