Date:         Sun, 10 May 2009 20:02:35 -0700
Reply-To:     Joel Cort <joel_cort@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Cort <joel_cort@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      How to determine if you need new heads?
Comments: cc: Dave Menge <supdave@frontiernet.net>
In-Reply-To:  <22894.33976.qm@web52109.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Hi gang,

A buddy here in Rochester is going nuts throwing new parts at his 87 -  2.1 ltr.  He claims to be overheating according to the dash gauge and to the infrared temp readings.  The engine warms up normally and at idle sits above the red blinking led about midway to HOT.   When we run it on the freeway it rises almost to the max HOT tick mark on the gauge.


We have changed the following and are baffled at the continuous "hot" engine:

New water pump,
new little coolant hoses to oil cooler
New thermostat
new thermostat housing top
New TempII sensor
New Temp Sender
New wiring plugs spliced in for senders.
New radiator
New VW Blue coolant.

there are no visible leaks and the air is purged out properly of the system. And the darn engine runs hot.  I don't know what else to fix or replace.  

And I asked him to double check the timing too to ensure proper position

Any advice from the list will be welcomed.
 Joel Cort 


Rochester NY.


89 Syncro Westy (CinnabarVan)
87 Syncro Transporter (Stella)
73 Westy Campmobile (agent orange)


Founding Member of the Empire VW Camping Club
&
Westies at Watkins - www.westies-at-watkins.org