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Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:33 am

I have a 69 Westy, 1600 SP, and just noticed a rod, on the front side of the oil cooler shroud wired (bypassed etc??). The rod appears to be wired as if biased towards the right position.

Would this be the position that allows maximum airflow through the shroud/oil cooler?

Fri Mar 19, 2010 10:25 am

Right as installed in the bus or when viewed from the front when the engines out?
Bar to the right of the bus is flaps closed and if it's wired like that the engine won't live long at all.

Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:42 pm

Perhaps the best way to describe it is; with motor installed, and me sitting in the drivers seat, the bar is pushed over to the right and wired in that position.

Is this bad???

Is there any way we can tell discharge from the shroud/cooler, or does the fan air then go around the cylinders after leaving cooler etc???

Trust me, I'm gonna get boned-up on this ASAP, but I'm currently in the middle of a paint project, and if you can help save me a step getting into the book, I sure would appreciate it

Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:23 pm

VAVWFAN wrote: Is this bad???

Oh yeah, how long has it been like that?
The air through the cooler doesn't change but the flaps restrict the air to cool the cylinders and heads, stretched valves, rings that lose thier temper and siezed pistons all come from lack of cooling.

There was a spring that connected between a hole in the bar closer to the right side and either the lug ontop of the case seam if it's non doghouse or to the lower corner of the doghouse, either one pulled the bar to the left of the bus (drivers side in North America, side the battery isn't on, side the slider door isn't on for LHD, side away from the gas cap, etc..) when the thermostat fails.

Fri Mar 19, 2010 4:58 pm

Well, I bought the bus in January, so who knows. The bar is definately pused toward the gas can (right side), and it's safty wired in place.

Me thinks I have to move it towrds the left (No. America) drivers side to get full affect of cooling.

Funny thing was, I just had the bus in nA VW shop; they pulled the engine to take gas tank out for welding, and they wrote-up a bunch of other BS stuff (and fixed without my OK), yet they missed this?!?

I'm gonna fish around to make sure they even pulled the engine (check for finger prints, bolts disturbed etc), because these guys billed themselves as VW experts and charged accordingly ($80 bucks an hour)

To say I'm pissed is an understatement!!

Sat Mar 20, 2010 7:08 am

Indeed the engine would have to come out for gas tank repair. Any reputable vintage VW repair shop would have noticed/recommended that the flap assembly cross bar was wired in the closed position. And what a simple fix, remove the wiring and install the fail safe spring. With that, at least your flaps are open.

Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:42 am

It may be hard to get another shop to squeal on that shop, but you may want to get a pro involved and get a camera to document what you do if your intent is to get your money back.