I change my thermostat last year and the temp needle is higher since.  It
used to be in the middle of the red light and now it is just above.   It is
because I have this higher temperature thermostat?     Is it OK if the
needle is higher or just above the red light?

Is it also true that the higher temperature thermostat wears out the hoses?
Thanks
Joel

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf Of
Jim Felder
Sent: 10-Apr-05 21:41
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: 80 degree thermostat

Go with the normal thermostat. If you're going to overheat above 100,
it doesn't matter what number you start out with, it's going to
overheat. If you run too cool a thermostat, you'll never get up to
normal temp in the winter with a vanagon, and even in the summer you
may not be allowing your oil to get up to a good operating temp.

Think of the lower number as a bottom or an absolute temperature, not
an adjustment or "sliding window" into the temperature scale. Whatever
you're going up to when you  pull a hill under load on a hot day, for
instance, you're going to go up to... and if you're cooling system is
in good shape, that should be fine with your engine.

Jim

On Apr 10, 2005, at 7:37 PM, raul lince wrote:

> Dumb idea, or saves the summer overheats, or wears out the hoses?
>
> Raul
>