Engine Cooling Flaps, fully closed/open position Options

[BMartin914]

I am putting the final touches on my engine after having it apart for some time. I can't recall which position the cooling flaps should be in for full closed when cold.

Should the thermostat wire be pulling on the flaps when cold and then expand to allow them to open (putting the attaching point in the upright position when warm) or does the wire pull the flaps open as it expands?

Might sound like a dumb question to some, but I can't quite understand how they flow - hot vs. cold. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/unsure.gif)

[maf914]

The top photo is the COLD position and the bottom is the HOT position. The flap at the oil cooler is open when the engine is cold to allow the air to bypass the cooler so that the engine oil can heat up faster. When hot the trailing edge of the flap closes on the trailing edge of the cooler directing air through the oil cooler core to cool the oil. This is the position the flaps should be in if there were no thermostat and cable attached.

The left flap in the photos never does close off the airflow completely, but I think it does adjust the volume on that side of the engine. I'm not sure but I think it acts as a volume damper to balance the airflow with the flap on the right. I wonder how long the VW designers took to come up with this system? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/idea.gif)