[Vwdiesel] head gasket?

[mikitka]

I had to run my 79 rabbit diesel without a thermostat so it wouldn't over
heat due to a cracked block. Well at the time, I knew nothing about diesels,
the car was given to me by my parents back in 85. I had the dealer change
the head gasket on it because it was leaking and when I got it back it over
heated on me. Took back to the dealer and they said the block was cracked. I
tried to blame it on them since they just did the head gasket but I didn't
win. That was back when I didn't have a clue and now I due.  I do know I
drove it all the way up to Washington DC 350 miles from here to trade it in
on a new Chevy Beretta. It ran great the whole way up, used about half a
tank of diesel.  It just never fully heated up but ran great. Of course this
was in the summer, didn't keep it long enough to deal with no thermostat in
the winter time.

Nick 




  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?
> 

_______________________________________________
Vwdiesel mailing list
Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel