Steve,

Installing a cooler thermostat will not lower the system pressure. The
pressure is controlled by the pressure cap on the coolant reservoir.

MM

>From: "Steven X. Schwenk" <Steve@SCHWENK-LAW.COM>
>
>I would put the cooler thermostat AND the cooler fan temp.
>sensor/switch (screws
>into the radiator) in.  Doing this will lower the pressure
>in your system while
>keeping temp within specs...this helps to put less pressure
>on the head gaskets
>and thereby prolong life.  There are only 2 thermostats and
>2 fan temp
>sensors/switches...get lower temp ones for both.....if the
>guy denies there are
>two or does tries to sell you anything else, he knpows
>nothing and move on.
>
>Joel Shortlidge wrote:
>
> > Thanks allot You saved me some MONEY and that is a big thing to a
> > college student!  Did they have to order most of these or did they have
> > them in stock???  Would you recommend changing the thermostat while i am
> > at it????
> >
> > Steven X. Schwenk wrote:
> > >
> > > Joel Shortlidge wrote:
> > >
> > > >   I need to know where that diagram of the cooling hoses for the
>syncro
> > > > is!!!  It has the Napa to VW conversion correct???
> > > >
> > > > Joel
> > > > Replacing distribution unit!
> > >
> > > _____________________________________________________________
> > > Jim Davis ' Generic Collant Hose List:
> > > << Don't everybody forget Jim Davis's/syncrohead excellent post (last
> > > year?)
> > >  detailing how to get all these hoses cheap by using off the shelf
>hoses in
> > >
> > >  the local auto parts store originally meant for other cars. >>
> > > Here it is again:
> > > ======================================================
> > > While replacing the engine in my 87 Syncro, I thought it would be a
>good
> > > idea
> > > to replace the hoses in the engine compartment.  A couple had been
> > > replaced in the last couple years, so I didn't plan on replacing them
> > > again.
> > > Note that more than you might suspect are Syncro specific hoses.
> > > Here's what I replaced & the prices from the FLVWD & FLAPS:
> > > 251-121-102       42.90
> > > Left/front port on plastic coolant manifold to right radiator pipe.
> > > Used a (D)70684 that cost $6.99.
> > > 251-121-072       37.00
> > > Bottom/right of thermostat housing to lower crossover pipe.
> > > Used part of a (E)71228 that cost $15.99
> > > Other part of (E)71228 used for 251-121-103
> > > 251-121-073       42.90
> > > Top of thermostat housing to upper crossover pipe.
> > > Used a 71315 that cost $5.99
> > > 251-121-103       42.90
> > > Lower crossover tube to rear/left port on plastic coolant manifold.
> > > Used part of a (E)71228 that cost $15.99
> > > Other part of (E)71228 used for 251-121-072
> > > 251-121-072-A    42.90
> > > Right/rear port on plastic coolant manifold to port on front of right
>head.
> > >
> > > Used a 70826 that cost $6.49
> > > 025-121-073-H    22.10
> > > Left side of thermostat housing to big pipe on left side of engine.
> > > Used a (B)70541 that cost $7.49
> > > 025-121-058-H    16.00
> > > Upper port on primary coolant reservoir to coolant tube that runs
>around
> > > the
> > > left perimeter of the engine compartment.
> > > Used a 80400 that cost $5.93
> > > 025-121-058-D    $15.60
> > > Oil cooler tube to tube leading to thermostat housing.
> > > No replacement looked for.
> > > 025-121-058-J    $13.05
> > > Water pump to metal tube.
> > > No replacement looked for.
> > > 025-121-058-G    $15.60
> > > Metal tube from water pump to oil cooler.
> > > No replacement looked for.
> > > 025-121-058-E    $11.65
> > > Small metal tube above left head to port on rear of thermostat
>housing.
> > > No suitable replacement found.
> > > 025-121-108-H    $21.90
> > > Lower port on primary coolant reservoir to metal tube on rear of left
>head.
> > >
> > > No suitable replacement found
> > > 251-121-062    $49.35
> > > Upper crossover tube to left radiator pipe.
> > > No suitable replacement found
> > > N-901-287-03    $5.45
> > > >From flange on right head to tube under crankshaft pulley.
> > > No replacement looked for.
> > > All of the replacement hoses were made in the USA by Road King
>(although
> > > the
> > > application guide doesn't have any brand identification on it).  I
>bought
> > > them at TRAK Auto.  I think that Pep Boys carries the same brand.
> > > Since the application guide at the FLAPS didn't list anything for
>Vanagons,
> > >
> > > I
> > > found these replacement hoses by holding the old hose in my hand and
> > > walking
> > > up & down the hose aisle looking for hoses or parts of hoses that were
> > > close.
> > >  I only used part of each of the replacement hoses & just cut off the
>parts
> > >
> > > that didn't match the VW hose.
> > > Some of the lower priced hoses, I didn't bother searching for a FLAPS
> > > replacement for, partly because I was lazy & partly because I was
>running
> > > out
> > > of time.  I suspect I could have saved quite a bit of money on those
>too.
> > > Total VW price of hoses that I found a replacement for: $246.70
> > > Total FLAPS price of replacement hoses: $48.88 (not much more than 1
>VW
> > > hose)
> > > Price savings: $197.82
> > > VW originals cost over 400% more!
> > > Total cost of hoses purchased at VW & FLAPS: $379.30
> > > Total cost would have been $577.12 if I'd bought all VW hoses!
> > > $577 + one or two hose that I did not replace would easily be over
>$600.  I
> > >
> > > bet you didn't know that you had over $600. worth of hoses in your
>engine
> > > compartment, did you? And I didn't even replace the radiator hoses up
>front
> > >
> > > or the hoses to the heaters......yet.
> > > Those of you without Syncros might look into your engine compartment
>and
> > > say
> > > "crossover tubes! - what is he talking about?".  These are Syncro
>specific
> > > beacuse the Syncro's gas tank placement gets in the way of the
>"normal"
> > > hose
> > > routing.  In a Syncro the two radiator pipes have to come up to the
>engine
> > > compartment on the right side and the "crossover" through metal pipes
>to
> > > get
> > > to the thermostat area.
> > > I'll definitely post a message to the list if I have any problems with
> > > these
> > > hoses, but I suspect that it will be years away if I do.
> > > Jim Davis
> > > 87 GL Syncro (Hans)
> > > 88 GL Wolfsburg (Heidi)
> > >
> > >
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
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> > >                             LISTSERV@VANAGON.COM

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