TheSamba.com :: View topic - Oil Cooler ports for Manual Vanagon transaxle

Thu Jun 22, 2023 8:46 am

I have one. I think mine seeps oil through the faceplate, been a minute since I've been under there but I think I spotted a leak somewhere. It is pretty freakin loud.

Thu Jun 22, 2023 8:53 am

The faceplate is likely fixable. I was worried it might be loud; that's too bad. Probably not much you can do about that.

What's freakin loud? Can you hear it on the highway? Do you wish you had spent more on a quieter pump?

Thu Jun 22, 2023 8:57 am

You can easily hear it on the highway at 70mph. If a more expensive pump is inaudible at highway speeds, then yes. However, If you run it for 30 seconds after finishing a long drive to filter the oil, I guess it doesn't matter too much.

Next time the trans comes down, I'm removing it. If I actually do any towing in the future, then I'll consider reinstalling it. At this point, it's just another failure point that is giving me more anxiety.

Thu Jun 22, 2023 9:14 am

Interesting. Yes, mine would be running constantly; as soon as the oil gets warm. That might be too much noise.

Thanks for your response.

Thu Jun 22, 2023 9:55 am

If you have a good transmission and stay around 70mph, you certainly don't need the oil cooler. The filtering is good to have, sure.

I had my trans rebuilt a few years ago and Rancho installed both a GT Gears 4th gear and a 4th gear oiling plate. The oiling plate half blocks the return oil stream if you use the fill hole. However, I'm fairly certain it's still mostly spilling onto the gear. The oiling plate is curved and oil would hit it and then keep going along until the edge where it would meet the gear.

The Amarine is way too annoying to run constantly. I did this for the first 200 miles of my transmission's break in period and it was rough. The filter did get a lot of trash out of the trans though.

Fri Aug 02, 2024 5:45 am

During my daily endless samba rabbit-holes, I'm curious if anyone has any updates on gear oil pumps they installed?

-$500 Weddle/TurboWerx unit

-$250 diaphragm pump, sold under many names

- $75-$150 used BMW pump and cooler unit (I'd really like to know if anyone went further then the initial bench testing on these. )

- $75 China oil pump sold under many names and descriptions.

Thank you

Fri Aug 02, 2024 6:04 pm

This is what I am planing on using. Its rated for continues duty cycle. We use them at work and they are more reliable then the tilton ones he had being using.
https://www.jmesales.com/marco-up2-oil-12v-gear-oil-pump-3-8-in-npt-21-8-psi-3-3-ft-self-priming/
Photo of cooler port in 091 selctor housing I'm going with, posted in the 091 transaxle thread.

Fri Aug 02, 2024 8:37 pm

I used a Mocal 17-311 pump. It's reversible, self-priming, and waterproof. Also, it's very quiet--I can't hear it running unless I lean down under the van and listen carefully.

I also used this flow thermostat that limits flow to the cooler rad to keep the oil at 145F. I haven't had to use the fan on the rad yet, but my TDI isn't installed yet either.

https://www.improvedracing.com/compact-high-flow-engine-transmission-oil-cooler-thermostat.html

Sat Aug 03, 2024 12:35 pm

I’d duplicate that oil channel that feeds the thrust gap between 4th & the mainshaft bearing.

Maybe try to nozzle the fitting to point at it.

Sat Aug 03, 2024 1:31 pm

Unfortunately, the transaxle going back in is already assembled. That was a mock up for location in my old core parts. But I agree that would be a very good modification to do. I have drilled the fitting in the rebuilt one. I used your suggestion to pressurize the case through the vent and used a vacuum and grease to minimize the swarth dropping into the fresh rebuild. Worked like a charm! Just finished bolting it up to engine/chassis. Next project is fitting cooler system and tidy up some.Hoping to road test tomorrow :roll: