Thermostat

I have a factory new 1600cc engine, and due to a failure of the thermostat
pushrod, I have temporarily diconnected my thermostat. I have wired the
shroud flaps into the open position.

I live in a cold climate in the frozen north of the U.S. I expect to get the
flap control and rod repaired in the next week.

I'm seeking opinions on whether, on these new engines, the pesky and
troublesom thermostat system is necessary at all. I've herd it both ways,
but want to get maximum service out of my new engine, and do not want or
need to compromise the design any more than I already have.

Randall Brink

"Randall Brink" > wrote in message
...
>I have a factory new 1600cc engine, and due to a failure of the thermostat
>pushrod, I have temporarily diconnected my thermostat. I have wired the
>shroud flaps into the open position.
>
> I live in a cold climate in the frozen north of the U.S. I expect to get
> the flap control and rod repaired in the next week.
>
> I'm seeking opinions on whether, on these new engines, the pesky and
> troublesom thermostat system is necessary at all. I've herd it both ways,
> but want to get maximum service out of my new engine, and do not want or
> need to compromise the design any more than I already have.

I live in Minnesota. It gets cold here. The thermostat is quite important so
that the engine warms up. I wish VW had not discontinued the manual flap
lever.

I'm in Idaho, where this year it is not nearly as cold as MN, but still in
the 30 and 40s most of the time right now.

The VW is kept in a heated garage and so starts out warmer than the outside
ambient air. I still would feel better, though, if everything was working as
designed...




"jjs" <john@xstafford.net> wrote in message
...
> "Randall Brink" > wrote in message
> ...
>>I have a factory new 1600cc engine, and due to a failure of the thermostat
>>pushrod, I have temporarily diconnected my thermostat. I have wired the
>>shroud flaps into the open position.
>>
>> I live in a cold climate in the frozen north of the U.S. I expect to get
>> the flap control and rod repaired in the next week.
>>
>> I'm seeking opinions on whether, on these new engines, the pesky and
>> troublesom thermostat system is necessary at all. I've herd it both ways,
>> but want to get maximum service out of my new engine, and do not want or
>> need to compromise the design any more than I already have.
>
> I live in Minnesota. It gets cold here. The thermostat is quite important
> so that the engine warms up. I wish VW had not discontinued the manual
> flap lever.
>
>

> I'm seeking opinions on whether, on these new engines, the
> pesky and troublesom thermostat system is necessary at all.
> I've herd it both ways, but want to get maximum service out
> of my new engine, and do not want or need to compromise the
> design any more than I already have.

VW didn't include the thermostat system as an option. They developed
it as a means to get the engine up to operating temperature in the
shortest time required. And, since rebuilders have been tossing the
thermostat, bracket, rod, and air vanes into boxes for the past ~20
years, you should have no problem in locating the parts.

A functioning thermostat/air vane system will help give you the
longest service life fom your new engine. Along with the usual
maintenance items such as frequent oil changes and valve adjustments.

I think you're absolutely right, and that's why I intend to get the system
back in operation this weekend.

It is noteworthy that the OEM new engines don't even have a hole or stud in
place to accomodate the thermostat bracket. I don't know if that means that
the component was omitted from the later Latin bugs.


> wrote in message
oups.com...
>> I'm seeking opinions on whether, on these new engines, the
>> pesky and troublesom thermostat system is necessary at all.
>> I've herd it both ways, but want to get maximum service out
>> of my new engine, and do not want or need to compromise the
>> design any more than I already have.
>
> VW didn't include the thermostat system as an option. They developed
> it as a means to get the engine up to operating temperature in the
> shortest time required. And, since rebuilders have been tossing the
> thermostat, bracket, rod, and air vanes into boxes for the past ~20
> years, you should have no problem in locating the parts.
>
> A functioning thermostat/air vane system will help give you the
> longest service life fom your new engine. Along with the usual
> maintenance items such as frequent oil changes and valve adjustments.
>

"Randall Brink" > wrote in message
...
>I think you're absolutely right, and that's why I intend to get the system
>back in operation this weekend.
>
> It is noteworthy that the OEM new engines don't even have a hole or stud
> in place to accomodate the thermostat bracket. I don't know if that means
> that the component was omitted from the later Latin bugs.

Didn't the later SA Bugs control warm-up through the fuel injection? No
flaps?

Now that you mention it, yes, the later ones were probably all fuel
injected, so they wouldn't need the thermo for warm-up. I do wonder, though
how much the thermostat regulated engine temperature at all times under all
operating conditions, as opposed to just the warm-up?



"jjs" <john@xstafford.net> wrote in message
...
> "Randall Brink" > wrote in message
> ...
>>I think you're absolutely right, and that's why I intend to get the system
>>back in operation this weekend.
>>
>> It is noteworthy that the OEM new engines don't even have a hole or stud
>> in place to accomodate the thermostat bracket. I don't know if that means
>> that the component was omitted from the later Latin bugs.
>
> Didn't the later SA Bugs control warm-up through the fuel injection? No
> flaps?
>
>

jjs wrote:
> "Randall Brink" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I think you're absolutely right, and that's why I intend to get the system
>>back in operation this weekend.
>>
>>It is noteworthy that the OEM new engines don't even have a hole or stud
>>in place to accomodate the thermostat bracket. I don't know if that means
>>that the component was omitted from the later Latin bugs.
>
>
> Didn't the later SA Bugs control warm-up through the fuel injection? No
> flaps?

Actually, I have trouble following how anything they might do with the
FI would help the engine warm up quicker. Enriching the mixture will
help it RUN much like the choke on a carb. But that doesn't make it warm
up any quicker.

It may have more to do with the generally warmer climate in South
America. They don't have to deal with cold weather as experienced in
Berlin or Minessota.

Max

In article >,
Max Welton > wrote:
>
>It may have more to do with the generally warmer climate in South
>America. They don't have to deal with cold weather as experienced in
>Berlin or Minessota.
>

Brazil never gets below 20degres celsius. In Sao Paulo I once had
a driver get to pick me up 1 and one half hour late and his excuse
was that it was too cold to get out of bed. I was 20 degrees Celsius



--
Eduardo K. |
| "World domination, now"
http://e.nn.cl | Linus Torvalds

"Max Welton" > wrote in message
...
> Actually, I have trouble following how anything they might do with the
> FI would help the engine warm up quicker. Enriching the mixture will
> help it RUN much like the choke on a carb. But that doesn't make it warm
> up any quicker.
>


enriching the mixture is only needed for the initial start....after the
engine starts a rich mixture is not needed...in a carburetted engine the
rich mixture is needed usually because the cold air and fuel will not stay
mixed well and the fuel falls out of suspension....the fuel injection does
not suffer from this....