running witout thermostat
 

I tried to search old topics but didnt find a straight anwer to my problem.
Is it ok to run a mildly tuned type 1 engine without the thermostat that controls the airflow flaps?
The car I just bought doesent carry the thermostat, but my intention is to drive only on summer.

Justin

Just make sure that the outside temp is war enough. I have been running without a thermostat for 6 years now and 99.9% of the cars on our roads dont use them either. Then again, in my area of the world, the temp never drops below 13 degC and in summer averages 30deg C woth 22 at night. In Scandinavia I wouldnt do it.

I've never owned a Bug with a thermostat and control flaps still intact and working. My 1300, and my girl's 1302 are missing theirs.

Our climate in southeastern US is between 0 and 35c anually, and doesn't make a thermostat very nessasary. I usually take about three minutes to warm up before driving anyway.

I don't often drive either of the Beetles when it's below 5c.
My little Chevy truck got a much better heater:D

In your part of the world, I to would consider it a nessasary component to achieve operating temp quickly, improve fuel efficiency, and reduce premature engine wear.

Late-ro

Yetibone

As I mentioned before, I drive my bug only during summer. And maybe its hard to believe for you who live far south from Finland, but the summertimes here are quite warm usually. This July daytemperature was around 30 degrees (celcius) for 3 weeks!
I`m going to install an oil-temperature gauge soon, and then I`ll know better (hopefully) how hot my engine runs.
Justin

WOW! I didn't know it got that hot there Justin. I agree with you on the need for an oil temp guage. I should do the same thing to Hummbug since that's the best indicator of engine heat in an air cooled motor, and summers down here are sometimes pretty brutal.


Yetibone