I'm a little surprised to find there isn't more scuttlebutt about this on the board, unless my now-unaccustomed Brickboard fingers are not searching correctly.

This is a 97 T5. We bought it for a specific purpose almost exactly a year ago because it was in fantastic shape cosmetically. One of the last details I've yet to see to is the cold moan from the oil thermostat, which I know is NLA. Yeah, I can go yank one out of a yard, but I am wondering if anyone ever answered the question about whether this thing can be gutted, and if that solves the problem. The car has developed a small oil leak, and it's possible it's coming from the housing or hoses. Before I dive in, thought I'd investigate.

Cheers, Brickboarders.