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Mon Sep 15, 2025 6:09 pm

Hello,
On my 1971 ghia stock engine I was trying to clean my very oily/gunky engine the other day and while I was wiping around the push rod tubes on the right (passenger) side I noticed this little tube sticking down with some internal threading.

I'm curious what that is? It seem to be quite loose, just kind of jiggling around in there like it was hooked above to something. I didn't try to fiddle with it or pull on it too much because I'm really not sure about this stuff.

Here's a pic. Really appreciate any explanations, thanks!

Mon Sep 15, 2025 6:39 pm

that looks like the top, threaded section of a missing thermostat, which threads on to a rod attached to your flap system. The thermostat should sit in that rectangular bracket.

Mon Sep 15, 2025 6:43 pm

dingerjunkie wrote: that looks like the top, threaded section of a missing thermostat, which threads on to a rod attached to your flap system. The thermostat should sit in that rectangular bracket.
^^^^^^
THIS

Mon Sep 15, 2025 10:25 pm

Ok, thank you both! I've read and watched some vids now and have a better idea what the thermostat and flap system in the shroud are.

Thoughts on how critical it is to replace this? Given the state of my ghia it is a fair weather driver, I'm not taking it out in cold or wet weather.

I don't know the state of the flap system or whether that rod and the spring are still connected. Without taking apart the whole shroud could I get an idea if it's still connected by pulling down on that exposed rod stub and see if it feels like it's pulling the flaps closed?

If I do consider replacing it does this part work? https://www.cip1.ca/vwc-043-119-159/

And it looks like I'm missing a threaded piece that would thread into that rod end shown in my pic and then thread the other end into the thermostat?

Thanks so much for the help and advice!

(and aside from this probably my bigger issue is all that oil leakage around the push rod tubes likely meaning those seals are shot and I should be replacing the push rod tubes?)

Tue Sep 16, 2025 1:34 am

That brass fitting is the part that screws on top of the thermostat and then screws on the down rod for the flaps.

Remove the thermostat bracket from your engine case and reach up there and pull down on the rod. It should have a spring attached to it and when you let go it should go right back up.

Then try to unscrew the brass fitting from the down rod.

Then look in the classified or go to awesomepowdercoat for a thermostat to install.

Here are some photos in this rebuild article with the thermostat and brass fitting installed and removed to give you and idea what you are looking at
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=766087&highlight=soldering++thermostat

Tue Sep 16, 2025 2:52 am

Does this photo help?

Nicholas

Tue Sep 16, 2025 5:38 am

I bought mine here: https://www.awesomepowdercoat.com/vw-thermostats

Tue Sep 16, 2025 5:53 am

I'd buy a good used German one.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2731117

Tue Sep 16, 2025 6:59 am

SYS64738 wrote:

Thoughts on how critical it is to replace this? Given the state of my ghia it is a fair weather driver, I'm not taking it out in cold or wet weather.

The thermostat has nothing to do with the ambient temps that you drive the car in. It is there, just like the thermostat in your water-cooled car, to get the engine to ideal operating temp as quickly as possible. Why? Because the majority of engine wear happens during warm up. If you remove the thermostat, it greatly extends the warm up period, which is something you don't want.
People have this mistaken idea that removing the thermostat makes the engine run cooler, and that is not true. It will still get up to ideal operating temp eventually, it'll just take much much longer. And that extended warm up period will subject the internal components of your engine to greater wear.

Tue Sep 16, 2025 9:07 am

Thank you all, great links and advice.
I'll see if I can determine the state of the flaps and if it's all still connected and then try to source on original thermostat.

thanks again!