Got these 2 wires that look like a sensor for the thermostat, where do they connect to as they are not connected to anything once they leave here? One is black and other purple (the flash makes them look different colour). Oh my van is a 1984 1.9 petrol
There's two senders in the housing. One is to your temp gauge on the dash, so if it's working then it's not that one and it must be the other.
Other is thermo switch for choke heater/hedgehog manifold heater. Should be connected to a relay in the black box in engine bay. If all's well, and it starts and runs ok(especially in the winter) then you don't have to fix it, but it's better if you do (quicker warm up, smoother running, better economy. (Probably)).
The Campershack - (website paused) WBX Rebuilds & Upgrades from the beautiful Isle of Arran
late engine (thermostat housing at front) fitted to an early van, the wiring was different so whoever swapped the engine didn't really know what they were doing so left them out of the equation or set up the cold start circuit in some other wierd way