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Thermostat experiment
Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 21:02
by kevtherev
Has anyone tried or discovered a thermostat with a slightly lower opening temp that fits late (post '86) Transporter stat housings?
I thought maybe Golf Mk II, scirocco etc.
My reasons are to keep the oil slightly cooler, the stat currently opens at 85 deg C and I'm sure there are some that open at 83 or 81 deg and it would be fully open a lot earlier.. since fitting a pressure gauge I have noticed that oil pressure rises and falls with engine temp, in particular when at working temp the pressure reads 42 psi open the heater matrix and it rises to 48 psi (3500 rpm).. I would like it to be there all the time. These figures show my engine is producing pressures within VW's expectations. so there are no mechanical issues.
Well thats the theory anyway...
feel free to put a bomb under it
I suppose an oil cooling system would be better, if not more expensive so a link to a bit of info would be welcome
thanks
PS for those that wonder why the need for higher oil pressure, Most folks agree low oil pressure at any rpm accelerates engine wear, no harm in giving the old girl a bit more, the oils helps keep the engine cool too
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Re: Thermostat experiment
Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 21:08
by Aidan
the diesel air con one opens earlier and is recommended for the TD and TDi boys but VW didn't seem to bother with the wbx it's fine.
I know what you mean re pressure temp relationship I used to see that on Beaker which I fitted a gauge to.
Interestingly you can also tell when the oil needs changing, you'll see, just like Mocki's noise test
Re: Thermostat experiment
Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 21:09
by Ian Hulley
Do you know what temp your oil's at Kev ? In the injection Scirocco with the identical oil cooler matrix to the 25 the oil temp's around 90c.
Would the supplementary oil cooling system Brickwerks sell fit and be appropriate ?
More questions than answers I know ... just thinking out loud.
Ian
Re: Thermostat experiment
Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 21:16
by kevtherev
thanks lads
The diesel stat never entered my thoughts Aiden.. would you know what it's spec is?
Ian.
Thats a good point.. a temp guage is a good idea, I may well persue that.
I didn't know about the kit from Baxter, again many thanks.
Re: Thermostat experiment
Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 21:18
by syncrosimon
Busschmeide do an 80 deg opening thermostat.
http://www.busschmiede.de/shop/Kuehlwas ... tat-80-WBX" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Mike Ghia is trying it out.
I have lower temp rad fan, which is sweet as a nut. first stage 80 deg, second stage 85 deg.
Re: Thermostat experiment
Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 21:21
by kevtherev
Thanks Simon.. I too have a lower temp rad fan but I'd like that cooler water to circulate earlier
thanks for the link .... it's just what I'm looking for

Re: Thermostat experiment
Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 21:21
by Ian Hulley
kevtherev wrote: Ian.
Thats a good point.. a temp guage is a good idea, I may well persue that.
Is your Rocco injected ? The oil temp is in the computerised display part .... I assume the sender is tapped into the filter housing ? Perhaps similar to the early WBX cooling system stylee ?
I believe Brickwerks do/did an auxillary cooling rad up front for the d****l boys.
Ian
Re: Thermostat experiment
Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 21:27
by Aidan
diesel 80-91 degree stat is 056 121 113 A about £20 from VW, Baxter may well sell them or an equivalent
I don't know if this fits the wbx though, I do have a couple of diesel water pumps so I could check if the stats are the same size, may not have the same end as the petrol though, the one that blocks the bypass in the housing
won't be till next week though and relying on me to remember to pick up housing from lockup en passant
Re: Thermostat experiment
Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 21:40
by kevtherev
Ian Hulley wrote:kevtherev wrote: Ian.
Thats a good point.. a temp guage is a good idea, I may well persue that.
Is your Rocco injected ? The oil temp is in the computerised display part .... I assume the sender is tapped into the filter housing ? Perhaps similar to the early WBX cooling system stylee ?
I believe Brickwerks do/did an auxillary cooling rad up front for the d****l boys.
Ian
It is indeed injected Ian and we have the oil temp readout... I shall investigate the rocco haynes as well as the car. That is invaluable info pal
superb stuff
Thanks Aiden I hope you can remember.
Might take a stat housing to GSF with all this information, the guy in Brum is a good lad for this kind of stuff
Re: Thermostat experiment
Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 21:57
by Simon Baxter
I can get the lower temp WBX one, but they are f**king expensive, so i didn't bother.
It is not the same as anything else and deffo not VW group.
There are some tenuous links to some other vehicles for it is you cross refer some part numbers but there is a proper bonefide 80° WBX stat.
Just remember though that the same cooling system that is on UK vans was also fitted to vehicles that were sold to places like Arizona, Africa etc..
Does it really need to be cooler?
Re: Thermostat experiment
Posted: 30 Jun 2010, 23:09
by Fritz
I don't understand why would you wish to run an engine cooler ? If any thing you would want it to run a degree or 2 higher than standard...
Unless of course you live in town/city where the pace is slower or if you lived in an area where the engine has to work for it living either pulling loads or climbing hills.....
Regards
Fritz,,,,,,,,
Re: Thermostat experiment
Posted: 01 Jul 2010, 01:43
by AngeloEvs
I run mine at 80 winter and summer without probs on gas and petrol for several years now. The stat mod was recommended by a club member in one of his posts when I first joined Club 80-90. I prefer that bit of headroom temperature wise on my old DG and she seems happy enough at 80. Unfortunately the stat needs the lower skirt radius dressing back a 1mm or so and its from a VW Corrado but other than that it is a straight swap. I should really put the 88 back in during winter but since it seems perfectly happy I just left it in. I would like a pucker one though Baxter so how much?
Re: Thermostat experiment
Posted: 01 Jul 2010, 06:11
by kevtherev
Thanks for the replies
I suppose the desire for a slightly cooler engine has come from various sources notably from the states and some interesting sources here.
In that a cooler engine returns a higher oil pressure, and higher pressures in the gallery mean less hot spots around the pinch points, better lifter supply and so on.
I'm sure a doctor would agree that low pressure is bad for you as well as high..but we have a valve to relieve that
I guess too that fitting a guage had a reactive outcome
Like I said, this is no engine saviour, but it will prolong life to a small degree.
that's the theory anyway

Re: Thermostat experiment
Posted: 01 Jul 2010, 07:40
by syncrosimon
Re: Thermostat experiment
Posted: 01 Jul 2010, 12:11
by Aidan
definately not the same as a wbx one then, saves me checking the tstat housings