Engine Thermostat And Flaps

[KEVIN 4821]

Hi i stripped my standaard 1600 engine and found it had no thermostat or control flaps in the fan housing i have never driven the van any distance so i dont know if their are any overheating problems is anybody running a similar setup or has anyone got any advise Thanks Kevin

 

[Loxy]

Hi i stripped my standaard 1600 engine and found it had no thermostat or control flaps in the fan housing i have never driven the van any distance so i dont know if their are any overheating problems is anybody running a similar setup or has anyone got any advise Thanks Kevin

I dont think the missing stat & flaps are going to make your engine over heat (unless there are already other problems) but they will make your engine warm up slower and therefore increase engine wear - personally I would fit them - those German fellers had a pretty good idea about what worked & what didnt

 

[robins]

what he says^^^ put mine in a month ago, but there is a garage near me telling anther eb
owner not to bother putting them in,they done my brakes as well had nothing but trouble :wanker: smoke pouring out the back right today,but paulandabbe came and helped

 

[Bookwus]

Hiya Kevin,

There is another reason to get those flaps installed. Most folks think of the flaps as being an "on and off" kinda deal. But the flaps themselves actually direct the cooling air as well and that's an important feature you want in an air-cooled engine.

 

[Tofufi]

As Bookwus says, the flaps direct the air where it is needed most.

Without them, some of your engine will run cooler, and some bits (like the heads, which are more likely to overheat anyway) will run hotter.

Even if you don't fit the thermostat, having the flaps is a very wise idea.

Finally, with a thermostat fitted, even in average UK Spring or autumn temperatures you probably would find the flaps wouldn't be open fully unless you go on a long motorway drive. So they are there for a reason

 

[noddy]

Heads overheat without the flap, I am speaking from personal experience, number three cylinder exhaust valve guide starts wearing really quickly.

You don’t necessarily need the thermostat but you should fit the flaps and fail safe spring to hold them open.

 

[Trikky2]

As Bookwus says, the flaps direct the air where it is needed most.

Without them, some of your engine will run cooler, and some bits (like the heads, which are more likely to overheat anyway) will run hotter.

Finally, with a thermostat fitted, even in average UK Spring or autumn temperatures you probably would find the flaps wouldn't be open fully unless you go on a long motorway drive. So they are there for a reason

Agreed. At last, somebody who understands

Bit of a sore point this. Theres many so called pseudo experts on the net who say you dont need them and justify their claims by telling people they run without.

Just because its air cooled doesent make the thermostat mystically different from that on a water cooled engine. Its there to keep the engine running as close as possible to its ideal operating temperature - exactly the same as on a water cooled engine.

Running without it, with the flaps jammed open, will cause the engine to be over cooled not only whilst warming up but All The Time on a cool day, same as on a water cooled.

Its not an on off switch. The flaps run partially open for quite a lot of the time.

If they were not necessary then why on earth would the manufacturers have gone to considerable trouble and expense to fit them?

There will allways be those who say they run without them but then, exactly the same as for a water cooled, yes it will still run but not as well or for as long as it should. It will also use more fuel as it wears out faster and on top of this the heater will be significantly less efficient to boot.

 

[Tofufi]

...and on top of this the heater will be significantly less efficient to boot.

Especially on cold startup, where the air flow from the fanshroud is most restricted, causing the most air to be sent through the heating system... ideal for demisting on those cold mornings

Clever design really...

 

[retrocars]

hi, i have the same prob :? i know nothing about the engines in my bay, i brought mine with no flapps fitted, i have been told by a mate to get them fitted, i agree with what people say about standard fitting and if vw designed the engine this way then thats how it should be, then you get a vw local garage, (robins!! mates) say that they will remove the flaps when fitting new engines, my van runs like a dream at the mo and i am affraid to change anything, why fix if its not broke i was always told :?

 

[Benyon]

I know mine has no thermostat fitted, but is there anyway I can tell if the flaps are still there with the engine insitu?? I have a three year old VEGE engine and would guess it doesn't have them. I had the engine out last month and didn't look for any but would they have been obvious?

 

[wanderlust]

as someone else that knows nothing about engines, how do i know if i have flaps? the engine didnt have a thermostat so have fitted oen of them but didnt know about flaps. have had problems with number 3 head overheating on a new engine so thinking i may not have flaps.

 

[noddy]

Reach over the back of the fan housing and feel for a long thin plate and 4 spindles 2 per side at the outer edges.

 

[fredster]

Agree with all the above re flaps AND thermostat is best BUT it is well worth keeping an eye on them over the years to check they're operating correctly.

Contrary to popular belief it is possible for them to seize in the closed position. Stripped an engine recently where this had happened. Bellows bracket wasn't mounted correctly and rod didn't operate through its full travel range. As with so many things on these engines, VW built it right, the fifteen or so previous owners of your van might not have been so meticulous.

 

[aogrady]

Reach over the back of the fan housing and feel for a long thin plate and 4 spindles 2 per side at the outer edges.

Hi!

Can you tell from these pics if the flaps and spindles are fitted? I can;t fathom out where they are meant to go. When i had the bumper and cover off i noticed i had a stat, but dunno about the other bits?

Thanks,

Alistair

 

[Araon]

there not there fella

 

[aogrady]

Hi!

Bugger, another job on the list. I guess the stat isn't gonna do much is it? :roll:

Cheers!

Alistair

 

[Bookwus]

Hiya aog,

Wow! That is really bizarre that you would have the thermostat but not have the flaps. It's almost always the other way around.

Imagine that you are looking up and into the fanshroud from below. This is what you would see of the right hand flapset in the shroud............

The rod coming down out of the shroud connects to the thermostat you have in place. Just below that rod you see the connector bar which mates up with cross connect rod from the other flapset. That connector bar is plainly visible from the rear of the engine. The two pivot arms from the connector bar to the flapset should be coming those through two holes at the bottom of the fanshroud in your picture.

 

[aogrady]

Hi!

Crumbs! Nice pic. Looks like the engine is coming out again sometime :roll: I think i need to start hunting for the elusive tinware, the cover and bits over the oil cooler are missing, and i dont think the flywheel end tinware is right, been told it's bug. It's a AE engine.

Cheers!

Alistair

 

[Tofufi]

Hi!

Crumbs! Nice pic. Looks like the engine is coming out again sometime :roll: I think i need to start hunting for the elusive tinware, the cover and bits over the oil cooler are missing, and i dont think the flywheel end tinware is right, been told it's bug. It's a AE engine.

Cheers!

Alistair

Yes, the flywheel end tinware you have is from a bug.

The bits around the oil cooler are very important to cool running

Best to fit the flaps whilst you have the whole lot apart

 

[aogrady]

Hi!

Crumbs! Nice pic. Looks like the engine is coming out again sometime :roll: I think i need to start hunting for the elusive tinware, the cover and bits over the oil cooler are missing, and i dont think the flywheel end tinware is right, been told it's bug. It's a AE engine.

Cheers!

Alistair

Yes, the flywheel end tinware you have is from a bug.

The bits around the oil cooler are very important to cool running

Best to fit the flaps whilst you have the whole lot apart

Hi!

Thanks, will start searching for bits. The pic is a little old, when i had to do a crank seal change at Techenders due to a "specialist" vw garage in Northampton overfilling it with oil when it was serviced - i was unable to service it myself due to work, and we were off to Glasto a few days after.
I noticed the oil cooler tin missing then, but unable to sort anything.
Now i know whats missing i can return it back to stock. Odd how the tinware is missing, buy stat still there?!
BTW is the exhaust end tinware (pulley end) same on a bug as bus?

Cheers!

Alistair