1600 Single Port Thermostat Rod

sped372 · Post by **sped372** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 5:28 pm

I'll confess, I only spent about five minutes trying, but if anyone could enlighten me on the procedure for threading that blasted rod through the cylinders so that I can install my thermostat I would be grateful. Longblock is out and being dressed, so manuverability is quite good. The engine didn't have a thermostat when I pulled it (bought bus w/o one) or else I suppose I'd have a better idea. I have chosen to install one to keep the VW Gods happy!

Thanks in advance! And seriously, does it go down between the two larger head fins or next to them? Does that question even make sense without looking at what I'm seeing? Arrgh! ( :

vwlover77 · Post by **vwlover77** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 7:27 pm

Aarrgh.... My brain is foggy.. why am I thinking the rod actually goes through a hole cast into the cylinder head itself, and not between the cylinder barrels? Is that right??? (I'm pretty sure.....)

tristessa · Post by **tristessa** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:22 pm

vwlover77 wrote: why am I thinking the rod actually goes through a hole cast into the cylinder head itself, and not between the cylinder barrels? Is that right??? (I'm pretty sure.....)

That's right. It goes through the head in the area between the two upper middle head nuts .. I forget exactly where but if I saw a head I could point to it.

Which is why sped's having such a hard time getting the rod through between the cylinders.

sped372 · Post by **sped372** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 6:43 am

Ok, so I'm at work and can't take a look out in the garage, but anyway... here's a picture (not of my engine, heck it isn't even a single port) that I added some arrows to. If I'm understanding correctly, I should be shooting for 'B' - if so, I did try that but wasn't seeming to have much luck. If I know that's where it goes for sure, then I'll give 'er another go.

Thanks again!

Post by **Amskeptic** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:38 pm

sped372 wrote: If I'm understanding correctly, I should be shooting for 'B' -

Shoot for the position that aligns the rod with the thermostat. If you have to briefly install the thermostat/bracket to see exactly where the rod must go, by all means do so. These rods get bent sometimes and interfere with fins and the correct movement of the flaps. You want no contact and easy movement. Bend as necessary and check through the range of movement. The flap rod describes an arc and the rod must be free through that arc.
Colin

Elwood · Post by **Elwood** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:29 pm

I have been awaiting The great Colin to explain this as I too need advice . However Im more confussed by the advice. Does not that rod run thru the fan houseing(squrrlell cage) and operate the flaps that the thermostate tells to open or close to adjust air flow to the heads ???

vwlover77 · Post by **vwlover77** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 6:05 am

Elwood wrote:Does not that rod run thru the fan houseing(squrrlell cage) and operate the flaps that the thermostate tells to open or close to adjust air flow to the heads ???

Yes. The rod reaches the flap actuator mechanism inside the shroud by passing straight up through a hole cast into the cylinder head between the two cylinders (on upright fan shroud engines).

sped372 · Post by **sped372** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 6:17 am

Elwood - The fan on the upright engines isn't a squirrel-cage - it's mechanically driven by the belt because it sits on the same shaft as the generator. The flaps are in the bottom of the fan housing, just above the cylinders and heads; the thermostat is below the cylinders, attached to the crankcase, on the right (passenger) side. So you see the dilemma, flaps above & thermostat below, hence the issue with getting the pushrod through there somewhere.

Colin - I understand what you are saying, and that is my ultimate goal. However, if I'm not mistaken, you have implied that it can go anywhere that it fits and travels freely. Is there more than one possible "thread-thru" location, or was that just a nice way of saying - keep trying and eventually you'll find the one, singular position that works? I do have the bracket hooked up under there for reference, but due to the bends in the pushrod it was unclear whether I should be approaching from the left, the right, or some other arbitrary angle as viewed from above (the end of the rod is bent and depending on how you rotate it, it could line up just about anywhere)

I realize that what I just wrote is pretty hard to visualize, so I whipped up a quick illustration.

Hope that helps... thanks again everyone for the input.

germansupplyscott · Post by **germansupplyscott** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:48 am

the drawing on the left is correct.

vwlover77 · Post by **vwlover77** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:23 am

The drawing on the left is more correct, but still not totally correct. The rod should go through a hole in the head itself (no pun intended!), and not between the cylinder barrels. In other words, if the rod was in place and you tried to remove the head, the rod would interfere with doing that....

There's got to be a photo out there somewhere showing how to route the rod!

Maybe this one helps a little....

germansupplyscott · Post by **germansupplyscott** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:51 pm

it does't have a route. it goes from here to there and the bend is as shown in the drawing on the left (and the phot, which illustrates it perfectly). there isn't any more to it.

are you trying to install just the rod itself?

it isn't done that way, the rod shouild be attached to the flaps and it installs when you install the shroud. when it is vertical and attached to the shroud properly there is only one way it can go.

sped372 · Post by **sped372** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:11 pm

Hmm, is it actually supposed to be *attached* to the flaps? I assumed that it just slid into the little round keeper on the one flap and stayed there due to the tension and by being kept aligned by the thermostat itself. Maybe I'm missing more than I thought.

Like I said, my bus came with no thermostat. It did have the flaps, linkage, return spring, etc... I bought a thermostat, bracket, and pushrod. I think I have a good understanding of how to snake it through there now, but I want to make sure I don't need another part!

vwlover77 · Post by **vwlover77** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 6:25 am

You can see in this photo how the 90 degree bend in the end of the rod attaches to a clip on one of the flaps. And Scott is right - you get it all connected up to the flap and let the rod drop down through as you lower the fan shroud back onto the engine.

By the way, the photos are from this site:

http://www.i405.com/VW/stand/#thermostat1

Post by **Amskeptic** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 2:34 pm

vwlover77 wrote: Scott is right - you get it all connected up to the flap and let the rod drop down through as you lower the fan shroud back onto the engine.

It is that simple. If you run into an issue, you need to check the alignment of the rod. And if you have the fan housing cocked at a crazy angle as you are dropping it down over the cooler (pre-'71), you are only making it difficult for yourself to ensure that the rod goes through the head in the correct location.
Colin

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

1600 Single Port Thermostat Rod

1600 Single Port Thermostat Rod