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Sat Jul 09, 2016 3:07 pm

OK, so I'm tired of dealing with the oil temperature. I have a '66 with a stock 1600. Timing good. 30Pict3 with the main jet enlarged one size, and a stock distributor. The jet was enlarged when I had a 009. I seem to be OK driving around, but on the expressway, after around 15 miles @ 70mph, my dipstick temperature warning, starts flashing. Engine starts and runs fine. Valves adjusted. The warning probe has been checked for accuracy.
Now, I'm ready to put in an external oil cooler, but viewing You Tube, the videos show plugging the oil pump inlet, and running the return hose back to the main oil galley. These oil pump covers only have the pressure line coming out. My question is, that if I use this oil pump cover on my, I think 26mm pump, do I need to plug that hole on the pump? I guess while I'm at it, I'll add an oil filter.

Sat Jul 09, 2016 3:32 pm

If you use that cover - with its oil pump - then you don't need to plug anything. I hope that used unit is in good shape. Yes, adding an oil filter is a great idea. If you do add an external oil cooler this way then you'd also be utilizing the stock oil cooler.

Myself: I've used a combination filter/pump for over 3 decades, Maxi2 from CB Performance. I use only a fan shroud mounted external oil cooler on my 1835cc engine, plumbed into the stock cooler location. Note that many on this board frown upon external cooler like I have, but I've been using this for 4 decades in Arizona desert....

Sat Jul 09, 2016 3:56 pm

The oil pump was new when I rebuilt the engine. I just used the stock cover because I wasn't going to use the plumbing. Now, I'm getting fed up with the temp problem. The tennis ball adds a few miles, but the same result. I was hoping to find a convertible lid I could afford, but that didn't happen.
Thanks for the reply. I had a feeling that the cover was all I needed to change, just not sure.

Sat Jul 09, 2016 4:40 pm

What oil temps are you seeing? And how are you measuring the temps?
I currently have a thread in the performance forum that questions what is an acceptable engine oil temp. At the time it seems that 220* is an acceptable oil temp. If your above that you may want to have a look at what's causing your temps to get where they are. Like are all the engine tins in place. Are all of the openings in the engine compartment sealed.
Good Luck.

Sat Jul 09, 2016 5:50 pm

planenut wrote: I just used the stock cover because I wasn't going to use the plumbing. Now, I'm getting fed up with the temp problem.

Hmmm- you used a plain cover on a pump designed to push the oil outside the pump ....maybe this caused your high temperatures ???

Sun Jul 10, 2016 10:56 am

All the regular things to check have been done long ago. All tins good shape, and I even sealed the gaps with sealant. Oil pressure is great. My dipstick warning goes off at 225 degrees, but if I don't back down to about 60, it'll come on steady. Yes, the accuracy has been checked.
As far as the oil pump cover plate goes, the oil pump doesn't know or care what cover plate it has, as long as it's flat and not worn. If I had used the plate with the fittings, I'd had to trim tin, which I didn't want to do until I was sure I needed to. At least with this cover, I won't have to pull the pump.
I know some people think that if a bigger engine in an older car overheats, something's wrong. I think 'wrong' is the fact it can't get enough air. Why it still gets hot with the tennis ball is a wonder. Maybe it needs a bigger tennis ball. Maybe it needs a newer cooler. I haven't checked if there's a better cooler that fits as factory. Too many people have the same problem. Everyone I talked to said their problem was fixed with an external cooler. That's my next choice.

Thanks for the info and ideas.

Mon Jul 11, 2016 3:11 am

what oil are you using, have you checked the oil relief plunger(s) and spring(s)?

Mon Jul 11, 2016 6:32 am

20W50 ZR1, and both plungers have been replaced with the later style.

Mon Jul 11, 2016 8:30 am

Post an image of the oil pump used. That must match the cover used.

You really do not need to use an oil cooler on a stock size engine, but instead find the cooling problem if there really is one.

Also check oil pressure relief springs.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=219719&highlight=relief+valve+spring+length

Air correction jet will lean out the mixture at higher RPMs if you are using too big of that jet.

Mon Jul 11, 2016 10:58 am

planenut wrote: 20W50 ZR1, and both plungers have been replaced with the later style.

Some have said 20w50 is too much. They tried 10w30 and problem away.

Mon Jul 11, 2016 11:27 am

change to 10-30, I'll bet your oil temp issues disappear along with the axle grease you drained out.

Mon Jul 11, 2016 12:23 pm

^^ Solid advice.

The problem with high viscosity oils in aircooled motors is that they can affect the operation of the oil pressure relief valve. The high viscosity oils can prevent the valve being fully closed at high rpm due to higher oil pressure, and you need that valve closed to flow all the oil through the cooler when it's hot.

You also need that lower viscosity oil to flow more volume through the cooler which allows better heat transfer. This point was driven home when VW redesigned the valve in the Type 3 1500S model so it would flow even more hot oil through the cooler. That motor tended to run a bit on the warm side, so the new valve when closed bled some of the oil back into the crankcase after it goes through the cooler rather than forcing it all through the bearings.

Use the stock plungers and springs designed for the case. Standard sized oil pump and no oil over 30W.

Mon Jul 11, 2016 1:51 pm

My auto parts only carries the VR1 in 20W50, but I ordered a case. That sounds reasonable, and anxious to try it. Thanks.

Mon Jul 11, 2016 2:40 pm

There is a "new formulation" VR1 racing oil in 30 weight that NAPA is carrying. No details on the new formulation, but it is claimed to be high ZDDP.

Mon Sep 26, 2016 8:25 am

Thanks, that's my next oil to try.

Sat Oct 01, 2016 11:49 am

OK, for an update. I replaced the 30mm oil pump with a 26mm one, and played with my oil viscosity and it helped, but I still had problems. Bottom line is that I bought a softer spring from the hardware store and played with the length until I got my oil pressure down to an acceptable range. I drove it all day yesterday, without the tennis ball, and did not have my temp warning flicker at all. The only issue I'm still not sure about is that with my car at 70 MPH, I'm turning around 3400, which puts my oil pressure around 44 PSI. That's bumping the upper limit of the oil cooler valve. I did drive it on a short 20 mile trip at 70, and didn't have a problem, but that was only on an 80 degree day. Anyway, it's 90% better than it was. At least I feel I can take it on a drive without it overheating. I'm now a believer about the high oil pressure being our enemy. Thanks John Connolly for steering me in the right direction.

Sat Oct 01, 2016 12:04 pm

This is good news. =D> =D> =D>
But what is the oil weight that you ended up with? I'm sure others are curious.
Congrats.

Mon Oct 03, 2016 6:08 pm

The last oil I had was 0W20, during the last part of experimenting. After playing with the oil control spring, I wanted to change it, but all the VR-1 I had was 10W30, which is what I used on the last drive. I really didn't see much difference between the 0W20, and 10W30. I found out that Valvoline doesn't make the VR-1 in 0W20, but I think they do in 5W20. I'll have to order that, as the auto parts don't stock it. The reason I changed it was I had an oil leak after the oil pump change, and pulled the pump and put more new gaskets on it. I didn't want to put the 0W20 back in because it wasn't VR-1. So, hopefully the lower, normal, oil pressure is the fix.