for real, seems this is a wierd problem, i really don't think its my heads. my fan comes on when
it thinks it gets hot, but I don't really see it getting overly hot. my needle use to stay below the LED

I also did have a lower temp termo in before this new one..

Joe

-----Original Message-----
>From: Mike Collum <collum@verizon.net>
>Sent: Feb 3, 2006 7:25 AM
>To: Joseph Fortino <fortino1@EARTHLINK.NET>
>Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: running hot....any ideas?
>
>It's more likely, Joe, that the old one was causing the engine to run
>too cold and was giving (gauge wise) a false sense of security.
>
>My '84, which I've had since '91, has always run with the needle just on
>the hot side of the LED.  I put a new radiator, thermostat, and
>waterpump in it when I first got it and there was no change.  I shrugged
>and have been driving it without overheating and without worry.
>
>The '85, when I first got it, ran too cold and indicated that it was
>running too cold, too.  The first winter I had it I had to put cardboard
>in front of the radiator so the engine would run right and so I could
>get some heat in the cabin.  After that winter, I replaced the
>thermostat and it now runs with the needle halfway between cold and the
>LED and all is well.
>
>As you can see, the "Normal" for the two vans is very different.
>
>Mike
>
>
>
>Joseph Fortino wrote:
>> This is what my 85gl is doing with a new termostat/water pump, seems air is out. my fan does come
>> on,my needle just moves up higher now with this new termostat in. little above LED but never blinks ;)
>> good thing..
>>
>> new termostat gone bad early? sucks..
>>
>> Joe
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>
>>>From: Sam Walters <sam.cooks@VERIZON.NET>
>>>Sent: Feb 3, 2006 4:22 AM
>>>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>>Subject: Re: running hot....any ideas?
>>>
>>>Robert,
>>>
>>>It has been pointed out many times, several times in this thread, and
>>>hundreds more in the past, that the needles can be highly variable and
>>>inaccurate.
>>>
>>>Before you start adding oil coolers or paying for new parts, get a
>>>infrared thermometer device and point it at a number of parts of the
>>>engine to determine if it is really hot, or is just giving you a too
>>>high reading.  Monitor it as it is heating up from cold and while
>>>running to get an idea of how hot different points are.
>>>
>>>For years, I used to worry about this in my old 84 when it would read
>>>pretty high and the fan would run a lot while in stop and go traffic.
>>>Once I got the infrared and took some measurements and found out it was
>>>doing just fine.  The fan would come on and lower the coolant
>>>temperature just fine.
>>>
>>>It doesn't take much fan time with the fan running to lower the
>>>temperature 20-30 degrees.  Get some real data on the issue.
>>>
>>>And as several people have said check the thermostat, even if it is
>>>new.  And before putting a new one in, check the old one in a pot of
>>>water on the stove, and if it is bad, check the "new" one before
>>>installing it to make sure it is good.
>>>
>>>Sam
>>>
>>>--
>>>Sam Walters
>>>Baltimore, MD
>>>
>>>89 Syncro GL, Zetec Inside
>>>85 Westy Weekender
>>>85 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel - to become veggie oil powered
>>>
>>>All incoming and outgoing email scanned by
>>>automatically updated copy of Norton AntiVirus.
>>
>>