Date:         Fri, 4 Jun 1999 19:19:43 -0400
Reply-To:     Matt Greenwell <matt-greenwell@UTC.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Matt Greenwell <matt-greenwell@UTC.EDU>
Organization: University of Tennessee
Subject:      how hot?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854";
              x-mac-creator="4D4F5353"

after years of reliable service, my temperature sending unit (87vw
vanagon) suddenly went kaput (the gague just sat there at the bottom).
easy enough, i just replaced the sensor...now,

when the sending unit was working, at normal operating temperature the
gague would read just above the halfway point. on a hot day, long hours
on the road, the gague would sometimes creep up just above 1/2. (using
the coolent level warning light as a marker for the 1/2 way mark). at
this point, the fan would typically kick in (bently says this is appx
195 degrees f.) this seemed normal, and i never worried about it.

now, on my first drive with the new sensor, my gague read just below the
overheat mark within just a few minutes of in-town/highway driving. i
pull over, the fan is not on. i let the van idle for a few minutes, the
gague creeps up slightly (into the danger zone) and the fan kicks in for
about 2 minutes, then kicks off.

so my question is, am i really running to hot, or is there some slight
miscalibration between the new (aftermarket) sensor and my 12 year old
gague which is causing it to look like its running too hot.

what is the normal operating temperature of an 87 van, and is there a
relatively easy way to check operating temp with a thermometer without
spilling radiator fluid all over the place?

assuming that the fan sensor is correct, and my fan is kicking in at 195
deg. f., is this dangerously hot, or simply normal...any of you with
post 86 vans?where does your temp gague sit when the fan kicks in?

my gut feeling is that the temp is fine, and that my gague is reading
too hot because of the new sensor, but it's mighty nerve racking not
knowing for sure. thanks in advance for your help and advice.

matt greenwell
chattanooga, tn
87 vanagon gl