Dont know where thermostat goes. engine overheating, coolsnt not cycling.
The thermostat is bolted into the bottom of the water pump, the lower radiator hose connects to a cover that holds the thermostat to the water pump.
the thermostat can be difficult to get at because the AC and power steering pump are all bolted on top of the water pump,
Your problem may not be a bad thermostat.
I would also check:
1) water pump, some of the vw pumps are poorly made & tend to go bad.
2) fans belts, it can be tricky to get the right tension on these belts due to a badly designed tensioner system on the power steering & water pump belt.
3) hoses, radiator, coolant tank,. the radiators and coolant tank tend to leak when they get old, the plastic cracks or the rubber seals go bad.
Also check the electrical system controlling the engine cooling fans. there are sensors and relays that can go bad.
I have owned 8 vw's most of the major problems with these cars was due to electical problems.
4) Engine problems such as a blown head gaskets, or ignition timing problems can cause overheating. luckily VW engines usually don't have these problems, unlike other companies 4 cylinder engines (the Dodge Neons for example)
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