thermostat and heater matrix

[jeffdub]

wonder if someone can give me a bit of advice please ? ive had a temp problem with my van ever since the day i got , i have to drive round with the temp slider on hot or the temp rises quickly, not to bad in the winter but now its melting my feet ! i changed the thermostat with a brickwerks one and bled it and its a little better the rad was hot at the bottom but cool at the top and it took ages to get hot water from the bleed nipple, since doing this the heater matrix has started leaking but not all the time sometimes it drips for a day then nothing for a week which i dont understand ? would an air lock build pressure in the system and force a leak ? should i check the thermostats the right way up as i replaced it the same way the old one came out ? sorry if that was a bit longwinded thanks jeff

[Graham81]

Is the thermostat opening to the rad?

[jeffdub]

not sure graham its a new one so i should think it is ? thanks jeff

[New Kentish Campers]

I'm sure I read on here recently that it's possible to put the 'stat in upside down. If that is the case on your van, then that might might giving you the problem.

[jeffdub]

yes i did think that as when i changed it i put the new one in the same way as the old one came out , maybe the previous owner did this ?

[Graham81]

What way in did you put it? Should have spring facing down, take it for a run and see if the rad gets hot.
If that's not opening then using the cab heater will have worked in the winter but with this weather now I imagine that's unbearable!

[Oldiebut goodie]

Down on early, up on late:- (you wouldn't need to ask if you had downloaded the Bentley from rapidshare )

1983 - 1985





1986 -.....

[Graham81]

Have you got a link for the bently manual, by the time ive found it I will have 6 new viruses and some entertaining porn!

[jeffdub]

well it seems i have a later cooling system in my 83 van ! checked thermostat , bled it got the rad nice and hot then noticed this leaking

[jeffdub]

are these available anywhere ?

[kevtherev]

no jeff you have an early system.. with the alloy thermostat housing.
that picture is obsolete from vw now someone did a good repair on this as it's a common problem now as the plastic has become brittle over the years

[jeffdub]

i had to bodge that kev just to get me home and its leaking everywhere found out its a bleeder valve but cant get one for an auto so im up the creek really

[kevtherev]

what is causing the leak?

[jeffdub]

the plastic tube underneath the bleed wheel has snapped right where it joins the main body mate

[kevtherev]

Personally I would do one of three things.

fix the junction with a second hand one.
fix it using plumbing parts
manufacture it from plumbing materials

fella who did his fix drilled out the valve and replaced the lot with another way