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Date:         Wed, 30 Jun 1999 22:43:24 -0400
Reply-To:     Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Subject:      oil cooler details.

A couple folks wrote to ask for details about the oil cooler install. Sorry to take so long, but it has shaped up to be a busy week.

System capacity increase: the system capacity will increase by 3.4 quarts. The 45 feet of oil line will carry approximately 2.1 quarts, the larger oil filter will add approximately .65 quarts, and the cooler carries about a little more than half a quart. This roughly doubles the capacity of the engine's oil circuit, lowering the workload on each little molecule of oil. This is one of many factors that makes a Porsche 2.0-2.7 liter 911 motor so durable, it is a small engine, with a LOT of oil. I think VW skimped on the oil capacity for the type 4.

As far as concerns about the overall length of the oil circuit, I don't have any. This is basically the same design as Porsche used on a number of their production cars, with the oil cooler residing in the left front wheel well (911, 930), or centralized up front in a cowling (917, 916). Further many Baja, autocross, and IMSA racers use a similar overall design. As long as the walls of the oil lines cannot expand, you have a decent hydraulic circuit with no pressure loss, and minimal increase in load on the motor due to the friction of pushing the oil through the lines.

As for "draining all the oil during oil changes", I don't plan to. In the same way that you only change *most* of the transmission fluid during an automatic transmission service, that is precisely how my oil changes will work. Of the 7.1 quarts of oil in my system, I will change out approximately 4.4 quarts with a filter change, leaving about 2.7 quarts unchanged. No big deal. I get mostly new oil. I still see this as far better than the overworked, overheated 3.7 quarts VW put in the design.

Finally, "drainback" shouldn't be a problem. The thermostat operates as a check valve, as does a quality oil filter. Once the system is filled (during install) it shouldn't ever need to be drained again. I may break the seal to install a second cooler if this one doesn't cut the mustard. I may need to replace the rubber/braided hoses at some point, but probably not any time soon. Other than those situations, it is a closed circuit, and won't drain back into the crankcase.

I had a similar set up on my first 1976, and it worked great. That motor lasted more miles than I can count, (cuz the odometer broke). It was one of those "Quick-cool" 8-pass jeebers. Not the best cooler, but it helped.

Hope this helps.

G. Matthew Bulley Bulley-Hewlett & Associates www.bulley-hewlett.com Cary, NC USA 888.468.4880 tollfree


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