Cooling Fan Doors

[JRhea]

I'm bringing (my old) 73 914 2.0 back to life. I restored this car 14 years ago and sold it to a business associate 10 years ago. He called me recently and said he planned on selling it but his service shop(s) couldn't get the parts for the FI to make it run. I offered to help him and told him that if he bought some Redline Weber 40IDF's, fuel pump and distributor, I would remove the FI and carburate the car. My work didn't stop with the carbs. I rebuilt all 4 brake calipers, installed new shift bushings, valve adjustment, replaced throttle cable, and fixed numerous oil leaks, etc.

Here's my question.
Looking at the thermostatic bellow valve that controls the cooling doors, the cable is aging and somewhat frayed. Can I bypass the bellow valve and fasten the doors to be always open. This is a Florida car and engine heat is less of a concern than having cooling assurance. Or are these doors crucial in bringing the engine up to an even operating temp?

Thanks for your reply.

BTW.....This car will go up for sale in the next month or two. Guards Red, with very rare black Revolution wheels. I would rate the car about a 7. Hell hole and suspension console in very good shape. (original battery box)

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Having the flaps fixed in the "maximum cooling" position is better than having them fixed in the "warm up" position. Having the thermostat and flaps working correctly is better yet.

The car will still run if you remove the thermostat and cable. (The spring on the flaps' cross-shaft will push them into "max cooling" position.) It will take longer to warm up, and will likely see more wear than if it warmed up properly, but it will work.

Whatever you do, do not remove the flaps. They are required to duct air through the cooler, and also help it get to the other places it needs to go.

--DD

[JRhea]

Dave, Thanks for your quick response! It sounds like Porsche designed it to "fail safe" if the cable breaks which puts my concern to rest. I'll now focus on dialing in the carb and jets.

[TheCabinetmaker]

the thermostat plays an important role in engine cooling. Keep it in working order. Would you run a Ford or Toyota with its radiator thermostat removed?
I here this a lot, many folks say the don't need a thermostat on our air cooled cars. Aircooled cars need a thermostat to regulate warm up, just as water cooled cars do. I rarely hear about watercooled folks thinking that removal of the thermostat, in any street car is a not a good idea. Maybe because the VW's system's fail safe operation is with the air flow full on, and some how that proves that VW designed it to be operated with no thermostat??????

The VW system is not always a full on, full off system, Often when running at less than full load the thermostat regulates air flow. A warm Florida operating environment is not hot compared to a 300F head. You may even have a cold morning start need. you can drive many miles before the thermostat gives full air flow, once the engine is finally warmed up.

The engine has a good deal of mass to heat up, that takes time, and the flaps on the thermostat need to regulate the cooling for quick heat up. This becomes even more important, too warm up an engine fast, when you don't have a choke or other enrichment system in place.

During cold operation, the engine uses more fuel, wear happens faster. valve lash is higher, cylinder clearances are higher, all this gives problems.

Why wait several miles of driving (even in a Florida climate) to warm up, when your engine is harmed, and the fix is as simple as replacing the worn $10 cable?

Be smart about it and get the thermostat in fine working order, so it does the job it was intended to do.