Jeff,

During my recent water pump suicide I discovered that it is easier to remove
the entire assembly.  I had to unbolt and move the A/C compressor out of the
way, unbolt and move the P/S pump, unbolt and move the crossover pipe
(you'll need a cut-down Allen wrench for this to get that one darn bolt),
remove the overflow and coolant tank, and then and only then could I reach
and remove the water pump.  It was not a difficult process, but it takes A
LOT of patience and 4 to 6 hours of your time.  Then you have to refill and
bleed the system.

Chris.

----- Original Message -----
From: Jeffrey R <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2000 2:23 PM
Subject: Replacing thermostat on 1.9L

> You're jerking me here right???
>
> You mean to tell me you have to remove the entire thermostat housing to
> replace the thermostat.  Not that that's a huge deal--but I just waited a
> total of a week for the new thermostat and new gasket for the thermostat
> assuming I could drop the bottom of the thermostat housing and replace the
> old thermostat. But that bottom doesn't seem to want to clear the exhaust
> manifold. I can't get the bottom of the housing off with the water pump,
> thermostat housing, and exhaust manafold installed. Am I doing something
> wrong?
>
> So does the entire thermostat housing have to come off to replace the
> thermostat and then replace the "O" ring to the steel pipe and the gasket
to
> the water pump and that short length of hose to the engine block?
>
> Mind you I'm not angry at the list but those VW whizbangs could have
included
> a note about this in Bentley. "The entire thermostat housing needs to be
> removed to replace the thermostat so you better F&*##ing get all the
gaskets
> and O rings before you tear it down you pig dog Amercian type" something
like
> that. Or the supplier I used might have mentioned I'd need gaskets for the
> housing to do the swap. (I already have the thermostat and the thermostat
O
> ring.) Or, you've got me, I could have posted before I tore down the
thing,
> but it looked straight forward.
>
> Is there anything I should know? Any advice appreciated.
>
> I'm an hour from the nearest dealer, basically stuck, and now would have
to
> wait the weekend for the additional gaskets.
>
> Frustrated south of Reno, NV
> Jeff
> 83.5 Westy