Not quite true. In fact, if you get the t-stat from the dealer, the
upper disk uses a rubber gasket to make sure it is sealed when closed.
Since the Vanagon has so much excess cooling capacity, a small leakage
here has a large impact on warm up time. Most aftermarket stats also do
not have the proper response rate to keep the temperature steady. I've
found the even the after market German stats are not consistent. I get
the stats from the dealer.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Ben huot
Sent: Tuesday, March 12, 2002 9:05 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Bleeding the front radiator

The thermostat is never completely close on any car or van, it is open
or
partially close (about 75 % close). Even if it looks completely close,
it
is not.

On most cars if it was fully close the pump would have a hard time and
the
engine would overheat, even in winter condition.

Regards, Ben