It could also be a burned out big green resisitor that sits behind the
driver's side headlight.  I replaced it and solved a lot of my noisy fan
problems and some of the cooling problems also.

Dimwitted Moose and Flying Squirrel
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jere & Beth Hawn" <jbrschawn@earthlink.net>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2001 6:36 PM
Subject: Re: Help with coolant system

> Quick comment on the fan *not sure it is for your 83* however, the fan is
a
> two speed fan depending on the temp.  I found this out after 8 years of
> ownership when I asked why have I never heard the fan.  I had it replaced
> and now it work like it should.  Jeff sounds like you may have a similar
> issue with your low speed temp setting.
>
> Jere
> 90 GL
> 88 GL
>
>  -----Original Message-----
> From:   Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]  On Behalf
Of
> Jeffrey R
> Sent:   Thursday, January 25, 2001 1:35 PM
> To:     vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject:        Re: Help with coolant system
>
> In a message dated 1/25/2001 11:44:14 AM Pacific Standard Time,
> danrich@CCMAUI.NET writes:
>
> > I've own my 87 GL since new and it now has 211,000 miles on it, new
engine
> >  now, never replace the radiator and I was wondering if its time to do
so
> >  because of the slow traffic/hi altitude over heating. The expansion
tank
> >  when it over heats empties into the overflow tank and exposes the
sensor
> and
> >  the red like begins to blink.
>
> Dan--
>
> I can't exactly address your questions, but I can share my similair
> experience. My 1983 watercooled bus was running hot at altitudes and
climbs
> up from Denver to Vail. I needed to run the heaters to keep it cool but
the
> guage was still up pretty high--like 3/4 or more. In city traffic at lower
> elevations and even sea level as soon as I stopped for a light the coolant
> gauge needle would start to rise to about 3/4. Sometime in stop and go
> situation I needed to turn on the heat to cool the engine a bit. In
highway
> driving the needle would sit just above the LED light on the guage.
>
> Finally on one climb from Vail to Denver my bus overheated.
>
> I replaced the radiator and the thermostat. I feared the previous owner
may
> have put in a "cooler" thermostat to offset the poorly cooling
radiator--and
> indeed he had. So with the new radiator and the regular spec thermostat
this
> is what I've got: Cool. For the first time in my life I'm cool.
>
> The needle on the coolant guage sits in the low side of the "safe"
operating
> area well below the LED. When in traffic the needle rises to about the LED
> mid point the fan kicks in and cools the coolant temp right down. It's
quite
> a difference and real improvement as there's none of the previous
monkeying
> with the heaters and the anxiety.
>
> I got my Radiator from the VW dealer. Dealer price is about $405 I think.
> The
> dealer sold me a genuine VW radiator from VW of South Africa--apparently
> german units are either completely unavailable or scarce from the dealer.
> The
> SA radiator is aluminum and of good quality. My original radiator was
> copper.
> I understand list vendors have the same genuine VW radiator from South
> Africa
> for about $200 so that's something to think about.
>
> I had also just replaced my hoses which depending on when you replaced
them
> last may be in order. The list vendors also have much better prices on the
> hoses than the dealer--although they are pricey items no matter how you
> slice
> them--and I don't recommend slicing them.
>
> Oh, and I just remembered with my old radiator the raditor fan started up
> way
> late in the game--meaning after the guage was pretty high-- as it is
mounted
> in the bottom half of the radiator and with the radiator being sluggish I
> don't think the hot coolant got down there--therefore the fan switch,
> engaged
> by the higher temp of the coolant, turned on the fan pretty late
increasing
> the poor cooling condition. Although with a clogged radiator I don't think
> all the fans in the world will help cooling much.
>
> Any more info I can help with let me know.
> I hope this helps
> Good luck
> Jeff
> 83.5 Westy
> LA, CA