David: THANKS for a clear, concise explaination of the coolant system. Coolant systems and thermostats can be pretty confusing...but your email clarifies it nicely. Good Show! kevindobrien@yahoo.com --- David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET> wrote: > At 01:02 PM 9/24/2002, Marla Stelk wrote: > >so what does the thermostat affect? > > The water pump circulates coolant in three main > loops, one of them from the > right head to the heaters and back to the pump, > another around and through > the rest of the engine, and a third from engine to > radiator and back to the > pump. > > When the engine is cold, the thermostat prevents > coolant from returning to > the engine from the radiator. As the engine warms, > the thermostat opens > partially, allowing flow of cooler coolant from the > radiator into the > engine to maintain the proper temperature. If the > engine puts out more > heat, the thermostat opens more and allows more > coolant to flow through the > radiator, thus shedding more heat and controlling > the temperature > rise. Once the thermostat is open all the way it > can no longer control the > engine temp and the engine and radiator temp rise > until they trigger the > first speed of the radiator fan which increases > airflow through the > radiator and sheds more heat. If this still can't > keep up with the heat > load from the engine, the temp will continue to rise > and trigger the high > speed of the radiator fan. If *this* can't keep up > then the engine will > overheat. At this point you can shed additional > heat by turning both > heaters on full blast, but you won't like being in > the same vehicle with > it. <g> > > david > > > -- > David Beierl - Providence, RI > http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/ > '84 Westy "Dutiful Passage" > '85 GL "Poor Relation"
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