TheSamba.com :: View topic - To run a stock oil cooler or aftermarket with a fan?

Sat Dec 06, 2025 9:14 pm

Fellas,
Putting together a type 3 engine and getting ready to mount the stock oil cooler, and was looking and it sure seems like the cooler would reduce a lot of the airflow to cylinder 3.
What are your opinions on eliminating it and running a external cooler with a fan and thermostat? Something i should mention is i live in Northern California and we regularly see temps of 115* in the summer so that is a major concern. (Reason for thinking about removing the stock cooler)
Anyways I always appreciate others opinions!

Sun Dec 07, 2025 7:26 am

I don't have a Type 3, but I'm in Phoenix so we see plenty of 115F. If your engine is stock, I'd say your stock oil cooler will do the job.

If you have a larger, more powerful engine, consider using both stock and a thermostat-controlled external oil cooler.

Sun Dec 07, 2025 7:43 am

VW's Type 3 engines were the first to get "high performance" parts. They got dual carbs back when they were single ports. They got dual ports in '67, years before Type 1 got dual ports. And... they got the big oil cooler years before the same oil cooler showed up on Type 1 on an "adapter". That's right, the "doghouse" style cooler was originally a Type 3 part.

It worked properly then so it should work properly now.

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Sun Dec 07, 2025 12:47 pm

I'm not a type 3 guy but that's what I do on a type 1, it's far from stock though fwiw.

Mon Dec 08, 2025 9:33 am

I live in Vegas and commute in my air cooleds year around. My 36hp only has a stock oil cooler and it has never ran hot. I added an external cooler to my dual carb 1835cc because oil temps broke 220*. For my new 1835cc I'm building it's going to be much closer to stock, and so I will be opting for no auxiliary oil cooler. I think it will be fine, I imagine you should be fine as well if you have a mild engine and all the tin is in place.

Mon Dec 08, 2025 10:03 am

Unless any of you run a CHT under #3 you're just guessing at what hot is. On my type 1 #3 runs the hottest even with the stock cooler removed and with the latest and greatest shrouds that are supposed to deliver pretty equal air distribution. While running it stock probably does work just fine, if you're looking to have less wear and tear from heat on the 3-4 side and are inclined to go external cooler, I see no downside to it. Maybe it saves the engine on a 120 degree day under some unusual load scenario or gets you another 10k miles on that cylinder head over the life of the engine.