Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 10:29:01 -0800
Reply-To: gary hradek <hradek@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: gary hradek <hradek@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: not all thermostats are equal
In-Reply-To: <90158D16-4526-11D8-98C2-000A959B3796@knology.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Jim,
In my case a lower temperature thermostat will do
little to solve the problem. All the thermostats are
openning at about 85-87 degrees centograde. The
difference is in the amount they open up when they do
open to wide open. I am thinking to drill a series
of holes arount the metal casing of the thermostat
such that there is an increase in flow when the
thermostat is wide open. Drilling into the disc will
actually do very little as the flow is primarily
around the disc. I would use this thermostat as a
summer thermostat only. Jim, you didn't say if the
thermostat you had was mostly metal and if it had a
mostly metal disc? What brand? thanks gary
--- Jim Felder <felder@knology.net> wrote:
> For what it's worth, remember that you can buy a
> variety of temperature
> ranges in thermostats. Make sure you are comparing
> identical
> temperature items. I'm running a 173 (or
> thereabouts) because the
> thermostat that came in the car was causing terrible
> overheating
> problems, though when boiled behaved OK. Replacing
> it with a lower
> rated temp was overkill... the car should be a bit
> warmer in winter.
> The point is, don't trust boiling except to find out
> if it's dead or
> alive. And if alive, a poor thermostat won't work as
> well as a good
> one. And you pretty much have to install them to
> find out which are the
> better ones; at least I do because I don't know what
> the better brands
> are.
>
> Additionally item: when I recently went to a
> reputable shop for a good
> thermostat instead of autozone stuff, my mechanic
> advised me to do what
> he did... drill a small hold (1/8 inch) in the edge
> of the thermostat
> to allow a bit of water to flow through even when
> closed. He showed me
> several OEM german thermostats that had such holes.
>
> Jim
>
> On Jan 12, 2004, at 11:09 AM, gary hradek wrote:
>
> > I have been puzzled by a higher than normal
> operating
> > temperature for some time. Yes I have replaced
> the
> > thermostat and the relays and sensors. What was
> a
> > major clue was that when the heaters were on and
> > running, the temperature would move down to the
> normal
> > openned thermostat position, slightly above the
> > halfway mark of the gauge. The low speed fan and
> > high speed fan would cycle on but it was as if the
> > coolant was not making it to the radiator fast
> enough
> > to cool the engine. The hose to the radiator was
> hot
> > and the hose from the radiator was warm.
> > I bought a thermostat housing on ebay which had
> the
> > older style thermostats, older meaning that there
> is
> > considerable more metal in it's composition. The
> > disc that opensand closes on the thermostat has
> metal
> > and rubber. The one from busdepot and the one I
> > removed from the van both had the disc made
> entirely
> > of rubber. When I boiled the two styles of
> > thermostats in a can of water what was clear was
> the
> > the older style openned much further.
> > Both openned but the one made mostly of metal
> openned
> > in a way that clearly would allowed more flow to
> the
> > radiator and yes it worked better for my problem.
> > So is this style available new? thanks gary
> >
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