Rear vent? Is it really necessary?

[0cean]

So the original vanagon was an air cooled van, so it makes sense to have as much airflow going into the engine compartment as possible. Then water cooled engines came along and the design of the rear vent never changed. Is it necessary to have the vent if you’re running a Subaru 2.2 and SS coolant pipes?

I’m thinking a mod involving the passenger rear air vent and movement of the gas filler/spicket/ nozzle thing for a Syncro

[16CVs]

Put your hand over your mouth and plug your nose and see if you really need all that air you are breathing .
Of course it needs those vents ,just because it is not Air Cooled it still needs air to run .
If you blocked those off you'd need another source of air to replace it .
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[Ahwahnee]

[denwood]

The stock snorkel setup does quiet the intake, particularly for diesels...and this sits in the passenger side vent. I also use the passenger side vent for intake air to an air/oil cooler. The AC condensate drain exits in both vents. The driver side uses the vent area for AC line routing and drain, otherwise that side does nothing.

Other than that, you could plug the vents.
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Cheers,
Dennis Wood
The Grape

[syncrodoka]

[luVWagn]

[brownbus78]

The unused vent also lets a good bit of heat out of the engine bay. Seeing as how there's no fan back there (unless you've got an air cooled van) it's a good thing. Look closely in your sideview mirror at the top of the vent on a calm day and you'll see the waves of heat flowing up out of there after the engine is up to temp.
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87 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Edition - sold
82 240D Diesel - recommissioned
85 380SE - laid up

[boof1306]

The way I see it it is wiser to put the unused vent to use rather than delete them.Oil cooler, intercooler, transcooler etc. Anyway that D pillar would look daft without the vent.

[Timwhy]

Yes, more air please!

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[danfromsyr]

in my brother's engine converted van we brought the engine bay coolant pressure cap up to behind that grill.
used a ATV pressure cap that allows use of an Expansion bottle
now no more troubles bleeding the radiator, it's a built in Libby bong..
just wish the German Engineers thought of it 1st so it's be that easy on all vans.

I plan to do the same when I do my next engine swap upgrade.

the vents are a low pressure zone, unless you add a ram air scoop like Timwhy (and others) did.

think of the rear vents as a heat chimney to remove all of the engine comaprtment hot air. before it soaks more heat into your rear matress pad.
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[denwood]

Coolant filler in d-pillar. That's smart.
_________________
Cheers,
Dennis Wood
The Grape

[danfromsyr]

there's a wide variety of these out there for ATVs and motorcycles

nearly free at a u-pull yard and only a few bux from fleabay.

this is what we used.
top nipple goes to expansion bottle behind license plate
large bottom nipple T-s to the Heater return (T-stat bypass) hose
middle 2 nipples (redundant only need 1) burb air bubbles from the hot water out engine to radiator large line (tap in at a high point to capture air bubbles)

http://www.google.com/search?q=polaris+sportsman+7...mp;bih=982

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[0cean]

[72wagun]

[danfromsyr]

Hmmmm very interesting though not sure something I'd do..

but maybe you'd get another Gal or 2?

[furrylittleotter]

You most certainly do not need the air vents. I filled mine last year and the van ran great, first with an svx plant, now with a 2.2. I filled them with steel from a scrap van. As far as warm air entering the intake; 1. there is so much turbulence under a vanagon I would wager the air temp in a suby equipped van is not much higher than ambient 2. Higher intake air temps supposedly give higher mpgs. (slightly less performance though). I moved my filler to the right side of the passenger seat platform, between the seat and door. Even more stealthy. It is a sealed system. There are no fumes.

[0cean]

I’m thinking of just plugging the passenger’s side by adding a fuel entry port. The Subaru air intake is on the driver’s side and it’s not an enclosed engine bay, so I think it's do-able. Thanks for the feedback. Its helping me in my crazy quest.