TheSamba.com :: View topic - Is your doghouse running hot here's one reason why

Fri Aug 16, 2002 6:39 pm

I see a lot of folks talking about their engines running hot Gee whiz! I've been into Vw's for at least 20 years and nearly every doghouse engine I have come across is missing an important piece of tin that seals leaking air from around the cooler. According to tests done by Gene Berg a ways back it can make a 10 degree temp difernce in cooling. It's an "L" shaped piece of tin attached to the base of the oil cooler. Everyone takes it off figuring they know better than the German designers.

While I am on my soap box i have also noticed nearly every engine is missing the thermostat and air flaps. People gut them out thinking they obstruct air flow. Again the designers had them installed for a very good reason. Try this: hold your palm in front of your face and blow at it. Now take a straw and do the same thing. Notice any differnce in temperature betweeen the two experiments? Uh Huh the directed air flow is cooler. Your engine will be too with the flaps installed they direct the cooling air just where it needs to go not all over the place. Ok I'm done blowing hot air. Tim

Fri Aug 16, 2002 6:48 pm

Makes sence to me.

Thanks

Fri Aug 16, 2002 7:07 pm

Where is the difference registered? Oil temp? Cyl head??? or ??? Great point, I also reccomend if you have the fan housing off for any reason or are building one up, put some type of foam seal on the cooler itself like the factory did, there is 1/4 to 3/8 inch area around the cooler that the air blows by. If you use the foam the air is pressurized and forced through the cooler in more direct manner via the laws of physics described by Bmountaintop...

Fri Aug 16, 2002 8:19 pm

Ya your right. Do you have a source for that missing piece of tin? Wouldn't mind having a few.

Sat Aug 17, 2002 4:28 pm

I've been looking at engines for awhile like many years and I have only come across three of them in all that time! Never have found a source for them. Happy hunting!

Sat Aug 17, 2002 7:07 pm

ah...the hoover bit

Sat Aug 17, 2002 7:08 pm

I have some in a pile of oil coolers an floating around in misc boxes of the "other" small tin parts people leave off. May be a good time to warn type 2/4 owners if they are missing the rubber seal that fits on top of their cooler as well,
It really needs it.....
Hey Bmountaintop, what about those temps, I guess you mean oil is 10 degrees cooler???

Sun Aug 18, 2002 6:15 pm

Hi keiferner, regarding temperature I would asssume (if that is adviseable) that it is oil temp that is cooler but due to the fact that more cooling air is getting to the heads and cylinders too. I read about it on the Gene Berg website and some of their links. Tim

Mon Aug 19, 2002 6:44 am

Thanks, that what I assumed as well, I'll try and get a glimspe of that site....

Mon Aug 19, 2002 4:22 pm

I had a heck of a time finding the shutters and hardware for the dog house cooler. Most rebuild shops throw them out. I did manage to get some and when I do find them at diffrent shops they always give them to me.

Tue Aug 20, 2002 6:59 am

Type2.com has info on how to make your own out of alum angle iron.... a blueprint an all in their tech library....