Cooling System, Upgrades?

VanVan · Post by **VanVan** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:01 pm

Greetings all -

I've got a 82' Westy with the 1.6 n/a; it's a rebuilt motor with mostly new components all around it - including a rebuilt radiator and cooling system.

All is well with that, but on long grades, it runs very hot. I was on a mountain road in the Cascades in May, so it wasn't hot outside - probably not even 70F. I was grinding up the gravel road mostly in first, sometimes in second. The needle swung far to the right; reducing speed - I wasn't going particularly fast, of course, but quit trying and went only fast enough to keep the motor from lugging in 1st. It gradually cooled a bit, and on the next flat stretch, I ran along in 2nd, then briefly 3rd, and it returned to 'normal' until the next long grade.

The needle usually settles in just to the left of the light once the engine warms up. I've not yet seen it warmer, even when riding the shoulder at 35 mph in 3rd on the highway.

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:45 pm

I have not had an '82, but have heard that the '82 radiator is less functional than the later ones (also more expensive). Does your fan kick on when the temp swings to 3/4s of the gauge?

Andrew

VanVan · Post by **VanVan** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 8:56 pm

Nope! When rebuilding, I tested both sending units and replaced the bad one, and I jump-tested the fan. All seemed well, and once driving, it's never gotten particularly hot in traffic. I confidently assumed all was well...

But I tested it this afternoon, and while the sending units both still work, and the fan still runs off a jumpwire, there's no voltage at the quick-connect just before the fan.

Haven't determined yet if there's a relay or something in the circuit, but somewhere between the sending units and the fan, something's wrong....

Very interesting....

myke_w · Post by **myke_w** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 3:45 pm

On cars where the thermoswitch is not recieving voltage from the fuseblock, as a quickfix if the fuseblock is melted, I usually hardwire it to the battery pos circuit, that way there's no mistake that it has power when it gets hot enough.

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 7:28 pm

Fuses are good to put in any hardwiring, especially if running something high amp like a fan.

Andrew

myke_w · Post by **myke_w** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:47 am

good call libby..
fusible link is an alternative too, its whats there from the factory.
Re-reading the original post, it sounds likehe might have some thermoswitch to fan wiring issues going on. I generally don't fuse that section tho.