What are the consequences of not having a thermostat on the air-cooled
engine?  It's stuck in the open flow position so it's not depriving the
engine of cooling air.  Since the temperature is warming rapidly around
here, is this something that needs fixing before Fall?

So far, I have not been able to track down a new one (they do indeed seem to
be NLA).  If I check salvage yards and find a contracted thermostat, will it
likely be reliable or a waste of time?

Thanks for the help,
Skip

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Young [mailto:tomyoung1@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2004 10:52 AM
To: Skip Emmert-Keaton; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: 1980 Thermostat

Your thermostat is broken and you need a new one.  It looks like TypeIV
thermostats are pretty much NLA, though I've read that TypeI thermostats can
be modified to work.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Young                       '81 Vanagon
Lafayette, CA 94549         '82 Westfalia
---------------------------------------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Skip Emmert-Keaton" <skip@SKIPEMMERT.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2004 8:33 AM
Subject: 1980 Thermostat

> Hey, Gang.
>
> I noticed the thermostat on my 1980 air-cooled Westy was fully expanded on
a
> cold engine.  The ambient temperature was about 70 degrees.  When the
> thermostat is contracted (what I would think would be the normal cool
state)
> it closes the air ducts and lets the engine warm.  Then the thermostat
> expands and allows the ducts to open.  At what temperature should a
> thermostat contract/expand? Do I likely have a bad thermostat here?  I'm
> currently replacing the cooling tins after some engine work so I need to
be
> able to adjust the thermostat.  The only directions I have are for a cool,
> contracted thermostat.  If my thermostat is OK, how do I adjust the
> thermostat properly when it is expanded?  Please cc my email address
> directly with any thoughts.
>
>
> Thanks for any suggestions,
> Skip Emmert-Keaton