[Vwdiesel] head gasket?

[LBaird119 at aol.com]

  You'll get less mileage with a 160 stat for sure.  They don't like running 
that 
cold efficiently.  The temp on the old stat should be stamped on it.  Most of 

the diesel stats are in the 185F to 195F range so it would be basically 
boiling to open.  
  When you get air (combustion gasses) in the cooling system the seem 
to get up against the stat and insulate it from the hot water.  This makes 
it get even hotter, more gasses and steam as well.  It'll finally open, burp 
and start again.  Same thing happens with a stat in the 190's F and no 
antifreeze in the water.  
  You can drive it that way but be prepared to be stranded when the head 
gasket goes.  It may stall and not restart or you may just shut it off and it 

won't start again.  May be a week, may be a month or two.  You also run 
a risk of scoring a cylinder if it gets hot before you realize it's blown all 

the water before it completely dies.
     Loren

In a message dated 2/24/2006 10:54:18 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
marvinjansen50 at gmail.com writes:

> I checked the temp on both sides of the thermostat and found it cold
> on the radiator side.  Pulled the thermostat and put it and a  160
> degree in a pot on the stove.  The old one didn't open till almost
> boiling, the 160 much earlier.  put the 160 in the car and it runs
> cooler now.
> But tried Loren's bubbles in the stream and found intermitent water
> and air.  i had overfilled with water and it leaked out of the cap
> until it got to a lower level and then it didn't seem to leak or blow
> out.
> At least now it is running cooler.  if my head gasket is leaking, will
> it hurt to run it that way for a while?
>