TheSamba.com :: View topic - Air Cooled Vanagon engine cooling sealing

Mon Sep 08, 2014 6:37 am

If that topic isnt convoluted enough..

So Im assembling a Recovery Vehicle out of a 1980 Vanagon. I scored a engine Ive cleaned up and installed. Now Im lucky enough to purchase an engine compartment seal for a whopping $130. Sure I can seal that gap with the correct seal..

But what about around the oil fill tube and the fresh air pipes going through the rear tin? Those 3 rubber items are NLA. What is everyone else doing to seal those gaps?

Ive used aluminized tape on a 74' Bus but thats because I just wanted it to go away. Ill be using this to help save stranded VWs...I dont want to become one of them.

Mon Sep 08, 2014 9:14 am

I have had good luck making grommets from fuel hose and vacuum hose. Cut the length you need and then split it length wise. It will snap around the sheet metal lip and should seal up fine. Makes more sense when you attempt it.

Another option would be door edge guard you can by in lengths at your local auto parts house.

Mon Sep 08, 2014 9:20 am

I have had very good luck with the rubber door edge guard for the smaller gaps. the larger (oil tube) I cut tin to fit and used red gasket maker to seal it in place.

Mon Sep 08, 2014 8:01 pm

So what ever I'm doing I'm going to have to rig something. :-(

Tue Sep 09, 2014 6:41 am

YUP, unless you have a great junkyard nearby and/or get lucky!

Tue Sep 09, 2014 7:24 am

For the fresh air pipes I used Dow Auto Glass Windshield Urethane. It dries into a rubber-like material that seals great and has held up well to the heat. The other day I had to remove the pipes and was happy to discover that it stayed with the tin and I could just plug the pipes back into it.

The gap for the oil filler tube was pretty big so I used some foam pipe jacketing for that. Seems to be holding up okay.

BTW...make sure you have the oft missing heat shield that attaches to the rear tin and projects rearward over the muffler.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1605086

I ran my Westy without it for a year and it was okay, but I really had to keep a close eye on the oil temp. I installed one last week and my oil temps are running about 20 degrees cooler now. I was surprised that it made such a big difference.

Tue Sep 09, 2014 7:29 pm

kerrvert wrote:

BTW...make sure you have the oft missing heat shield that attaches to the rear tin and projects rearward over the muffler.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1605086

I ran my Westy without it for a year and it was okay, but I really had to keep a close eye on the oil temp. I installed one last week and my oil temps are running about 20 degrees cooler now. I was surprised that it made such a big difference.

It's one of the parts I powder coated.

Are the rubber type 1 rear tin/fresh air tube o-ring seals the same size?

Tue Sep 09, 2014 8:22 pm

there are some seals still available, but you are best off making up the ones you need, as they might have fit straight off the line, but 30 years of use, previous owners with hammers prying tools etc, they likely would not fit now.

i recently had an aircooled engine apart, and found foot prints inside the tins

Wed Sep 10, 2014 9:12 pm

I was actually referring to something like this:
https://www.westcoastmetric.com/product/111-586B/s...bus_196879