[Vwdiesel] VW Diesel engine running too hot

[Libbybapa at wmconnect.com]

In a message dated 10/5/06 9:10:59 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
sshourds at flash.net writes:


> It's 
> almost creepy after years of driving A1s and A2s;  I'd gotten to expect 
> to see the gauge drift around. 
> 
> 

Most new cars that have a "temp gauge" actually have a needle whose movement 
is governed by the ECU.  It defaults to the center of the gauge UNLESS there 
is a problem.  Market research found that the gauge gave more confidence in the 
engine that just an idiot light and driver's also didn't like seeing the 
gauge go up and down, so the made the dummy light look like a gauge.  8-O

As far as Sherwin is concerned his cooling system problem is purely paranoia. 
 The vanagon cooling system is WAAAYY overengineered.  It states in the 
owner's manual that in normal driving the gauge is SUPPOSED to use the entire range 
and that one is not actually overheating unless the LED starts blinking and 
the gauge pegs.  ALL vanagons with properly functioning cooling systems if set 
at idle will eventually move to the 3/4 mark and then the fan will come on.  
Operating up extended grades will have the same effect.  There are a couple 
smaller design flaws in the vanagon diesel cooling system (oil warmer and it's 
hose routing), but despite those the system cools effectively and certainly is 
designed to use the range of the gauge.  I would not personally feel any 
concern unless the gauge was consistently above the 3/4 mark.

Andrew