Oil cooler fan switch?

David,

Generally speaking, your engine likes oil at about 200 degrees, give or take a few degrees.  When you add a cooler without a temperature switch or thermostat, it takes longer for your oil to get to the optimum temperature.  That longer time delay with colder oil results in additional engine wear.  Depending on time of year and climate in your area, the lack of an oil t-stat is more or less important.  Less important in Palm Springs or Phoenix than Buffalo or Fargo.  Contributing factors are your style of driving, i.e., short trips in a cold climate are hard on lubrication.

My advice is to buy the best equipment and lubricants you can afford, and change your oil at recommended intervals.  A well-tuned lubrication system is the lifeblood of an a/c engine.  Any equipment we buy can malfunction.  Buy the best quality parts you can afford, and only cry once.

David- Warm-ups will take longer and engine wear will accelerate by not using a thermostat for an auxilliary cooler. In cooler weather the engine may never reach proper operating temps. With an 1835, unless you're running sky high compression and a powerband that goes past 7,000rpm the car probably doesn't need an extra cooler. If the engine has high oil temps then something is wrong (compression is too high, the tune and/or the combo is wrong, the engine compartment doesn't have enough air access, have I forgotten anything?) and putting another cooler on it is a bandaid for the symptom and not treating the cause. Even with oil temps within reason, the heads could be running too hot and the engine will prematurely die somewhere down the road, probably at the most inopportune time and leaving you stranded only God knows where.

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but it's the best advice I can give. Al

If you run the cooler (and I'm in favor of it), run an oil thermostat. Getting the oil up to temp and keeping it in optimal range is a very good thing.

I agree though: I've never been super trustful of the EMPI set-up.

Mocal makes a really nice "sandwich" thermostat that mounts on your oil filter base. It's a few bucks more, but it's really clean and nice way to pipe to a remote oil cooler. Add a temp actuated fan switch, and Bob's your uncle.

I'm a huge fan of this set-up, as it can only help and can't possibly hurt. Al's right- there might be something out of whack if you need a remote cooler with an 1835. But then again, maybe you live in Phoenix and need all you can get. Regardless... if it were mine, I'd do a remote cooler right and let the chips fall where they fall. "Right" means a good bypass thermostat and a fan switch.

Don't skimp.

You need one of these:

http://vwparts.aircooled.net/M...sandwich-adapter.htm

^ that one. That's the Mocal part you need.

So why would the oil not get up to 180* by just running the entire circuit--engine to filter-to cooler and back to engine? We are only talking heating up what 1 extra quart and if it idles for 4-5 minutes would not all the oil in the system get to the same temp before loading the engine? 

You say it won't get to 180*--why not???? 

If I use a working oil temp gauge to see it get to 180* would that be the same as using the sandwich? Its not about the $$$--certainly not broke or rich but when talking to a VW rebuilder he says the fan inline switch does the same without restricting the oil and all oil gets to 180.

David,

Car owners frequently seem to be in the middle of a disagreement, with their mechanic allegedly telling them fact A, while SOC members are telling them fact B.  Usually, however, there is more agreement than disagreement.

What SOC members are telling you is that oil that is too cold is just as bad as oil that is too hot, since cold oil doesn't lubricate properly and causes undue wear.  You would need to wait for longer warm-up periods without an oil thermostat, since the function of the oil cooler is to remove heat.  Thus, if your oil cooler is working all the time, it takes longer to get up to operating temp.  You may be comfortable with that fact, but most owners want to decrease the additional engine wear that occurs when oil is under operating temp.

Depending on load, ambient air temps, and efficiency of your cooler, your oil cooler may only be needed occasionally at any rate.  BTW, oil thermostats are not considered unreliable.  They are an integral part of the improved lubricating system.  Your mechanic may have a prejudice against thermostats, but it's not a concern shared by most VW mechanics.  I suggest you do more research, since you still seem unconvinced.  There's lots of supporting research on line regarding the successful use of remote oil coolers and t-stats.

Remember that what an oil thermostat does is to help bring oil up to efficient temp quickly, thus reducing engine wear.  The t-stat won't open to allow oil to enter the cooler until the designated temp is reached. You may get your oil up to temp without one, but it takes longer and increases wear.  Since the cooler removes oil heat, it naturally takes longer to get to optimal operating temp. 

Thanks Jim. I'll probably be ordering the sandwich plate tmro--without the mayo and tomatoes--lol. Yes, many ways guys are doing things out there but protection of the engine is #1 concern that's why I removed the cooler the PO had placed at the rear of the shroud blocking the fan intake--dah!!!!!! Since it has an ext filter I'm thinking it is full flow--anyway to tell if that is how its set up? Have the cooler with fan already. Probably still going to put an inline stat inline for telling the fan when to turn on. Thanks again for jumping in--David

David- Is the filter attached to a couple of oil lines like this-

Put the fan thermostat at the 'out' side of the oil cooler.  That way the fan will only come on if the cooler can't get the oil below 180.

I was originally looking at the thermostat from CB Performance which is this part here:

http://www.cbperformance.com/P...asp?ProductCode=1724

According to CB's website they say it lets 5% of the oil flow through to the cooler and when the temps reach 180 degrees it opens and lets all of the oil flow to the cooler.

Does the sandwich from Mocal do the same thing or does it block all the oil from the cooler until the valve opens?

CB says their part does that to prevent air pockets and cold shock.

CB makes a lot of their own stuff (or has it made for them). They also sell some EMPI stuff that everybody sells as well.

Unless something has changed, the oil bypass they sell is an EMPI. The Mocal piece is an order of magnitude nicer. I cannot confirm, but can surmise that it also allows a bit of oil to bleed by.

If nothing else, it saves two hoses and cleans up the plumbing exponentially. 

That it is Stan.  I saw a photo someone posted of theirs installed and it certainly does look clean.  I will probably go this route then because I did like the fact it keeps things more tidy.

Yes that how it looks externally--didn't get any info from PO since he passed away and was purchased off widow.

Has the aluminum plate with hoses where the oem cooler tower was.

Dercale makes an inline stat that allows 10% of the oil to still flow to cooler and back and prevents air pockets. Anyone using this product?

http://www.etrailer.com/Access...s/Derale/D25792.html

Ordered from Amazom today.

Derale 1578 Thermostatic Sandwich Adaptor Kit

Thanks for the advice SOC