TheSamba.com :: View topic - Fitment of Doghouse Fan Shroud and Oil Cooler with pics

Sun Jul 08, 2012 2:35 pm

I'm doing some test-fitting of these components prior to installation on a fresh built engine and I wanted to see what you all thought about what I consider to be fitment issues and gaps in the cooling system.

Hopefully the pics show up in this post.

I've got the Hoover Bit and am not sure how far the shroud slides down over the cooler/ Hoover Bit. Once it's getting mounted to the engine I'm sure it would be more clear, but for the purposes of sealing all of this area up (if need be), I need to know if it goes up into the shroud further.

If you recommend weatherstripping, please let me know what product I would be shopping for.

Mon Jul 09, 2012 8:19 pm

I am also curious to know more about these, as I will soon be putting together my long block with its stock German shroud and tinware.

Anyone??

Mon Jul 09, 2012 8:58 pm

Thats a repro fan shroud, right? They use a different Hoover bit. The opening there is different for whatever reason. I think Awesome Powdercoat sell the modded bit. I just cut a piece of metal to the right shape to fill the gap and riveted it onto mine.

The little gaps in the ducting I covered with foil tape. Its hidden, so it doesn't look too ghetto.

Mon Jul 09, 2012 10:36 pm

Good call on Awesome Powdercoat...that's where this entire kit came from!

I bought the Hoover Bit + the shroud from Clark @ Awesome Powdercoat so I assumed they were the right parts.

As my engine job is nearing completion, I began to skip ahead a little, wanting to make sure tins were going to fit.

I think it will just take a little bit of wiggling + foam insulation tape + (maybe) your idea of adding a piece of sheet metal to the area.

Am I correct in thinking that area ("A" in the picture should be mostly free of ANY air gap?

Mon Jul 09, 2012 11:27 pm

1971GhiaCoupe wrote: Am I correct in thinking that area ("A" in the picture should be mostly free of ANY air gap?

Yes that will force air to flow through the cooler rather than out through the gap

Tue Jul 10, 2012 5:56 pm

Rather than quickly turning to weatherstripping I'd try to rely on judicious bending first, tinsnips and rivets for fill pieces second, and finally to a high temp RTV product used as caulking.

I'd be concerned about a weatherstripping product's inability to stand the heat of being proximate to hot engine pieces.

A wide jawed pair of visegrips can make subtle bends that will not seem like crummy alterations, at least at first glance. Smaller jawed pliers can finish the work without he need to resort to the most obvious choice of reshaping tool - the hammer.

You do want to do the best possible job of containing the cooling air so that as much of it as possible is directed to where it is most needed.

Tue Jul 10, 2012 10:10 pm

Is it me, or is that shroud all bent hell in the area your talking about?
Looks like it got dropped and damaged in shipping?

Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:04 am

Better shots? You tell me...

Wed Jul 11, 2012 4:30 am

The gap you see at the bottom is because the shroud is bent. It was probably damaged during shipping.

1971GhiaCoupe wrote: Better shots? You tell me...

- Andrew in Austin, TX -

Wed Jul 11, 2012 4:48 am

There is a sheet metal bar used for joining sections of square metal duct, it's sometimes called z-bar. It's profile is of a flattened letter Z, and is intended to seal pieces that don't align perfectly. If the piece overlaps at one end, and gaps at the other, the bar accommodates for that without any trimming. I used some short pieces to fix poor fitting doghouse cooler tin on my 1835. Took a little bit of tweaking to get it nice and tight, but was worth it. The plus is that the seams are very air tight, which is not always the case if you simply screw some metal over the gap. Give it a shot.

Wed Jul 11, 2012 8:27 am

aryue wrote: The gap you see at the bottom is because the shroud is bent. It was probably damaged during shipping.

1971GhiaCoupe wrote: Better shots? You tell me...

- Andrew in Austin, TX -

It still kinda looks like a normal aftermarket shroud to me. They are made weird at that spot. Still a bad angle. Can you post a pic looking straight down inside the shroud in that area?

Wed Jul 11, 2012 9:54 am

Clark is great to deal with...have you tried sending him these pictures yet? I know I made a few goofs when installing my tin kit from him and he was very quick to help

Wed Jul 11, 2012 5:32 pm

the2ndcashboy wrote: aryue wrote: The gap you see at the bottom is because the shroud is bent. It was probably damaged during shipping.

- Andrew in Austin, TX -

It still kinda looks like a normal aftermarket shroud to me. They are made weird at that spot. Still a bad angle. Can you post a pic looking straight down inside the shroud in that area?

So, you get dented a piece of sheet metal with an aftermarket shroud that was not of the German original design?

The Chinese word for that extra bit of fine tuning referred to as "priceless".

- Andrew in Austin, TX -

Wed Jul 11, 2012 5:59 pm

the2ndcashboy wrote: aryue wrote: The gap you see at the bottom is because the shroud is bent. It was probably damaged during shipping.

1971GhiaCoupe wrote: Better shots? You tell me...

- Andrew in Austin, TX -

It still kinda looks like a normal aftermarket shroud to me. They are made weird at that spot. Still a bad angle. Can you post a pic looking straight down inside the shroud in that area?

search "awesome powdercoat" on youtube, many videos. The guy is from woodstock. I thought about his promoted "original German dog house with powdercoat, etc, but who knows. His complete kit was I think just under $1,000.

Wed Jul 11, 2012 6:14 pm

1971GhiaCoupe wrote: Better shots? You tell me...

looks like the scat powder coat kit, but I would say you need to mount it all to the engine.. which it sounds like your not ready to yet anyways so I wouldn't worry too much right now, you may find it will all come together nicely once properly mounted

Wed Jul 11, 2012 6:30 pm

aryue wrote: the2ndcashboy wrote: aryue wrote: The gap you see at the bottom is because the shroud is bent. It was probably damaged during shipping.

- Andrew in Austin, TX -

It still kinda looks like a normal aftermarket shroud to me. They are made weird at that spot. Still a bad angle. Can you post a pic looking straight down inside the shroud in that area?

So, you get dented a piece of sheet metal with an aftermarket shroud that was not of the German original design?

The Chinese word for that extra bit of fine tuning referred to as "priceless".

- Andrew in Austin, TX -

It really doesnt look damaged from the angles we've seen. He may have sent you the wrong "hoover bit" though. Check out the link, 3rd, 4th, and 5th pictures.

http://www.awesomepowdercoat.com/hoover_bits.html

Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:32 pm

It's not the same Hoover bit as I just got from him. Mine has an extra piece on it to fill in the gap. I'm using a scat 36hp shroud all from Clark. I did have to bend that area out (where the small hole for the thermostat return spring is) because it was very tight around the oil cooler but once I did the whole shroud slid right in place

Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:52 pm

I just made a little piece of metal to fill that gap and welded it to the shroud. I then wrapped the bases of the oil cooler with weatherstrip. Piece of cake.

Mock it up in cardboard and then transfer to metal. If you don't have a welder you could pop rivet in place or use some sheet metal screws.

Thu Jul 12, 2012 7:39 am

That section of shroud is/was bent upward and would be pretty easy to make right. If you don't I think there will be a problem when the oil cooler is bolted on to the engine case and the shroud fitted down into it's completed place.

Checking it with individual parts like this can give a whole different result when aactually installing the tin for use.

If tin is right it goes into place fairly easily but if it's got various small things bent or dicked up the installation and getting all the screw holes to align can be quite a tussle.

Thu Jul 12, 2012 11:04 am

So, I e-mailed Clark @ Awesome Powdercoat following one of the recommendations made in this thread. He's AWESOME!

Turns out, I ordered this kit from him so long ago that he didn't have his revised/ improved design made at that point in time. Didn't take him long to #1) see the problem and #2) Offer a sollution OR THREE!!

He's great...he's going to send me a piece of tin that can be added to the existing Hoover Bit and we're in business.

Thanks to all of you who came up with the creative ideas to get it dialed in!

Thanks,
Erik

Quote: Chris659

Posted: Yesterday 9:54 am Post subject:

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Clark is great to deal with...have you tried sending him these pictures yet? I know I made a few goofs when installing my tin kit from him and he was very quick to help