Club 80-90 Forums

Ok so my van has a mind of it's own with regard to wether it will let me warm my hands or not!! Get in, drive 8 miles to my pals, nice warm heaters...... Next day, zip, nada, nowt! Cool air.....
Next day,warm again, engine temp is still from the original 1.9 petrol so the needle only sits just at the top of the cold. I'm thinking dodgy thermostat??

If the engine is running permanently under temp, then yes, dodgy thermostat, otherwise airlocks would explain intermittent heater effectiveness

Cheers, I did notice a very slight coolant leak at the front of the van from a pipe joining the large front to back solid pipe, nipped up the clip and it's stopped so could have let air in :-/

I'm having the same sort of issues with mine. The temp needle sits at completely cold even after an hour drive. The heaters only blow like warm air when set at full heat.

I'm guessing I have a knackered thermostat too?

Yep. Mine was like that for a few years. Replaced thermostat and system performed normally. However, I never used to worry about overheating, now I do and fitted a chicken switch - the equivalent of having your Mummy travel everywhere with you.

Preferred it when it ran cooler if I'm honest.

I think mine staying cold might be keeping the auto choke on though. It was revving quite high and stank of fuel when I parked it up in the drive.

To those running cold. Mine used to sit at about 1/4 the way up but had no problems with my heater. I was not sure it was my stat, it might have been a gauge out of calibration so I bought an infra red temperature gun (always wanted one anyway). I pointed it at the top hose on our Scirocco to check and it read 87 degrees so I knew it read what I was expecting it to. I then pointed it at various hoses in the T25 engine bay = about 72 degrees. It was my stat. The funny thing is was that it was not "stuck open" or owt. I tested it in a pan of water on the stove, it was just way out of calibration, reaching fully open at 72 degrees instead of 87. I replaced it = took about 20 mins from start to putting the engine lid back on. All good now, needle bang on the middle and heater noticeably hotter.

Engines run more efficiently at their designed temperature and the heater will work better = if in doubt change it !

£10 on Ebay and a "proper make" too

I think I am going to change it regardless. Since it is so cheap and easy to do.

At least if the problem persists... I know it's not the stat causing it ha!

Santa79 wrote: Since it is so cheap and easy to do.

Ah, that ^^^ depends on a few factors. Petrol or Diesel, Early water system or late, stat housing and bolts in good nick or corroded to buggery etc.

Hope yours will be as easy / trouble free to do as mine was. I often clean / lubricate / protect stuff under the engine lid that I know can be troublesome, my (plastic type) stat housing and bolts were clean and well oiled (like I will be tonight )

ghost123uk wrote:

Santa79 wrote: Since it is so cheap and easy to do.

Ah, that ^^^ depends on a few factors. Petrol or Diesel, Early water system or late, stat housing and bolts in good nick or corroded to buggery etc.

Hope yours was as easy / trouble free to do as mine was. I often clean / lubricate / protect stuff under the engine lid that I know can be troublesome, my (plastic type) stat housing and bolts were clean and well oiled (like I will be tonight )

It's a new (well, new to me) van. And it's an 87 DG engine. So.... All being well, I should be ok!

(and yes, I am jealous that you are going to be sloshed tonight... I am on bloody duty with work until Christmas eve, so I have to stay sober...!)

Late reply I know but I've been sweating in the van as it's so delightfully warm! Turns out the thermostat was non-existent whoever had the van last removed the guts of the thermostat and left the metal bracket in place. This has now been swapped and my temperature reading now sits just below half (just onto the led) when on a long slow uphill crawl (no turbo sadly) it raises to the top of the led and no higher. Happy with that