Date:         Mon, 19 Jul 1999 18:20:40 -0400
Reply-To:     Todd Guttman <tguttman@COLUMBUS.RR.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Todd Guttman <tguttman@COLUMBUS.RR.COM>
Subject:      85 Westy Temp Guage - what's 'normal'?
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

Allo - 

After lusting after one for many, many years, we've finally joined the ranks of vanagon owners with the purchase of our traum-wagen (dream car) - an 85 Westy.  So far, everything appears to work great and "Wolf" (kids choice) survived his maiden family trip of 300 miles with wife, kids and two Newfs as passengers.

I found a Bentley manual and this list and have spent way too much time (if possible) planning projects.  First item - change the coolant.  The prior owner had the car two years and had never done it.  Unfortunately, the garage doesn't have enough clearance due to a couple of beams; great for hanging up canoes - but bad for jacking the front end up the required 15 inches.   Also, the drive way is too steep to block and jack the van.   So, decided to have the coolant flushed and filled at a local VW shop - highly recommended by the list and a friend - and the cost seemed reasonable.

Great place, knowledgeable and friendly folks.  Job finished on time at promised cost and drove off happily.  Wolf seemed in good spirits first few miles down the road - but noticed the temperature gauge was above the half-way point where its always been.  A few more miles down the road - moderate stop-and-go traffic - the gauge is all the way up and the little red light is flashing:  DANGER WILL ROBINSON - DANGER!

Let Wolf cool down and slowly make my way back with frequent stops, the temperature  gauge hovering around three-quarters of the way up and the fan humming along.  The shop is just about to close  - and we agree to 'let them watch the patient overnight'.  The following day the 'spezialist' confirmed my diagnosis - trapped air.  The patient underwent another procedure claimed to be successful - bled the system again and topped off the coolant.  

The patient is recovering nicely from this minor procedure with one problem - the temperature gauge now reads higher than normal - around 60-70% of the way up - when it was always right in the middle of the gauge - squarely over the warning light.  Also, it seems that I hear the fan running more often.

My query for the 'list-spezialists' -  where does/should the temperature gauge be 'normally' under routine city driving conditions - right in the middle or three-quarters of the way up - or is it not really precise at all?  Should this change after getting the coolant changed?  I'd appreciate hearing some comments/other experiences before I go back to the shop.

Thanks for any and all help.

Todd Guttman
85 Westy 
 

 

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