Flap's behind cooler blowing housing??

[dennis fleming]

If I understand most people no one is using the thermostat too much any more? Because of faulty workings etc. Is there any reasons the flap left and right and arm or shaft should be installed or would it be better to leave them off to have a cooler running engine?? What are most people doing with this situation?

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Those flaps are absolutely 100% necessary. Leave them off and the engine will run hotter. They direct air to where it needs to go; in particular the one on the right side directs air through the oil cooler.

It is also better to have the thermostat system working correctly, as it gets the engine to operating temperature more quickly, which is a Good Thing.

Generally, if the thermostat fails or the cable breaks, the flaps will go to "full cooling" position, so they are reasonably fail-safe.

--DD

[ChuckT]

I'm new to the 914 and would like to know how the flaps are connected. I have the bar running left to right that controls the flap opening and closing and I can see by a drawing that there is a cable and a sort of regulator that is to open and close them but I can't tell if the location of the cable is on the top of the engine or located somewhere under the car. Any help and or pics would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

The "regulator" is a metal bellows-like or accordion-like thermostat. It expands when warm, and contracts when cold.

There is a cable that hooks to the "free" end of the thermostat. When the t-stat contracts, it pulls the cable. When the t-stat expands, it relaxes its pull on the cable. The cable goes around a pulley near the left-front corner of the crankcase, and then up along the front of the engine. It passes through a hole in the engine tin, and is attached to the little lever on the cross-bar that you have found.

When the t-stat is cold, it pulls the bottom of the cable toward the rear of the car. This pulls the vertical part of the cable downward, which pulls the lever on the bar forward and down. That causes the flaps to go to the "cold" (or "I'm cold enough, don't cool me more!") position.

When the t-stat warms up, it relaxes and allows the bottom of the cable to be pulled forward, which lets the vertical part of the cable be pulled upward. This pull is caused by the spring on the bar, which pulls the lever up and aft, pushing the flaps into their "hot" (or "give me all the cooling you have!") position.

--DD

[ChuckT]

Thank you. I appreciate all your help.