Did you check the coolant temp with a thermometer?  Not all coolant gauge
senders have the same resistance at a given temp.  My Digifant II head on my
2.0L block is constantly 1 needles width above the LED - the rad fan seldom
comes on, in fact it comes on the same about the boxer motor did - in a
McDonalds drive thru when you are just sitting there waiting and waiting and
waiting...

You really don't want to go lower than an 80 deg thermostat.

David Marshall

Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
4356 Quesnel Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada  V2J 6Z3

http://www.fastforward.ca    mailto:sales@fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775        FAX: (250) 992 1160

- Vanagon Accessories and Engine Conversions
- Vanagon, Transporter and Iltis Sales and Importation
- European Lighting for most Volkswagen models

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Spooner, Robert E.
Sent: July 3, 2002 10:23 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: TIICo cooling issues

All,
In my attempt to determine the cause of a hot-running TIICo transplant, I
find the cooling system in fine shape except for 2 things:

The fan switch isn't turning the fan on when it should - there is no "low"
speed.
There was no thermostat installed.

I replaced the switch.  I put in a 80 degree thermostat.  I don't have a
good test on it yet.

Would a missing thermostat cause the engine to run hotter than it should?
I'm think that maybe the coolant is passing through the radiator too fast,
and not giving up enough heat as it zips through there.  Am I off in left
field?

I will see how these two items (hopefully) improve the cooling situation.  I
will then put in a quart of super-duper water wetter.  I will see how that
works.  Lastly, I'm going to add an external oil cooler.

Bob
East Haddam, CT