Harvey,
Sounds like a possible head leak to me...I had a similar problem a while
back. Does your cooling system pressurize prematurely (before it's warmed
up)? As mine didn't go through a lot of coolent, it was hard to diagnose.
Wasn't till I actually pulled the head that a definative cause was found.
Very minor gasket leak was the cause. Meanwhile, I drove it for over a
year...
Good luck,
Bob Bellanca

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> From: Chao, Harvey <Chao#m#_Harvey@msgate.wdl.lmco.com>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu>
> Subject: "82 Diesel suddenly runs warm
> Date: Saturday, August 09, 1997 3:02 PM
> 
> To: Vanagon Digest
> 
> Could use some help on this one.
> 
> Been original owner of an '82 diesel vanagon, now at 179K miles.  Except
> under a few very rare (and understandable) circumstances, it has never =
> run
> warmer than the temp needle at the left hand edge of the LED in the temp.
> gauge.  Coupla weeks ago, wife noticed that at freeway speeds, it ran
> warmer, at the right hand edge of the led, but cooled down if she slowed
> down to say 50-55.
> 
> 
> So - I ordered a new thermostat from VW, and had it installed with fresh
> phosphate free antifreeze.  On the way home I noticed that the engine =
> temp
> now runs steady state at the right hand edge of the LED all the time.
> 
> Now - although this probably isn't "overheat" it is warmer than it has =
> run
> for the last 15 years.
> 
> I don't think that the electric radiator fan is an issue here, I don't
> think the current temp is hot enough to trigger the fan, and the last =
> time,
> about a year ago stuck on a hot day in a traffic jam, I did hear it come
> on, guess I could short the switch to verify, but the engine never ran =
> hot
> enough under nominal conditions (left hand edge of the LED) before to =
> need
> the fan.
> 
> Coolant was last changed 2 years ago, and looking at the coolant tanks,
> showed no signs of rust in the cooling system.
> 
> Thanks
> Harvey