Does the Fan Come on while idling?  It could be the FAN motor or fan
switch.  Which explains when you're going down the highway that the temp is
in the normal range.  Most electric FANs don't require to be operating at
highway speeds (unless the engine is under higher load).

----------
> From: Bryan Feddish <CelticB@msn.com>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu>
> Subject: Cooling Problems
> Date: Friday, December 06, 1996 5:53 AM
> 
> (Just want to mention it snowed about 3"" here in the mountains near
Valley 
> Forge, PA and my studded snows performed excellent!)
> 
> My problem is (and has been with my 83.5 w/c Westy) when I'm driving
around 
> town, the temp gauge moves between right before the left of the LED to a
bit 
> past the right.  It usually starts to move to the right when I'm idling
but 
> does it sometimes when driving.  When I'm on the highway, the gauge is
right 
> where it belongs the whole time, right to the left of the LED.  What's 
> happening is there is NO HEAT after the gauge passes over the LED, which
is 
> quite often on my slow mountain ride to work every morning.  If I go to
bleed 
> it, only a small bit of air comes out then it's coolant.  I have not
added 
> coolant in 4 months as it is not leaking.  It never overeats and the
radiator 
> fan works fine and the radiator gets hot all over. The water pump and 
> thermostat were both replaced with the new engine in August.  Any
suggestions?
> 
> Thanks,
> Bryan
> 
> (hmmmm, all this talk of Propex heaters....)