You figured it right, the only difference is slightly quicker opening, that's it.
Thermostat has been undeservedly blamed for quite a few problems but all it is
just a switch and very reliable one being simple mechanical device.
Leon
85 Subwagen Westy
Torrance, CA

John Rodgers wrote:

> I have a question!
>
> What good does a colder thermostat do....except open at a cooler
> temperature and allow the coolant to begin to circulate sooner after a
> cold start. Seems to me that after the engine is warmed to standard
> operating temperature it doesn't matter. Hot is hot.
>
> Can someone explain it to me?
>
> I can see maybe changing something to make to cooling fan come on
> sooner, ie lower temperature, but I don't get the picture as to the
> value of changing the thermostat back by the engine.
>
> If the thermostat is a cold one, if you live in a really cold climate
> like Alaska or Canada or the like, I can see putting in a hotter
> thermostat.It would help the engine maintain temperature in a really
> cold environment.  But even in a hot desert, I see no advantage in a
> cold thermostat. When the engine is up to operating temperature the
> thermostat will go wide open anyway....hot or cold type.
>
> What say the List Guru's??
>
> I really would like to know about this. I have heard about this cold
> thermostat thing always, and it never made sense to me.
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver
>
> Timothy Hannink wrote:
> >
> > My gauge acts the same way and has since I added RedLine WaterWetter to the
> > mix last summer. Now it goes above the LED when I sit in traffic idling. I
> > changed out the radiator fan switch with the lower temperature rated one,
> > but that had no effect on where the gauge sits or the way it acts.
> > I will be replacing my thermostat with the lower temp one, along with the
> > housing itself and all of the coolant, so I'll let you know how it goes.
> >
> > Tim Hannink
> > Golidibox - 1987 Wolfsburg Edition Westfalia Camper
> > Winter Park, Florida where it was hot enough today to get the radiator fan
> > on high speed at a traffic light.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Chad" <groch@WORLDCHAT.COM>
> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> > Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2001 4:57 PM
> > Subject: Temperature guage
> >
> > > While driving, my temp guage usually stays over the coolant sensor led but
> > > sometimes it goes just over it (still over the led but higher up).
> > However,
> > > all the time while idling at a stop light the temp guage climbs to the
> > upper
> > > regions. It doesn't go to max but it does go beyond the top of the led. Is
> > > this normal??????? I know my rad fan works as I've tested it. Could my
> > > thermostat be f'ed up?????? Could it be the thermoswitch in the rad??????
> > If
> > > so how do I test for it???
> > > thanks,
> > > Chad 85GL