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Date:         Mon, 14 Sep 2015 11:25:58 -1000
Reply-To:     "SDF ( aka ;jim lahey' - Scott )" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "SDF ( aka ;jim lahey' - Scott )" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Organization: Cosmic Reminders
Subject:      Re: Thermostats...question(s)
Comments: To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CAHTkEuKyHp79K_Nw8mKi1WDGPUre4Fm-5pJGYYtGLt5UOZgX9Q@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed

I am hyper familiar with inline 4 engines mounted in Vanagons with diesel engine carrier bars. thanks for your explanation .. I still would not call it 'top center' or however you put it.

btw ..if you are ever changing the water pump ..in case you are not aware of this .. after your remove the timing belt cover and look at the water pump, it's easy to think ..shoot ..have to undo the timing belt as it's in front of the water pump. what you do instead, way, way easier is you remove the entire water pump and thermostat housing .. it comes off in one piece , don't have to touch the timing belt, then you remove the w. pump from the housing .. and of course..the person who installed it last time was careful not to make it bare metal-to-metal water pump screws in housing ..since they like to rust so well. Permatex high tack gasket sealer is Perfect to put on those threads.. they come right out yrs later.

yes..Behr or Waller is what my good parts supplier usually sends me.

testing a t-stat in a pan of water on a stove is ABOUT THE MOST BASIC AND OLD AND STANDARD COMPENENT TEST THERE IS .. I'm sure it's in Bentley .. I've seen a drawing or picture of stat in water on a stove in repair manuals about 10,000 times. Nothing to it. the hardest part is not wanting to 'just stand there' ..for me anyway .. so I go do something else for a minute .. ideally you want to see what temp it starts to open at ( sometimes you can find that spec ) , what temp it's fully open at.

a test-good one makes a fine spare for trips IMO.

I just would not order a critically important part like this from Amazon or whomever like that. Unless you can clearly see that it's the right german one in a good brand.

I would not buy two unless I was super certain it is exactly right . Once I find out the first one is really right, and works right ..then I'll invest in the 2nd one.

the stat in hot water on a stove method is dependable enough...like I said, about the oldest and most traditional test of a engine part there is. Heck ..I keep an old pan JUST for that purpose. It's not 1000 % definitive .. and t-stats do wear slowly with age .. but it's a decent enough test.

I recommend you do the call and order one from the place I suggested. My guy there is 'scott'. Never has done me wrong. I've had an account with them since about 2000.

next we'll be talking about what temp stat to get ! six posts on that ! lol.

scott

On 9/14/2015 4:21 AM, Don Hanson wrote: > On Sun, Sep 13, 2015 at 12:11 PM, SDF ( aka ;jim lahey' - Scott ) < > scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote: > >> hi Don, >> re "The thermostat housing it front and center on the top of my inline >> motor, >> >> I don't believe that is correct. >> It's more 'under and buried' and these VW inline 4 engines, gas and diesel >> .. >> have their t-stats on the bottom ..( where the return-from-rad main hose >> is ) >> >> > Yes, when installed in a Jetta, or other VW sedan, they ARE under and > buried down under everything, but when mounted on Vanagon diesel bars in > the same manner as VW did with the diesel Vanagon motors, they are on the > upper side of the motor, the side that's now facing up, and the water > pump/oil cooler area ends up really right on top, in front of the back of > the engine lid opening...easy to reach and easy to work.. > > So, "a good German one' is Behr? I guess there isn't a way to verify, > on the bench, that my current one or my spare one are working properly..and > just ordering any old thermostat from Amazon or some chain autoparts place > is STILL going to have me guessing whether the thermostat is working > properly? And, I should buy two of em? one to keep as a known good spare, > because there is no dependable test to verify proper operation, again, on > the bench? > > I hate it when you buy a new part and that part doesn't work.....like > has been mentioned about many of our parts we get recently.... >


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