Date:         Wed, 06 Aug 1997 16:08:24 +0000
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "samchez, alexander" <sanchea@sce.com>
Subject:      Vanagon temperature problem

I have an '88 vanagon.  I bought it about 14 months ago at 92,000 miles
and I now have 114,500 miles on my van. When I bought it I had a new
radiator installed.  Since then  I've had the engine replaced three
times.  When my engine first went out I bought a remanufactured engine
from the Volkswagen Canadian factory. The engine has since been replaced
twice more on warranty.  The problem seems to be temperature which at
times runs over 50% and can fluctuate. I've taken my van to three
different Volkswagen dealerships and they check it over and tell me
nothing is wrong with either my cooling system or the engine. It runs
hotter at higher rpms but cools down at lower rpms. I now have about
1,200 miles on  this engine and the temperature gauge can run up to 80% 
when I  ride down the freeway on a hot day in the flatlands with the air
conditioning on full blast. My expectation is that the engine get hot
only when I go up a big hill (with the van fully loaded) and not heat up
just cruising twenty miles at 65mph down the freeway.  Recently, It has
been over 100 degrees here in LA and I just know that this engine is
running too hot. I have a friend who had a similar temperature problem
and he told me when his engine failed and was replaced his mechanic
refused to install a Canadian engine  and only a German engine was
accepted by him and installed.  My friend  has not had any temperature
problems since.  When this last engine was replaced I asked both
Volkswagen and the dealer to install a German engine.  They both told me
the German engines are unavailable.  I have a case in with VW.  However,
all they seem to do is refer me to the dealer who tells me everything is
ok.  I had an '85 vanagon (watercooled) which I bought new and got
210,000 miles on it. It ran about 40% constant temperature (unless I
went up a big hill on a hot day).   Can you or any one help me figure
this out? I am really getting tired of breaking down; and having my car
gone for up to a week at a time; of borrowing a car to use when my car
breaks down; of taking my car to the dealer and being told nothing is
wrong; and especially of everyone I know telling me to get a different
car.  Thanks.
Alex Sanchez
sanchez2@ix.netcom.com