RE: Thermoswitch revisited(Attn. Steve Toughill)

[brads@mindspring.com (Brad Sheridan)]

Darren "Can't we all just geta" Leung wrote:
>Before this turns into a debate over words,

  I think the word you're looking for is either "semantics", "wording", or
even "word choice". :) But now that you brought it up...

>might it not be possible to say that as your sensor gets older, deposits and
>other crud form on the thermosensitive parts just like any other form of
>corrosion/passivation and change the operating temp of the switch?

>Darren
>

  Well you could say that, and it would be correct in a sense. It is definitely
much closer than simply stating "the turnon temp changes with age" because you
are at least explaining that is an external factor making the turn on temp
change, not some aging that is builtin to the sensor. But in yet another bout of
anality(is that a word?), I think you would be even closer to correct if you
were to say "effective operating temp" instead of just "operating temp". The
sensors operating temp hasn't changed. It will still turn on when it senses the
correct temp, its just that it won't sense the correct temp until the temp is
well past that point. If the crud were an internal condition, and the
thermoswitch was sensing the correct temperature, but due to crud, not turning
on until later, that would be when using "operating temperature" alone would be
correct.

  And while a sensor that had been in longer will have more buildup than one
that had been in only a short time, the amount of buildup is probably gonna be
significantly greater on a car with alot of crud in the coolant system, than on
one that is regularly flushed and filled.  Like I said before, my sensors have
seemed to work fine, with no problems running hot, until one day they simply
didn't work. But I have had a pretty good habit of flushing the radiator and
refilling with distilled water and VW antifreeze. So crud buildup wasn't as
severe as say someone who never changes their coolant, uses tap water,
or something else. What I'm trying to say here is that sensor age isn't the
cause in all of this, the crud buildup is. Obviously, the buildup occurs over
time. But remove the crud from a 5 yr. old sensor, and it'll work as well as a
new one, until it hits the point that it dies completely, which will probably be
much sooner than the new one.

  From a practical standpoint, it makes more sense to replace an old one
than remove the crud. But if for some reason, you didn't have that option,
removing
the crud should get it back to working correctly. I can think of a few
places I've been where I didn't have ready access to VW parts, and would
definitely consider pulling and cleaning mine vs. paying some outlandish
price and waiting a day or two to get a stock replacement.


Brad


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