ex Palo Altan David Carment writes:
 
> Does anyone have the definitive answers on the correct engine operating
> temperatures for all VW engines? Diesel, Air-cooled and water-cooled? is
> there a definitive source? This may help some people whose engines they
> believ to be overheating -DC- 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> A friend of mine, when he had an '81 Westfalia was curious enough about
  oil temperatures that he called a support engineer at Pennzoil. The outcome
  of their conversation was: The correct temperature for modern multigrade 
  oil is 210-230 degrees F. If an excursion to a temperature above 300 
  degrees F is taken, the oil should be changed at the nearest opportunity.

  This guy's Vanagon was pretty completely instrumented, and I _think_ he said
  that the heads usually ran about 100 degrees F hotter than the oil.

  Now, I check my engine temperature by seeing whether or not I can boil spit
  on the oily end of the dipstick..... (usually not, by the way)

  Dave Kautz
  '74 Westfalia