Can anyone tell me what this is?

Click to view attachment

That rod is for the cooling flaps under the top tin that direct cooling air over the cylinders and the oil cooler. You'll have a pic or diagram in a few minutes.

Are you referring to the spring for the cooling flaps?

Gint...looks like you beat me to the punch!

Read this thread:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=37560&

And the classic thread
The Classic Forum thread

This is easier:
Everything you ever wanted to know about Type IV temp control.

Search for +cool*+flap* in thread titles only

How does the thermostat open and close? The rod on mine seems to be locked completely to where it won't turn at all

Heat expands the thermostat and that spring loaded rod turns and moves the flaps. Go read those threads in the links I gave you. You'll know it all in an hour.

And try turning that lock tab assembly and see if the rod rotates or if it's stuck.

It shouldn't move until the bimetallic diaphragm heats up or cools down. The small u-shaped cable keeper to the left of the spring should have a bare metal cable run through it.

As you disassemble the tin on the left side of the motor (our left as viewed in the image), the cable feeds down into the thermostat. It is mounted low on the block to detect heat. You can test it when removed by suspending it in just-shy-of-boiling water. The thermostat expands or contracts like a miniature accordion, putting tension on that cable and corresponding baffles...

DipStick?

You're missing the metal tab that helps to keep the rod in place too.

Click to view attachment

Actually, there are two of them.

It typically doesn't get cold enough here in So Cal to require a thermostat.

Yeah, Im in New Orleans so I think I am guessing I am in the same boat. However, from what I am reading these things fail open so even if it is not working I should be safe. I am I safe in assuming that to be correct for the time being?

No. Go out and check it. It's easy.

looks like the cable is broken. To me, it looks like there is a little piece of the cable; looks like a frayed end of a bare stranded wire, sticking out the end and a copper colored piece sticking up and if you follow it, looks like it extends down through the tin. Maybe all you need is a cable (and little "keeper/metal tab" as posted above)

I will look and see what position the flaps are currently in and post some pics

I learned that by watching "Wheeler Dealer." Most likely the thermostat bellows is not working properly.

What is the position of the tab when the engine is hot or cold...forward or back like the image?

I hope you didn't take Edd at face value, 'cause he was WAAAAAY off on a lotta stuff in the 914 episodes. Too bad, he is usually mostly right.

The Cap'n

When cold the tab is bar is towards the front of the vehicle. I am able to rotate the bar towards the back of the vehicle as if the wire was pulling it down.