Well, I'm not exactly sure why, but some vans don't get up to operating
temp. fast.  So, the thermostat does not open for a long time and the engine
is running cool.  I think, that's nice but maybe it uses more gas that way
until the sensor sends warmer reading to the ECU.  There was one I was
idleing it for a long time and it just would not want to warm up.  I don't
think there is anything wrong with that, really.
Zoltan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Mcneely" <mcneely4@COX.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 7:08 PM
Subject: Re: Engine running COLD

> Gregg, I would think simply that there is no thermostat, or that it is
> stuck open.  I don't know any way to be sure without pulling the housing,
> but I can't imagine anything else that would keep the thing from warming
> up.  I guess there are some sensor situations that would make it think it
> was warm, but then the gauge should think so, too.  Thermostat.  mcneely
>
> ---- Gregg Carlen <gregg.carlen@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>> Hey list,
>>
>> I finally got my new (to me) van earlier this week. Picked up a 90 Westy
>> to
>> replace my 85 Westy that my wife and I sold a few years back. Have to say
>> I've missed having a Vanagon and glad to be back in one.
>>
>> So, as no suprise, I have a laundry list of repairs and maintenance to
>> take
>> care of (the 4 different car tires is another story...), but the one that
>> has me a little stumped is that the engine runs cold. By cold I mean the
>> needle barely comes off the bottom of the scale, if at all.
>>
>> I'm in Northern Virginia, so its just below freezing most of the time
>> lately. The symptoms I've got are the temp warning light flashes when the
>> van first starts and stays flashing for several minutes, then goes out.
>> The
>> needle never makes it off the bottom of the scale, unless I've driven for
>> about 20-30 minutes and then stop and idle for a while. Then it will rise
>> just off the bottom of the scale, but never get up to running temp.
>>
>> Took a 3 hour round trip up to visit Dave O. in Maryland the yesterday
>> and
>> same thing. The van never got up to temp. Never got anything but warm air
>> out of the front heater. The rear heater was a 'above-warm' but never
>> hot.
>>
>> Since I've seen SOME movement on the scale, I'm thinking the temp
>> guage/sensor is okay. The PO said he never had any problems with it. Now,
>> since this was a Miami van all its life, I'm suspecting the PO pulled the
>> thermostat.
>>
>> Any thoughts about what might be causing the low temp I'm seeing? Any way
>> to
>> check for a thermostat without pulling coolant hoses (and making a mess)?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Gregg
>> 90 Westy (finally!)
>
> --
> David McNeely
>