about dave's post putting a switch on the fan - 

intersting to note - my vanagon diesel radiator fan has never come on -
i have often wondered if there is a problem with the switch. Highest i ever 
saw the gauge was two needle widths above the LED in a traffic jam in NJ
(redundant?).  Amazing thing with the diesel is when you take foot of the
gas pedal (oil pedal?) the mixture goes to about 120:1, ergo no heat is 
generated and , essentially regardless of outside temp the engine cools to
just above the first white line (all assuming you have coolant and coolant
transport.) Really a pain in the winter - but then again to complain that
the cabin is only 55F in one of our -25 spells is progress from my old
rusty 70 Westy and 71 7 seater ....

bbbrrrrrrrr