Steven

Hello Steven....

I read up on your posts on the oil cooling setup you have put in
recently. Just wondering what the long term results of your
mods are. Any problems others could look out for? I'm in the middle of mounting my oil cooler in the same location you have,
in the rear fender behind the tire. Any problems you came across with this location, how about debris from the tire hitting the cooler in that location. Anybody else have experiance with mounting the cooler in this location?

Lastly, the hole in the firewall trick for the fan....any additional noise inside the cockpit (with the top up) from this mod?

J-P

I have had zero problems with this set-up. My oil at 75mph after 20 minutes is stable at 210f on 90f outside air temperature. It also runs a little cooler on cold days, but doesn't change a whole lot. Around town and driving under 55mph the oil runs at 190f after normal warm up. This system works like a charm, but I do have only a 2007cc engine. If I had a bigger engine I'm sure it would be necessary to put on the 356 pulley with the welded and balanced fan. And I also have a somewhat restrictive exhaust with a catalytic converter so that doesn't help, but everything is happily within my comfort level.

The hole that I cut doesn't honestly seem to make anything louder, but I have only had the top up three times since doing the modifications.

No problems with road debris and about 3000 miles on the car since the mod was completed.

double post

I used black electrical tape for the wiring conections and then did the lighter trick to melt it a little (poor mans heat shrink). I should have used heat shrink, but after 3000 miles and several downpours at highway speeds it has never failed. As for the oil lines I used the ones that came with the kit from Summit Racing. Nothing fancy but good heat resistance. I made a braket to hold them up a little over the exhaust header and the fan I installed at almost a 45 degree angle to give the cooler maximum space between the side wall and the fender. I would love to give some pictures but I'm having trouble with work right now.....they expect me to do some....and it is really cutting into my play time.

So Steve...did you mount both cooler and the fan at a 45 deg. angle to the sidewall? I imagine that would help get more air to the system. If so, what did you use for brackets?

J-P

JP,

I've had basically the same Results & Heat Rejection Temps that Steven has experienced with my Cooler/Fan in the L/R Wheelwell.

In speaking with several others Speedster Owners and the Local VW People in my area I feel there is a better more effective location for the Cooler/Fan Assemble then in the L/R Wheelwell.

I feel as well as the other individuals I've discussed this area with
a better location is near the Firewall and position the Cooler/Fan at a 45 degree angle. There is one area of concern, is to take note that the leaving air from the cooler should not "Migrate" to the Fan Shroud Air Intake. This will increase the "Temper Supply Air Temperature" into the Fan Shroud and could effect negatively the Cylinder/Barrel Temperature.

I've had best results regarding Engine Oil Heat Dissipation in Kendal GT-1 40W Racing Oil. The Oils tested have been Valvoline, Pennsoil and Castrol; all have been mono-viscosity. I plan to test Torquo Racing Oil Next.

I utilize 40W in the Summer and 30W in the Winter.

The motive for Mono-viscosity Oil use is the design of the Oil Pump & Impeller Tollerance. When Dr. Porsche invented the VW Engine, Multi-Viscosity Oils were not considered so "Thinner or smaller Viscosity Oils", will result in a "Pressure Drop" because the "Oil Pump Curve" was not designed for lower then 30W Oil. After market current manufactured oil pumps may have a different impeller tollerance and 20-50W or Synthetic Oils may be considered because the current pump design may have the thinner oil viscosity designed into the "Pump Curve".

Sorry for the Lengthly Speech!

Good Luck,

Jack Blake

Yes I mounted the whole thing at a 45 degree angle....I will try and post some pictures yet tonight of the brackets.

some pictures in above post and here....hope it helps

I did cut the top bracket on the unit so that only the center 4" of attachment area was remaining and redrilled attachment holes. This allows the unit to go up in wheel well a little further and allows the unit to be back just a little bit more. If you don't do this the bracket hits at the top where the fender starts to curve sooner then it really needs to and would push the unit down a little more and forward a little more.

Thank You Steven for the pics...a big help. I like the idea of getting the cooler away from the wheel well area so air can get to it. Looks like a nice install. By the way what tire size and brand tire are you running?


I agree with Jake about the oil. So far Kendall oil in either 20/50 or the straight cut 40w has been the best so far reguarding oil temps. Good thing I've got a big distributor here for that oil, only 2.00 a quart when you buy it in a case.

As for mounting the cooler above the tranny...don't like it. I found that air gets up in there and the cooler works well until all the air starts to heat up. I also had the cooler spaced 2" off the wall to get air behind the cooler as well, even a fan was attached. At one point I added a duct that grabbed air from the bottom of the car and directed it up there, big improvement but I'd rather not have all that ducting under the car. Just what I found, it that location cooled the car down the cooler would still be there. Running a 2110 needs more cooling.

J-P

Jack, the VW oil pump is a twin gear unit; in my experience with VW and Porsche engines end-float on the pump gears is usually excessive, and reducing it to .001" does wonders for the engine oil pressure regardless of the oil used.

George: You must have found the same result as the Berg folks, as they recommend using two oil pump paper gaskets - one that is thicker (VW# 111-115-131A )for between the engine case and the pump body, and a thinner one (VW# 111-115-131B ) between the pump body and the cover.

BTW: their instructions go into great detail to show you how to measure (and correct, if necessary) clearances between the cam gear mounting bolts and the back of the oil pump for whichever cam gear/bolts you might have, and even MORE instructions for you to get the drive gear peoperly positioned on the drive shaft such that the shaft fits properly into the cam slot, and the gear has the proper clearance to the inside of the cover. The instructions wouldn't necessarily get it down to .001", but now that I've read your post I can certainly take my time and tune it in.

BTW: I sent you an email (your earthlink account) looking for suggestions for priming my cooler/filter assy the first time. I want to pre-fill the cooler, filter and connected hoses with oil BEFORE I crank the engine over to prime the pump and the rest of the circuit, but I'm looking for good ideas about how best to do this (Gravity prime? Pressurized oil bleeder? Stand on an old wineskin full of oil? Other?)

Thanks, gn

Tire size is yokohama 195/60/R15 something after that but I can't remember.

Also looking for any ideas on the below subject.

( I want to pre-fill the cooler, filter and connected hoses with oil BEFORE I crank the engine over to prime the pump and the rest of the circuit, but I'm looking for good ideas about how best to do this (Gravity prime? Pressurized oil bleeder? Stand on an old wineskin full of oil? Other?))

When I change oil, it takes forever to get oil pressure back up just cranking the engine.

Thanks, Bob

Gordon, Jean-Paul & Robert,

Regarding a "Pre-Lube" Unit to compensate for "Cold Start & Hot Start" without "Oil Pressure", I utilize an Accu-sump. There are several units on the market and some are referred to as an "Accumliator".

George Brown has one on his new ride I believe.

The Accu-sump works this way. It has a capacity of 3 qts of oil. there is a ball valve on the enter/leaving side of the unit. On the opposite side is a "Pressure Gauge". You would plumb a "Tee" fitting after the Oil Cooler and the line attaches to the enter/leaving Ball valve on the Accu-sump. You "Open" the Ball Valve and add 3 qts. of extra oil to the engine. Start the engine with the Ball Valve still "Open" (Open-is very important). The Extra 3 qts ill "Migrate" via oil pressure in the oiling system and the Extra 3qts of oil will fill the "Accu-sump". With the Engine Running, "Close the Ball Valve. Turn engine off. You now have the engine full of oil at its normal dip stick level and the Accu-sump full as well. There is a schrader valve on the opposite side of the ball valve on the Accu-sump. Add pressue to the schrader valve (either "Air" or Dry Nitroge) until roughly 8-10 pounds registers on the Accu-sump pressure gauge. Now the Accu-sump is charged.

For Cold start, open the Ball Valve and the pressure inside the Accu-sump will force the 3qts of oil into the oiling system. (Your Oil Pressure Gauge will register Engine Oil Pressure if you have an "Oil Line going direct to the Gauge", Electric gauges may not register until the engine starts).

With the Engine running, Engine Oil Pressure will be greater then the 8-10 Pounds inside the Accu-sump and force the 3 qts. back into the Accu-sump. Hot Start, same procedure.

Inside the Accu-sump there is a "O-Ringed Chamber" separating the "Oil Side & Pressure Side". Your engine oil pressure is greater then the pressure inside the Accu-sump and this will remove the extra 3 qts of oil from the engine and back into the Accu-sump. When the engine is running, close the Ball Valve.

Kanten Oil Pans makes a similar unit besides the Accu-sump.

Good Luck,

Jack Blake

Bob: (Edited after first post)

Don't know what to tell you.......do you have an external cooler and filter or is your engine running a stock VW cooler?

If you normally have good oil pressure, then you should see the oil light go out after 5 - 10 seconds of cranking without the plugs in, even if you have some external lines. If your engine is worn and oil pressure is generally low, it might take a while of cranking (10 - 30 seconds?) to get pressure up. If I've done an oil change, I usually just fire it right up and let it idle and the oil pressure comes right up (like within 2 - 5 seconds or so), ESPECIALLY if you've pre-filled the filter (if you have an external one).

On pre-lubing my system the first time, I bought 10 feet of 3/4 ID vinyl plastic hose and a fitting to go onto the oil line that normally attaches to my oil pump outlet. I'll connect the hose to that, and support the vinyl hose from the ceiling of my garage and fill it with oil, letting it gravity feed into the oil lines, through the cooler and out the oil filter mount. I'll have a filter pre-filled with oil (poured in both sides til filled) and when the oil starts coming out of the filter mount, after passing through the cooler, I'll spin on the filter. As the oil continues to gravity flow, I'll wait til it starts to come out at the engine case fitting (the last place in the circuit) and then tighten that fitting. Lastly, I pull off the vinyl hose and connect the first fitting to the oil pump - Voila! Pre-filled...........Once this is done the first time, you DO NOT have to pre-fill the system after subsequent oil changes. Just change your oil and filter (that oil in the cooler and filter hoses will stay there), clean everything off and start it up and you should be all set.

gn

gn

Damn! That's slick! (no pun intended)

George told me about his at Carlisle and it looks really neat as it is mounted in his car, but I haven't gotten around to that level of sophistication, yet. This Summer I'll be happy just to get this cooler plumbed in (got my hoses today - Yeah!) and working right. Maybe next Winter I'll consider a pre-luber.........gn