wax pellet thermostat 71 Super

[RC Stout]

Does anyone know where you can buy a "wax pellet thermostat" for a 1971 Super with an oil bath air cleaner?

[evilphoton]

there was one link to a place that had them... but it was several years old and the place showed out of stock now. i've been looking for one also... maybe someone will know of one
_________________
'71 SB - 08/1970
[s]34/3 (70/75/75z/135) - 26MPG[/s]
A pair of Kadrons
VW 028 DVDA, stock 1600 DP
'00 VFR
'01 Blazer

[RC Stout]

if we can't find the thermostat, what would our options be?

[Tim Donahoe]

MidAmerica has them-if you're talking about the Mexican thermostat that moves the flaps in the fan shroud.

$39.00, or something like that.

Tim

[RC Stout]

I do need to get that one, but the one I am looking for is in the air cleaner. I think it's called a wax pellet thermostat and it opens and closes a flap in the air cleaner

[Gitchigumi]

Do you mean one of these? If so, there is no wax pellet.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=545503&highlight=

Check with your local VW dealer. I did in Thunder Bay and they can still get it for you but they wanted $100 for it.

Apparently these guys sell them for a lot less - $30, but the shipping is about $25. They are located in Toronto Canada
If it doesn't show up on their web site give them a call as not all there stuff is properly listed on the site.

www.germansupply.com/

[Tim Donahoe]

Gitch--that thermostat is for the plastic air cleaners. He needs one of the older oil-bath jobs.

OP--you may have to buy an entirely new oil-bath off The Samba Classifieds. Or put a WTB ad in the classifieds there, asking for the thrermostat for your year air cleaner.

People do respond.

Tim

[sb001]

German supply is out of stock:

http://www.germansupply.com/home/customer/product.php?productid=17790&cat=&page=2

But it appears there is a NOS one for sale on the classifieds:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1197152
_________________
I'm the humblest guy on this board.

1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
1600 SP engine
Solex 30 PICT 3 carburetor
Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor

[sb001]

May also be able to get it new from here which appears to be a British website and can get them straight form Germany:

http://www.vwheritage.com/vw.cfm?act=vwclassicPart...earFilter=

More time to get here but way cheaper
_________________
I'm the humblest guy on this board.

1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
1600 SP engine
Solex 30 PICT 3 carburetor
Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor

[Gitchigumi]

Guess they started using the none wax one, like the one I did the posting on, in 72 as that is what I have on my 72 motor (its an oil bath) Not sure exactly when then switched to the plastic/paper cleaner.

Don't go by the "out of stock" listing on their site. I have bought stuff from them that was supposedly out of stock but after calling they actually had what I was looking for. Worth calling them if you haven't, just to double check.

[ROCKOROD71]

That one listed in the classifieds is one of the last on earth! These were a one year part, and Ghias and Buses used them too. I have had some success finding good used ones still in the cleaner at swaps and on craigslist. A hair dryer works well to test them. I also bought one from that vendor, but for much less than he's asking for his last one!

Sb001- can't believe you found that link on VW heritage. I have been checking all the VW Classic Parts dealers, even their German site, looking for those, this is the first time I've seen it, must have uncovered a stash somewhere, VW Classic is constantly offering new NOS finds. Funny that at one time VW was all about destroying their old ACVW parts, then find out the hoarders were making bank off their stashes and wanted in on the game. Anyway, that part number is correct for the wax pellet thermostat used on the 71 only oil baths.

I must say, they work pretty good for the pre-heat. I've been rocking a used one for the past 2 years without issue.

If you can't get one you can rig up a bolt to screw in place of the t-stat to either open or close the pre-heat flap. Open in winter close in spring sort of deal. You have to whittle away the end of the bolt to fit into the plastic piece that attaches to the spring mechanism on the preheat flap. Use a double nut on the outside of the oil bath to adjust the bolt without opening the filter up. I was playing around with this concept when I found a few stats, but I never actually got around to using it.
_________________
1971 STD BEETLE- DD-1st car, 1st love. keepin' it stock! 1600DP, Solex 34-3 Mexi Bosch SVDA Dist NOW w/POINTS
1977 WESTY "KrustyKamper" 2L FI

[DadsOld74]

I'm not sure if this is worth anything, but I tested my air cleaner (late model oil bath) to see if the thermostat on the very top would work. It did not.

So, I found an electric vacuum hose solenoid on ebay and am intending to run a wire to it from a switch on my dash. I figured I can just switch vacuum on to the valve on the air cleaner to allow warm air into the carb whenever I think I need it.

I'm not that far into my project yet, but it seemed like an inexpensive and workable solution.
_________________
--Brian ('74 standard bug)

"If one does not fail at times, then one has not challenged himself." - Ferdinand Porsche

[sb001]

[ROCKOROD71]

Haha...The odds of it WORKING is what you're up against. Bend the spring back and seat that black plastic piece onto the end of the stat. Stuff a hair dryer in the bottom snout and in about a minute you should see the rod start to expand out. If it does you're in business, no Bowden tube and linkage hunting! Just stat hunting! haha. You can screw the stat in and out and lock it in place with that nut you see in your picture. There's no clear instructions I've found anywhere that show how to adjust it, I just played around with mine using a flashlight down the snout to make sure the flap closed fully with hot air running through. There are a couple of threads here discussing the adjustment if one wants to search for them, but nothing official.
_________________
1971 STD BEETLE- DD-1st car, 1st love. keepin' it stock! 1600DP, Solex 34-3 Mexi Bosch SVDA Dist NOW w/POINTS
1977 WESTY "KrustyKamper" 2L FI

[Gitchigumi]

To DadsOld,

Check out his link. You may be able to get it to work if you clean it out as I did.

Ron

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=545503&highlight=

[evilphoton]

The vacuum thermostat is for the "later" (after '71) air cleaners, it replaced the OP's copper thermostat that lives in the air cleaner snout and moves the flap directly. I've found several of these in old air cleaners and they seem to have worn out... at least I was going with the theory that they should have moved by 150*F or so.

I think the vacuum operated ones are a better design, however I haven't found a vacuum diaphragm that is good, nor a place to get a piece of neoprene that can substitute the original one. The plastic air cleaners are a completely different design, the use a thermostat controlled vacuum switch also but the diaphragm is made into the snout, it would need to be cut out.

Time for duals
_________________
'71 SB - 08/1970
[s]34/3 (70/75/75z/135) - 26MPG[/s]
A pair of Kadrons
VW 028 DVDA, stock 1600 DP
'00 VFR
'01 Blazer

[DadsOld74]

Hey Ron,

Thanks. I will definitely try that before hooking up my jury-rig. I appreciate it. I should have thought to try cleaning it ...

--Brian
_________________
--Brian ('74 standard bug)

"If one does not fail at times, then one has not challenged himself." - Ferdinand Porsche

[Donnie strickland]

You could order one direct from VW:

http://www.vw-classicparts.de/bestand/index_e.html

Click "Access without prior registration" and enter part 113129826, no spaces. They have them for 13.07 euro.
_________________
71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback

[Gitchigumi]

As you can repair or still buy the vac thermostat, the main issue is a working vacuum can. All chevs, fords etc. with carbs prior to fuel injection had similar arrangements to the Beetles. I was fortunate that the vac can on the cleaner I bought from a guy in Wisconsin still functioned. If not I was going to try and adapt a vac can from chev. You can still get them from parts stores on-line for about $20.00.

[sb001]