TheSamba.com :: View topic - Thermostat Bracket Modification To Accept New Style Thermo

Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:34 am

Thermostat Bracket Modification To Accept New Style Thermostat.

Coiled or bellow style thermostats are getting hard to find and pricy. VW produces a new type / style thermostat at this time. The problem with the new style thermostat is the bracket it requires to mount on the engine block. It is nearly impossible to find! Go figure!

Pictured below is how I modified the old style thermostat bracket to accept the new style thermostat. Tested and works fine.

Tools Needed:

Jigsaw with fine tooth metal cutting blade
Use of grinder
7/64 Metal bit

Total Time = 1 hour, start to painted finish.

T1 Thermostat Bracket

T1 Thermostat Bracket With Termostat Mounted

New Style Thermostat

Bottom, New Style Thermostat - Notice Lock Pin On Bottom

Using 7/64 or 1/8 Bit, Drill Hole Between "Button Weld" And Mounting Hole

Cut Away Existing "Hoop" And Angle Support So New Style Thermostat Fits Flat On Bracket.

Another View Of Cut.

Finished Bracket With New Style Thermostat Mounted. Lock Pin On Thermostat Fits Into 7/64 Hole And Provides For Some Movement For Rod Alignment.

Kris (Kanas)

Fri Aug 25, 2006 9:39 am

Kris - How has this new thermo worked for you?

I have heard good and bad feedback in the past.

I pressume most of the bad was lack of a way to mount the new style in the old holder. :?:

Very nice work! :wink:

Fri Aug 25, 2006 9:45 am

Greg:

Asjusting the new system (on the block) is not much different than the bellow ones. I had to learn the top end of flap opening by trial and error (just like a bellow one)

Functions fine. Two 100 mile runs to test it. One "hot" day, the other, this AM, when it was cooler. After final adjustment on block, I can't really tell any difference between the old and new style (function).

Hope this helps.

K

Fri Aug 25, 2006 4:29 pm

Kris...

Great info...thanks! Two questions come to mind. What's the approximate cost of the new style thermostat? Does the new unit accept the same rod as the old style? Maybe one more....what's the temperature range on the new one?

Fri Aug 25, 2006 5:53 pm

Mailman:

Good Questions. Sorry for not posting them with original post!

VW Number on new thermostat is 111 119 159 A, which is the same part number as the original thermostat. With that in mind, the new style thermostati shares the same temperature range as the original bellow type.

I purchsed two of the new style thermostats for $ 15.00 each. I have seen them as low as $ 7.50, but in catalogs, they can go for $ 40-50. There is one on SAMBA now for $ 50.00. People just don't know much about them, and with the mounting bracket issue, people are not purchasing them (I'm only guessing on this)

I used the same rod that attached to my bellow thermostat. Worked fine!

Hope this helps,

Kris (Kansas)

Fri Aug 25, 2006 6:08 pm

I'm going from memory and this comes from other posts here, but what I have heard from others is that when the old style fails, it fails in the open position. I don't think this is true of the new style. Those in the know, chime in.

John

Fri Aug 25, 2006 6:23 pm

I believe the return spring mounted on the rear of the cooler housing (hooked to flap rods) keep the flaps in the open position when and if a thermostat fails.

Anyone want to confirm?

Kris

Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:00 pm

Kris if you don't mind me asking, where did you get your thermostat?

Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:43 pm

I got my from Wooster VW in Salina, Ks.

Kris

Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:48 pm

Kris Styes wrote: I believe the return spring mounted on the rear of the cooler housing (hooked to flap rods) keep the flaps in the open position when and if a thermostat fails.

Anyone want to confirm?

Kris

The new thermostats fail in the closed position, so it doesn't matter. Hope you have some way of monitoring the temps in-case it does fail and your driving with the flaps closed. That could be disastrous in just a few miles.

Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:03 pm

... agreed, the spring type thermostat fails closed. The return spring on the shutter linkage bar keeps the shutters closed when cold, keeps the fan from blowing them open too soon.

IMHO, the new style thermo gives a false savings over the bellows style, which was designed to make the cooling system fail safe.

Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:58 pm

Dave from vw-resource.com has a mexican style installed and is pleased. Here is the link:

http://www.vw-resource.com/thermostat.html

I tihnk he did the same thing you did as far as the bracket.

Tue Aug 21, 2007 4:45 am

So, as of now, when you go to a VW dealership and get the 111-119-159A and open the box, you get the Mexican new style?? Or can you specify the old original bellows style? The last time I ordered this part from my local dealership it was still active, but not in stock. This was the original bellows style. They had to order it, I got my order in one day. I ordered 2. They were $54.62 a piece. This was April 2006. So is the original bellows style no longer made by VW???

Sun Aug 17, 2008 9:28 pm

Any idea how many mods would be required to fit it onto the type 4 setup?

Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:55 am

What are the ramification's of removing the flaps and thermo? Can anything be harmed by doing this or is it like removing the thermo from a water cooled vehicle, it just takes longer for the engine to warm up?

I'm rather new to the Air cooled engines, I have 2 1200 engines and rebuilt 1, it had the flaps and the thermo the other has no flaps and no thermo. When I rebuilt I put the flaps in with the thermo which I probably need to replace.

Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:17 am

The original style thermostats are available, but at about $80.
The mexican thermostats DO fail in the closed position.

I have a few good used thermostats available.
I even went to an auction a while back and bid on 3 rusted out hulks because the thermostats were still in the cars.

Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:12 pm

If I have no thermostat installed ( I will install it soon ) and the spring on the flaps is installed, am I running with the flaps closed?

Also, if I take the spring off will that cure the cooling problem until I can get the proper rod and thermostat installed?

Thanks,
Tim

Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:34 pm

The flap spring works to keep them open. The thermostat works against that spring when it is cold.

Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:42 pm

Thanks. I thought some previous posts said the spring held the flaps closed.

Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:57 pm

Well, stay tuned, because it's been 20 years since I took my Bug apart. Get a "second opinion."