Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2007 13:03:18 -0500
Reply-To: "syncro.carboncow" <syncro.carboncow@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "syncro.carboncow" <syncro.carboncow@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: New thermostat funky?
In-Reply-To: <47519AEA.8090805@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Now although I doubt temp2 and temp
gauge sensors seldom fail (from anther
post) I have had new thermostat fail out
of the box. We all know how to test
them.
I did something similar in a Saab 9000 I
had and it ran far to cold in the
winter. Went back to the old stat and
life was good.
Since they are not a horrible hassle in
Vanagons those who live in 95F+ in the
summer and 10F in the winter (like me in
Ohio) may even want to rotate!
Don't ever use the gauge on these
vanagon's as an indicator if you are
running hot or not. Buy a $40 inferred
gun and let that tell the tale, or fine
a way to put a true gauge on.
These damn gauges and sendors are highly
inaccurate in my opinion. But I would
agree a 20+ year old vehicle with an
original radiator may like the -10F
stat.
Shawn
Ohio
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List
> [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of Michael Elliott
> Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007
> 12:34 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: New thermostat funky?
>
> A couple months ago I replaced the
> water pump -- it was making an ominous
> grinding noise. Felt crappy when it
> was removed, too. Installed a new Temp
> II sensor and thermostat at the same
> time. The thermostat came from one of
> the usual online presences, can't
> recall exactly who but could find out
> if
> it's relevant. The packing list noted
> that it was one that was set for 10
> degree cooler than stock.
>
> Indeed, with normal city driving at
> outside temps in the 70F range, the
> temp gauge seems to rest just at the
> left edge of the LED whereas
> previously it rode straight up,
> bisecting the lamp.
>
> This morning I just returned from a
> two-night camping trip in the San
> Diego mountains. It was 35F this
> morning and the first 2/3rds of the
> drive
> are mostly downhill, a 6,000 ft
> elevation drop in about 60 miles. For
> most
> of the downhill portion, the temp
> needle sat between the painted "box"
> at
> the left-hand side of the meter face
> (this is a 1984 1.9L) and the left
> edge of the LED, mostly closer to that
> painted box than the LED. In other
> words, at about halfway between left
> (dead cold) and straight up.
>
> The engine was so cool that the ECU
> went open-loop during long downhills
> (auto transmission in "2," holding
> road speed down), as determined by the
> Ken Lewis O2 monitor.
>
> Once I got to the flats, in 55F temp,
> freeway speeds of 70 mph or so, the
> needle rarely kissed the left edge of
> the LED.
>
> This is new behavior, I'm not used to
> seeing the engine run that cool. I
> know that a thermostat with a cooler
> set point may make it run cooler when
> it's not being worked hard, but it
> should keep the engine warm. I can't
> recall seeing the coolant that cold
> during downhills. That said, this was
> the coldest weather I've made that run
> in. But still.
>
> Next month I'll make the same trip,
> and it could be 20F cooler. I want to
> be certain that the thermostat isn't,
> like, stuck open or anything.
>
> --
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The
> Electrical Banana")
> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer,
> Inc., San Juan Capistrano
> KG6RCR
| 
