Date:         Wed, 11 Jun 2003 07:47:55 -0400
Reply-To:     Stephen Steele <steeles@HORIZONVIEW.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Steele <steeles@HORIZONVIEW.NET>
Subject:      Rx to higher running temps in '87 Westy
Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

After about 18 months of tuning, touch up and repairs the '87 Westy is
running at normal temps, i.e. at the LED.  I had asked several questions of
the List and got various answers, none hit the nail on the head.
Hx:
Last January, I bought the van in Wmsburg VA, drove it home about 800 miles.
The temp gauge was always above the LED after warm up.  I had bought the van
"right" and planned on going over it completely to make it a keeper.  Even
after the needed new heads, new water pump, thermostat,  proper blue coolant
AND an AT rebuild (AND a LOT of cosmetic stuff), the Westy just seemed to
run too hot to be "normal".  An infrared gun to the main coolant tubes
revealed 205º to 208º F.
I bet I bled that sucker twenty times over the last six months!...  I could
do it in my sleep.  I checked fan circuits, fan switches.... you name it I
checked it .  The van NEVER overheated, it was just hotter than my other
WBXs had been.
After a long trip to EB2003, I decided that I would tackle the hot-running
once again.

Rx:
I asked my shop owner friend about a few things I had noted; one being that
the van only ran hotter on the road, not around town.  He said, " Check your
radiator". I compared it to my '84 with the gun at the top and the bottom
hoses. There was comparatively very little temperature differential on the
'87!
A new radiator from Bus Depot!!!!
I opted for the S.A. OEM model.  After two hours and a partly awake bleed of
the system and IT RUNS AT THE LED!!!!

Prolog:
Now,  after  I tear apart the AFM and fix the recent Vanagon Syndrome, I
plan on sticking the infrared gun under and finding out exactly what the
"normal" running temps are.

Just thought I would pass this on for the archives and anyone who cared to
read this.
Happy vanning!

--
Stephen*
Chillicothe Ohio

1991 Caravelle   Hans
1987 Westy       Franz
1984 Westy       Fritz
1991 Jetta GL    diesel daily driver
1990 Jetta GL    (twin sons')
1982 Rabbit PU  diesel
1974 MGB         My first car...yep, I kept it
1993 S-10        I hate it BUT
* All rights reserved, no reproduction without permission.