Converting Stock Oil Cooler

I have an older vw 1966 I think, with the old style oil cooler.

My question is: If I already have the oil cooler and doghouse shroud from a

1973 engine (Blown up) can I use them to upgrade the cooling of the 1966 engine?

Thx

Al

Reply to
Al Johnson
Loading thread data ...

------------------------------------------------

In theory, yes. In fact, maybe not.

If the failure of the donor engine resulted in a bearing failure then you can expect the cooler core to be contaminated.

SOP for reusing any cooler core is to flush it until you can no longer detect any metallic residue. The usual method is to fabricate an adapter plate having hose fittings on one side and recesses to accept the stock cooler's seals on the other. Mineral spirts serves as the solvent and a fair sized aquarium pump circulates the solvent through the core it's clean... the determination of which is up to you.

You will need to remove the existing M6x1.00 stud that secured the old oil cooler to the block and replace it with an M8x1.5 (or whatever... I think that's the size... check it). You also have to open up the holes in the ears to accept M8 hardware which you'll have to provide.

The driver's side engine mounting bolt hole has to be opened up and a barrel nut pressed into place since the outlet duct blocks access to that corner of the engine making it impossible to get a wrench onto the original nut.

You need the thicker blower otherwise there won't be any air going to the oil cooler.

And you need the sealing frame because without it, at high rpm the force of the air will lift the flap of ducting around the cooler core and the air will blow around it instead of through it. (The sealing frame not only provides a foundation for the foam air seals, it has a nut-plate for an M6 bolt which serves to hold the ducting in place against the side of the cooler core. Use a bolt here, not one of those slotted cheese-head screws. You can't get at it with a screwdriver. Use a large washer and a warpy washer. Make sure the tin-ware slips under the large washer and is pressed all the way down before tightening anything up.)

You will have to obtain a new firewall panel having the opening for the oil cooler's exhaust duct. The old style tin can be modified to work if you're handy that way. After the engine is fully mantled it's a good idea to seal any leaks in the tin-ware with RTV. This is also a good time to install a pass-through fitting for your fuel pipe.

Usually, half a loaf is better than none. But not in this case. If you can't do the conversion in its entirity you will only make things worse.

DB&HVW ran one of their famous 'technicial' articles telling folks how to install a dog-house cooler on an early style engine. Unfortunately they failed to mention the sealing frame and said use of the wider fan was purely optional; that the original fan would work just fine. Which is wrong but there it is in black & white. I don't subscribe to the VW mags but lotsa folks do and some used that article to install dog-house coolers only to find it now ran hotter than it did before.

I got a lot of mail about that one :-)

The message here is to be careful. In theory, the conversion is little more than a bolt-up. In fact, there are plenty of pitfalls along the way. Gather all the information you can, study it, then decide for yourself if the conversion is within your abilities. But in gathering information don't take anything as gospel (including this). Think for YOURSELF.

-Bob Hoover

Reply to
Veeduber

On 12 Jun 2004 04:49:11 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@aol.com (Veeduber) ran around screaming and yelling:

formatting link

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

who would do such a thing? Whats a person going to read in the bathroom?

Reply to
RedsShakers

On 13 Jun 2004 04:45:21 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@wmconnect.com (RedsShakers) scribbled this interesting note:

Read??? The real question is how much could you have saved on toilet paper costs???

-- John Willis (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

Reply to
John Willis

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 09:53:58 -0500, John Willis ran around screaming and yelling:

toilet paper? is that what you city folks use? JT

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

If you want to really have a great cooling system. Install a stock t-4 cooler in the doghouse. You will have to extend the doghouse but it is a bolt up. Even thought it looks only slightly larger it is a major improvement over the T-1 and lightyears beyond your older cooler. Go to my site and check out the photos

formatting link
Some guys sell kits and in my manual I explain how to do it. Joe

Reply to
Joe Cali Next Generation-usa

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.