The problem is slow warm up on "cold" startup, even when the temperatures
are warm, leading to increased wear on the engine and a tendency to dilute
your oil with excess gas.  I'll bet you $10 and give you 5 to 1 odds you
won't find a good used thermostat in a junkyard.  I know I never have.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Young                       '81 Vanagon
Lafayette, CA 94549         '82 Westfalia
---------------------------------------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Skip Emmert-Keaton" <skip@skipemmert.com>
To: "Tom Young" <tomyoung1@comcast.net>; <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2004 12:00 PM
Subject: RE: 1980 Thermostat

> 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
>