[Vwdiesel] thermostat

[Val Christian]

> 
> Since I had to drain my coolant I may as well put in a new thermostat. Is
> the 80C the correct one or is it the 87C, Does it matter and is the cooler
> one better?
> 
> Nick


Nick,

You can use the 80C one.  If your cooling system is in good shape,
and you don't live in Death Valley, I'd use the hotter one, though.
Slightly higher heat cooks off moisture better, helps combustion some
small degree, and increases your heater output in the dead of winter.

I haven't had a vehicle which couldn't use a 90C or even 95C thermostat
if the cooling system was working OK.  87C shouldn't be a problem.

BTW, thermostats do wear and begin to stick.  So changing is a good thing.

Finally, and most importantly, all thermostats are not made equal.  In a
fit of laziness, I bought a Stadt thermostat, and after several thousand
miles the riveted on valve "disc" un-rivited and worked it's way into
the water pump.  The diameter is just under the intake for the pump, and
all flow was obscured, and it was a bad day.  Go for a high end thermostat.

Val