[Vwdiesel] VW Diesel engine running too hot

[Sherwin Goff]

Over-heating:
  Here are the symptom:
   
  I have a very nice 83 Westy with the 1900 engine and a 5 speed; however, it runs with the needle straight up or even a little to the right of top center. This is too hot. I do not like for it to run this hot. (My 82 also did this same thing, and I experienced early engine failure because of it.) 
   
  Over and over again, I have checked this out at cooler times and in cooler climates. At those times the nettle always stays where it belongs--in the LITTLE BOX on the temperature gauge--to the left. This position is where the engine thermostat should normally keep the engine temperature. The temperature must be controlled by the thermostats--not by the radiator fan.
   
  I believe this is an engineering problem. I have had only one Diesel Rabbit that always ran inside the little box on the heater gauge. All of the rest of them have run much hotter than their thermostat. Overheating these engines is a number one cause for early engine failure. 
   
  Is there a radiator capacity problem here? Is the radiator too small, or does the radiator have fewer fins than it needs? The problem is not the engine nor the thermostat. It has to do with cooling.
   
  My experience with all VW diesels (and I have had many) has been that they are IMPROPERLY ENGINEERED to run as cool as they should--else why do they all run hotter than their thermostat would otherwise allow? 
   
  (Do ya'll understand what I'm trying to explain here?)
   
  So now here is my question: 
   
  What has been your experience for SOLVING this problem.
   
  Thanks to all of you,
   
  Sherwin