Further on closed thermostat coolant flow: All automotive coolant systems
provide some path for limited coolant flow when the thermostat is closed.
Many many vehicles over the years have had a small, sometimes hidden bypass
hose, ofte tucked under the water pump, that is often missed when replacing
soft failing hoses. I still kick myself for missing one in particular, 25
years ago, that resulted in death of an old Toyota motor.....

I do not know enough specifically about the WBX cooling system to know if
coolant flow with closed thermostat is around the thermostat or just through
the little hole...

Before Ben's post I had never thought of the little metal tube that circles
the engine compartment as a "bleeder ring". Actually makes perfect sense to
me. Any comments for the experts on that?

Allan Bagley
86 westy

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of Allan Bagley
Sent: Tuesday, March 12, 2002 8:20 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Bleeding the front radiator

The point is all thermostats/housings/cooling systems pass some coolant when
the thermostat is in the "closed" position. Let me restate this in a simpler
more direct fashion for those having trouble with the concept. Coolant
always circulates when the engine is running. How much circulation depends
on the speed of the engine and the state of the thermostat.

Allan Bagley
86 westy