Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2004 10:35:19 -0700
Reply-To: Skip Emmert-Keaton <skip@SKIPEMMERT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Skip Emmert-Keaton <skip@SKIPEMMERT.COM>
Subject: Re: Oil Cooler
In-Reply-To: <200404220448.i3M4ml7v019856@deimos.aros.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Thanks to everyone who's helped me out with this project. Some of what I've
learned and done is going to be specific to my van (I'll explain that in a
moment), but this is the bulk of the good info. If you drive an air-cooled
van and don't know it's history, spend this weekend tearing the tin off of
it and see what's died in your stock cooler and engine fins. I could start
a museum with the gunk that was in mine. No wonder my van was hot.
Now put the tin back on and install the cooler from the oil filter takeoff.
My thinking (thanks to all of you and my own investigation under there) is
that the ducts are designed in such a way that the stock oil cooler does not
impede air flow to any of the cylinders and removing it doesn't help them
cool. Also, leaving the stock cooler and adding a second cooler seems to me
to be an obvious advantage over either single cooler. Using the oil filter
takeoff is ridiculously simpler than removing the stock cooler (unless
you're already investigating the collection in your engine fins anyway).
The oil lines route better, there's no modification to the tin, and you have
your choice of location for the new filter takeoff. BTDT. If anyone can
think of a downside to leaving the stock cooler and moving the oil filter,
let me know so I can at least feel a little better.
For the new cooler, I chose an Empi 96 pass cooler with an integrated fan
and a separate thermostat that controls the fan operation. It's sturdy and
a good size for my mounting options. I'm not much of a fabricator, so
creating bracketing for another cooler was rather daunting. The Empi is
just a big flat square with holes in the corners. This is where my
particular application may (or may not?) vary from most. In 1980 they
offered two versions of the Westy, a deluxe that is basically what we all
recognize as a Westy and a standard which came without a fridge and stove,
just the sink. My PO did a beautiful job of installing a stove/fridge unit
next to the sink and there is quite a bit of wood that it sits on. I
mounted my cooler directly under that and used large wood screws to mount
it. It's in the trough between the edge of the van and the next
strengthening rib. Good airflow front to back of the van when moving, but
very well protected from harm. Now, I believe that most Westies have their
propane tank on that side. Some one correct me if I'm wrong. My tank is
mounted under the sliding door, so I have a large clear area on the driver's
side. I used one inch pieces of hose threaded over the screws between the
cooler and the van to stand it off from the van and provide some cushion.
The Empi has four mounting holes and the fan is mounted to four adjacent
holes. I used all eight to mount it securely.
The fan is designed to pull air (rather than push) through the cooler, but
can be reversed. I left it in the pulling position so the heat wouldn't
build up against the floor of the van. I haven't wired the fan yet (anyone
with a good source of switched power near there?), but that's pretty much
all that's left to do.
Now, this turned out to be a much larger project than it had to be (although
I'm still glad I cleaned out my engine fins) and once I've recovered from
it, I think I'm going to go back in and reinstall the stock cooler and
relocate the oil filter. I don't know that my installation is going to the
death of my van, but there's enough evidence to warrant the second project
IMO. Just need time and want to let my knuckles heal.
Thanks again, Gang. I couldn't do it without you (well maybe, but it would
take longer and be more expensive).
Skip
1980 Westy
-----Original Message-----
From: jbrush@aros.net [mailto:jbrush@aros.net]
Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2004 9:46 PM
To: skip@SKIPEMMERT.COM
Subject: Oil Cooler
>I have an 81 Air Cooled and would like to install an aux oil cooler, but
>have never found a decent, safe place to mount it. If you are so
>inclined, I would love to hear what you are up to, and in fact, if you
>have the time for details, it would make a nice addition to the vanagon
>mail list archives. Several of us would probably be interested in what
>cooler, where you got it, the t-stat, and location of the cooler, if it
>would not be too much trouble, and if you have the time.
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