Anyone know where to get a thermostat? Nobody seems to carry it

Pretty much everyone goes here unless someone sells something in the classifieds:

http://www.awesomepowdercoat.com/thermosta...ed_rebuilt.html

Make sure you get one for a type IV and not a Type I.

If the type I fails it keeps the flaps closed. My '74 2.0 had one a PO put in (unbeknownst to me) and when It failed I dropped a valve seat.

Just ordered one from them, they are the go to it seems. A little pricey, but shouldn't have any issues for the next 50 yrs of the cars life.

i remember that, and partly why i just don’t even have mine hooked up, no reason to where we live 90% of the time anyway

Thanks guys. This is a great resource and looking forward to making sure this car is cared for given its low miles.

Where is it located on a '74 1.8L? I know the wire and flap work, but have never looked at, cleaned or replace a thermostat since buying it off the dealer lot.

The thermostat is on the left side of the engine, below the pushrod tubes. The wire makes a right angle at a pulley at the front of the case. BTW the bolt that holds the pulley goes through the case, so make sure something's in that hole unless you like playing James Bond and leaving a trail of oil behind you .

Here's a clip of the thermostat in action.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFrcKSB-oUM

10-4 on that pulley bolt, it goes all the way in to oil.

Has nothing to do with your location/climate,it is designed to warm your engine as per what VW designed.

A friend drove from the east coast to my home with the bolt missing. Went through 7 qts of oil. Could not understand why so much oil loss and so much smoke. The entire system was deleted. A new bolt, and no more oil loss.

Awesome powder coating, that's where I got mine.