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Subject:Re: Could Faulty thermostat cause poor mileage?
From:Jeffrey R
Date:Fri, 20 Jul 2001 19:30:18 EDT

Since I put in a new thermostat (along with a new water pump and radiator and
gauge sending unit) my gauge has run low and getting lower. After the new
installations the needle used to just get into to the range above the white
bar at the bottom which signifies "too cold" and when the needle got just
completely past the LED the fan would kick on. Now the needle often sits in
the white "too cold" part but vey close to being in the "normal" range and
the fan kicks on just before the needle hits the half way though the LED.

I had heard word that there are different sending units for the gauge from
the dealer for the vanagon. And I had thought this might be the cause of my
low temp reading. Anybody have word on such a thing?

And the catch is I seem to have pretty good heat. Now mind you I'm checking
the heat in 70 degree weather. If it were 30 degrees outside would it make a
difference?

And as for the gas mileage I don't know. I'm doing a lot of city driving and
that's new to me anyway.

But for those that has trouble with the thermostat I'm wondering if these
symptoms are the same. Especially if the heat would seem fine in this warm
weather--and then I'd be surprised when it got cold. But it never gets cold
here really.

Thanks
Jeff
83.5 Westy
LA,CA

In a message dated 7/20/2001 6:12:12 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
groch@WORLDCHAT.COM writes:

> I've noticed that the
>  temp guage does't run quite as high on the guage as it once did. It used to
>  sit in the middle of the led and now it barely touches the bottom of the
>  led.