{"product_id":"gowesty-thermostat-housing-kit","title":"GoWesty Thermostat Housing Kit","description":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eWhether you have a late-model 2WD or a Syncro, this thermostat housing kit is the absolute best money can buy. It is unrivaled in performance and durability, but it comes at a price. If you are looking for a low-cost replacement for your thermostat components, we offer two more budget-friendly options \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/gowesty.com\/products\/thermostat-housing-bundle?_pos=1\u0026amp;_sid=f872be781\u0026amp;_ss=r\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/gowesty.com\/products\/lower-thermostat-housing-aluminum-2wd-syncro?_pos=16\u0026amp;_sid=f872be781\u0026amp;_ss=r\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis kit fits the following vehicles:\u003c\/strong\u003e All 1986-91 2WD \u0026amp; 4WD Syncro Vanagon with the late style 2.1 cooling system. Does \u003cem\u003eNOT\u003c\/em\u003e fit diesel.\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBackstory:\u003c\/strong\u003e Not so long ago, lower thermostat housings for 2WD and Syncro went out of production and quickly became NLA (no longer available). Because of this, we were forced to put on our engineering hats and design a replacement part which we sell on this page. We used our expertise in thermodynamics and fluid dynamics to ensure that our thermostat housing unit works perfectly and won't introduce any \"mysterious\" problems that might occur if strict attention to detail were not applied. The process was definitely trickier than one might expect. The original thermostat housing was made of injection-molded plastic (on 4WD Vanagons, it was crafted of cast aluminum). Because we used an entirely different manufacturing process, we had to make design decisions based on how coolant flows and behaves at varying temperatures. The most important improvement we made was eliminating two specialty VW hoses with connecting ends of varying diameters (025-121-058E and 025-121-058B). Our removable fore\/aft nipples eliminate the need for these specialty formed hoses, replacing them with consistent-diameter hose (included).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003eFast forward a couple of years and the OEM plastic part \u003cem\u003eand \u003c\/em\u003ean aftermarket cast aluminum part are now also available. We are offering all three varieties to satisfy the needs of the market, with the plastic part being the least durable and least smart. The cast aluminum part is an improvement over the plastic part, yet still inferior to our stronger and highly corrosion-resistant billet anodized part. So, whether you are looking for something on either end of the spectrum, or somewhere in between, GoWesty has you covered.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis kit includes:\u003c\/strong\u003e GoWesty-designed anodized billet aluminum housing, sending units, cooling hose, connectors, fasteners, and Loctite thread locker. Also included is the GoWesty \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/gowesty.com\/products\/temperature-gauge-calibration-kit?_pos=1\u0026amp;_sid=59c20c5d1\u0026amp;_ss=r\"\u003eTemperature Gauge Calibration Kit\u003c\/a\u003e. We developed this device after experiencing temp gauge anomalies on some in-house installations. Theoretically, any temp gauge in a water-cooled Vanagon should read the same with any of the three types of senders VW used. In practice, we've occasionally found slight differences in coolant temp gauge readings after installing our thermostat housing kit. This is due not only to a difference in the included sensor, but also a lower electrical resistance in the whole circuit due to a nice, new all-metal thermostat housing (and the subsequent elimination of the old, corroded wire). Instructions are included to calibrate the temperature gauge (if necessary). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNOTE:\u003c\/strong\u003e This kit does not include the thermostat cover (often referred to as the \"upper thermostat housing\"). That part is still available new in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/gowesty.com\/products\/billet-upper-cover-for-thermostat-housing?_pos=1\u0026amp;_sid=cb29c40e2\u0026amp;_ss=r\"\u003ebillet aluminum\u003c\/a\u003e, or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/gowesty.com\/products\/thermostat-housing-upper?_pos=4\u0026amp;_sid=cb29c40e2\u0026amp;_ss=r\"\u003eplastic\u003c\/a\u003e - although it rarely needs to be replaced.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch6\u003eFitment Note\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: justify;\" class=\"text-justify\"\u003eThis product fits all 1986-91 watercooled Vanagons \u003cstrong\u003eEXCEPT DIESEL\u003c\/strong\u003e. If you have updated an early-model Vanagon to the 2.1 cooling system, this kit will also work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch6\u003ePDF Instructions\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: justify;\" class=\"text-justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIMPORTANT:\u003c\/strong\u003e Installation instructions NOT included. We recommend that this product be installed by a professional shop that is familiar with the Vanagon cooling system. Properly bleeding the system is of utmost importance. Installation requires a pair of pincer pliers for the ear clamps, sold separately.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1sLY2yurLiYQMZmBow6Ojq-jEQAWxwv7K\/view?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eImportant Installation Notes\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"GoWesty","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47239224459402,"sku":"GVW-THERM-HSNG-DLX","price":305.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0625\/5548\/8394\/files\/GVW-THERM-HSNG-DLXMAIN2023.jpg?v=1761780043","url":"https:\/\/pistontwistin.org\/products\/gowesty-thermostat-housing-kit","provider":"Piston Twistin LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}