Things are working as they should. The thermostat really senses the
cylinder temperature which affects the oil temp. By restricting the air
flow over the engine, the heads are also affected. Don't worry about =-
20 degrees. The time to be concerned is when temps keep climbing. You
should also have an oil pressure gauge as this combined with temperature
will tell you when it is time to slow down or shut it down for cooling.
BTW, the factory spec for oil temp is 122 to 158F. Of course I've never
seen one run at those temps for any length of time.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of Ben huot
Sent: Monday, January 20, 2003 12:37 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Head temp or oil temp??? which one should i worry the most (air
cool question!)

Hey VW Buddy's,

Question for those air cooled vanagon owner! if there is still some???

Here's MY question!
Im leaving from Montreal to Mexico in 2 weeks in my 73 Westy!!!! (AIR
COOLED!!!) Why do i choose the 73 instead of the 84 Vanagaon!!! I DON'T
KNOW!!!! Well, i guess the 84 is not ready enough!!! (and it's been my
dream
to do a trip like that since i was... 15 years old!!! in an older westy,
of
course!)

Here is my question:
I have a stock 1700cc dual carb, in october i installed an VDO oil temp
(Gadget!!!, i know!) temp was around 220F, quite normal! Now  at -20C
(-5F)
the oil temp...does not move much (180F???). Even the thermostat stays
partially close????

Ok, in November i installed a Head temp gauge(#3), the reading was a bit
on
the high side, on freeway at 60mph the reading was 380 to 400F, now in
January at -5F the reading is 420F at 60mph but the thermostat is half
open??? i can touch the head with my hand, they are just warm???????

Timming, valve, carbs are fine!!!

So, oil is very cool and heads SHOW'S hot?????????????????????????
The more it's cool outside, the more the head temp is high?????????????

Engine run's fine, should i worry about those reading.
What are your experience on that matter!!!!!!!!!!!

Best regards, Ben, the ice men!!!!
http://www3.sympatico.ca/huotx/engine1.htm

ps.: my conclusion, both gauge are not very precise, that i know!!!
should i
use the gauge as a AVERAGE reading, or should i worry!!!!!!!!!!! about
the
oil temp being so low and the head temp being so high!!!!!!!!