Date: Fri, 3 Jun 2011 21:47:39 -0700
Reply-To: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Thermostats [Was: Spooked!]
In-Reply-To: <0aec01cc226c$350f28a0$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
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On Fri, 2011-06-03 at 21:02 -0700, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
> Hi Rocket..
> it 'depends'.
> I wouldn't say they did you a favor especially...but read on.
>
> Generally ...I will always go for having it run fully up to temp ..
> which is around 180F and the 87 C t-stat gives you that.
> Generally ..
> 'warmer is better' .
> In the winter, warmer is better for sure.
> Better fuel economy too slightly.
>
> you do no have to remove the water pump to change the t-stat on a 1.9 wbxr.
> the t-stat cover will, or 'should' come off from the underside.
> two 10mm hex head bolts.
Poor memory. I recall that the pump failed and I reckoned that I might
as well "refresh" the thermostat while replacing the pump. The pump was
no Swiss picnic to replace.
> 'sometimes' ....the cover may be restricted by the exhaust pipe there.
> I have ground a bit of material off the edge of some 1.9 wbxr t-stat covers
> just to address that.
> Your milage may vary on that one.
As an aside, how much coolant would one expect to drain out while
sorting this detail out?
>
> I would agree the engine t will last longer running a little cooler.
> Running it hotter is better for emissions and fuel economy.
>
> For sure, in the winter I don't like to see them running on the cool side at
> all.
Winter or summer, the thermostat will pretty much bring the engine up to
80C (or 87C, depending its setpoint), yes?
Seems to me that regardless of whether there is snow on the ground or
molten asphalt, the engine will just get hotter and hotter until the
thermostat cracks open, and it's the thermostat's job to modulate the
amount of water going to the rad to keep the coolant -- at the point
where the thermostat senses it -- at the setpoint temperature.
In summer an 80C thermostat will keep the engine's coolant at 80C, and
in winter same thing: it will let the engine heat up to 80C then work to
keep it there. Same for an 87C thermostat. So it should not matter
whether we're talking about winter or summer, we still have a 80C
engine. As I envision it, anyway.
To me, the downside of a 7 degree Celsius cooler engine in winter is 7
degree C cooler water available for the heater!
-- RJS
> scott
> www.turbovans.com
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rocket J Squirrel" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Friday, June 03, 2011 8:12 PM
> Subject: Thermostats [Was: Spooked!]
>
>
> > On Fri, 2011-06-03 at 20:59 -0500, Tom Hargrave wrote:
> >
> >> A cooler thermostat is a quick fix for a lot of ails but it rarely solves
> >> anything.
> >>
> >> A lower temperature thermostat will open sooner causing the engine to run
> >> cooler & consume more gas. It will also cause the engine to wear out
> >> faster,
> >> again because it's running cooler.
> >
> >
> > Okay, so this brings up something I'm wondering about.
> >
> > A while back, after replacing the thermostat in my 1984 1.9L, I was
> > surprised to see that the temp gauge was reading to the left of the
> > lamp, not centered on it, as I was accustomed to.
> >
> > I asked the vendor (Bus Depot? Van Again? -- don't recall) what kind of
> > thermostat they sent, and they said they sent the lower temperature 80C
> > one, instead of the 87C one. As a favor.
> >
> > I really didn't want to take the darn water pump out to replace the
> > thing so I've had it in there since.
> >
> > I asked Steve, of Steve's Place, here in Bend, Ore., what he thought and
> > he said, "the higher temp one was to pass emissions in California. The
> > engine will last longer with the lower temp one."
> >
> > Well, I didn't know so I set that matter aside.
> >
> > Earlier this year, I took the van to Gary Young, of Young's Ole Volks
> > Home (also Bend, Ore.) and asked him the same question. "Lower temp one
> > is better for the engine," he said.
> >
> > Gary has a decent reputation as a mechanic.
> >
> > So, while camping this week, I'm cleaning out the parts bin and find two
> > thermostats: an 80C one, and an 87C one. Causing me to wonder about this
> > subject once again. Set them aside to trigger a post to this group.
> >
> > Into your lap I toss this.
> >
> > Sign me as "puzzled," someone who does not know who to believe.
> >
> > --
> > Rocky J Squirrel
>
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