> at least it wasn't the Vanagon). Also, thermostats have a bad habit of > getting 'lazy', i.e. they open too soon (or actually never completely close > when cold) and the engine consequently starts taking a l.o.n.g time to warm > up. Keep track of what your gauge is telling you, believe it, & replace the > thermostat as soon as it starts getting lazy (cheap,~ $10, & can be done on > a Vanagon in ~ 1/2 hour). > This is an interesting point - I'm now wondering if my Jetta TD has a "lazy" thermostat. I changed it a few months back from an 87deg C german stock one to an 80deg C, aftermarket model, since the turbo seemed to heat up the engine far too fast on hills. It now seems to take *much* longer to warm up, and occasionally sticks at ~ 3/4 gauge for no apparent reason, then drops to 1/2. Hmmm. Any reason not to re-use a stock thermostat after, say 100k? (replacement german ones are ~ $25 around here)

Shawn & Janis Wright '88 Westy (336k) '85 Jetta TD (361k) VWnut@smus.bc.ca (swright@smus.bc.ca) http://www.islandnet.com/~swright/vw.html