Any ideas on oil cooler-fan combo's

[danny gabbard]

Looking for companys that make external oil cooler-fan set ups. Thanks for any info and pictures

[pupjoint]

Aircooled Dot Net selling some nice Setrab coolers.

http://www.aircooled.net/new-bin/viewproductdetail.php?keyword2=ECO0039&cartid=

Setrab Fan-Pack Oil Coolers 

Price: $ Varies according to options 
Part #: ECO0039 

[DKK Ted]

Hey Danny, If want to run a Setrab in an earlier Bug, not sure about  Ghia's, you can run a dual fan set-up, in a late model like my 69', the dual fan will not fit. Had to go with a single fan Setrab unit, barely fits, but fits. To me Setrab is the way to go, expensive, but worth it.

Ted

[danny gabbard]

Those are very nice, Thank you.

[danny gabbard]

Hi ted and thanks, I got rid of the heater duct or tubes that run into rear seat and battery areas, So I have alot of room on both sides of tranny. I was thinking about running two coolers and one fan in center of car and makeing alum shroud to both coolers on each side of tran's. I will not be useing a cooler in fan shroud. If that makes since. Any input would be good.

[danny gabbard]

 another thought maybe a small fan for each cooler and scoop air into them from under car. And is a thermostat needed? Maybe run hotwire for fans off 12 volts from ignition switch?

[rick m]

Danny,

Definitely improve how the air gets to the fan. I've built a couple shrouds on cars I've done. The first one was to ensure that all the air was blown over and through the cooler instead of having air displaced and really making the fan less effective.  Some don't need to do this in cooler areas but when you have 145+ degree road temps, like we get here in Arizona during the hot months, you want all air going across the cooler.  

I know that your area gets cold in the winter so I'd run a thermostat controlled by-pass to allow the engine to warm up before it bypasses to the coolers.  At least this way you'd have the best of all worlds. I have run them and they work great at keeping oil temps in the best ranges for the optimum lubrication. Too cold of oil is hard on parts too.

I currently have my fan set up on a switch set up like you have considered.  It allows me to switch the fan on sooner when taking on grades in the heat and keeps the motor from gaining too much heat too fast.  It is my form of motor management on road trips in different conditions.

Rick M

[danny gabbard]

Is it a good idea have a guage at thermostat to know if its opening ?

[rick m]

Danny,

Only if you want to be sure it is working.  I am a gauge freak so some may say no.  I have always wanted to know what my motor was doing for rich/lean applications so my next addition will be an oxygen sensor and the gauge to track it.

If monitoring a motors function was not so important, why did Porsche (from the start of the 911 series cars) start adding so much instrumentation? Any time you can monitor your engines performance,  you have made an investment in protecting some precious metals.

By the way, your detail work really pushes all of us to go to the next level in how we do our cars. 

Rick M

[Kaferdog]

another thought maybe a small fan for each cooler and scoop air into them from under car. And is a thermostat needed? Maybe run hotwire for fans off 12 volts from ignition switch?

I have thought alot about that idea too..!!...I think some forced air would be great for highway use..!...I can't wait too see what you come up with Danny...!!...I agree with Ted on the Setrab cooler it a very nice set-up and very quite ....maybe too quite ....."Right Ted".....!!

[Kaferdog]

Here's a pic of Lanny Hussey's car I believe....

[DKK Ted]

Ya it's quite, I forget to turn it off sometimes cause I can't hear it. Left the fan on one time at Nicks, later sombody told me about the fan, turned it off, turn the motor on without a hitch. Guess was having a senior moment, a few...  

Ted

[Kaferdog]

And funny thing is we were sittin right next to it ...!!......

[Jim Ratto]

Danny shoot me a call sometime. I have used the dual fan Setrab in both swingaxle and IRS cars. My '67 has dual fan Setrab up next to trans, fans force fed cold air from RH torsion tube scoop via two 50mm ducts. Easy install. Fans powered up by switch on dash (had thermo switch in case) and Bosch 30amp relay.

[Jim Ratto]

Danny shoot me a call sometime. I have used the dual fan Setrab in both swingaxle and IRS cars. My '67 has dual fan Setrab up next to trans, fans force fed cold air from RH torsion tube scoop via two 50mm ducts. Easy install. Fans powered up by switch on dash (had thermo switch in case) and Bosch 30amp relay.

just an idea Danny, so external cooler is used same way doghouse VW cooler is (regulated by rear bypass plunger). Instead of plumbing cooler(s) into full flow circuit off main gallery/pump, what about running it from stock cooler location, with a better version of the ol' Rapid Cool Baja Bug adapters that came as part of "My First Oil Cooler Kit" we all played with when we first got into Bugs.

[DKK Ted]

Danny shoot me a call sometime. I have used the dual fan Setrab in both swingaxle and IRS cars. My '67 has dual fan Setrab up next to trans, fans force fed cold air from RH torsion tube scoop via two 50mm ducts. Easy install. Fans powered up by switch on dash (had thermo switch in case) and Bosch 30amp relay.

Jim, should of called you before I sold my dual fan Setrab. So you fit it in a IRS? Must have been tight...

Ted

[Jim Ratto]

my friend Danny W's 1973 convertible. Wasn't any worse than my '67 actually. I mount them longintudally (same axis as crank) to the left of trans about 50mm from body, "fans down", oil ports to left.

[H67bug]

Some good info.

I am changing from a Bugpack cooler and fan to a single Setrab based on this info.

Does anyone have detail on how to fit the fan to the boot floor?

The Bugpack fan has holes for fitting the fan horizontal/ flat to the boot floor which made it easy. The Setrab appears to have mounting holes for vertical fitting as you would on the front of a water cooled car. On Lannys install I can just see the fitting hols but he has not used them.

Also does the fan fit if rotated 90 degrees to the way Lanny has fitted it? if it does it will mean I can use straight -8 fitting and my current lines. if not then i will need 90 degree fittings and longer lines. i would like to order the right fittings from AC.net first time is i can work it out.

Car is a 1967 beetle- heating ducts removed.

Thank you Heydon.

[Jim Ratto]

Danny, next time you're down this way, if you get time, take a side trip into Simi and we can put my jalopy on stands and I'll show you how I mounted mine and the kooky air scoop I made.
Jim

[fredy66]

Danny, next time you're down this way, if you get time, take a side trip into Simi and we can put my jalopy on stands and I'll show you how I mounted mine and the kooky air scoop I made.
Jim

can you do some photos it the same time

[H67bug]

can you do some photos it the same time

[/quote]

Ditto that. It might be obvious once the fan and cooler arrives but always good to see someone elses install as it will often be better.

H

[Lids]

hayden you can get them over here: http://www.thinkauto.com/acatalog/On_line_shop_Setrab_Proline_STD_coolers_8.html

[H67bug]

hayden you can get them over here: http://www.thinkauto.com/acatalog/On_line_shop_Setrab_Proline_STD_coolers_8.html

Thanks.

I called them last week and they no longer stock the single ones. They said they have to order 100 or more to get stock and they wont do it.

For info Bugpack coolers wont supply a burst pressure that I can find, Mocal are 150 working pressure and 170 max pressure and these are almost 220 psi!

[DKK Ted]

McKinzies has them, thats where I got mine, they ship anywhere.

Ted

[H67bug]

Thank you. Have ordered now from aircooled.net as they had in stock. Mckenzies dont show any on their site but am good now anyhow.


Should arrive here this week and clear customs next week. Hopefully it will be a simple fit.

[Diederick/DVK]

just wondering, but don't (most) JG54 cars run one or two 72 plate setups suspended by type 4 pushrods?
i happen to visit the blog from time to time...

so, i was wondering why you're changing to a Setrab then? the british climate can't be a reason   and i suppose two 72 plate coolers with fans will suffice. or is it the weight saving?

[H67bug]

Hi

Different members of the club run diferent cooling. Some run 2 coolers and some run additional ducting depending on who built the car, engine and what people feel is required.

I previously used a bugpack cooler with a built in fan- similar in style to the mesa fan that I see listed elsewhere. It was suspended from a bracket that came from the roll cage mounting plate. The cooler was ok but a little roughed up having been under the rear for a few years, the thermostat didnt work anymore and it weeped a little after being refitted a third time and I was nervous about over tightening the fittings having read about similar issues.

Fitted a new identical cooler and found it faulty so decided to search to see if there was a better quality cooler out there. The search sugested Setrab was better quality and when investigating the burst pressures it becoame clear why as listed above. The Mocal coolers dont come with a properly fitted fan and the mocal dealer said Setrab coolers were better qualty. The Setrab cooler is also a little narrower which will make fitting it a little easier as I have a roll cage and engine bracing under the rear.

Cant say if there is really a need to change but am just fed up getting under the rear of the car and messing with coolers. Most of our cars will be heavy cars with weight saving not really a consideration- all of them are street cars and whilst they run respectable strip times (Neal recently ran low mid 12's in his NA black oval)  I am not sure anyone has aspirations to beat the racers with light weight cars and turbos. 

[Diederick/DVK]

fair point, the setrab coolers do seem to be a nice piece of kit!!
i got myself a cagero cooler a few years ago, so i'm sorted already. the cagero is a 72 plate suspended from the LHS torsion tube and sits in an ali box with louvres to pick up airflow. but i don't know how if perform just yet

otherwise, the setrab, as well as, racimex do look nice. fewer rows but they've got a bit more height. in all honesty i don't think our 72, or 96 plate for that matter, coolers are meant to be used laterally. they're more likely the coolers to sit vertically behind a grille. as horizontally they hardly pick up any airflow unless they're properly placed in the airstream.

[H67bug]

in all honesty i don't think our 72, or 96 plate for that matter, coolers are meant to be used laterally. they're more likely the coolers to sit vertically behind a grille. as horizontally they hardly pick up any airflow unless they're properly placed in the airstream.

You are right- they cant possibly get the same airflow. The fan when turned on really helped mine cool though and at that point I guess the cooler has the same airflow as in a normal car in traffic or moving slowly. I would see a 20 drop in oil temperature quite quickly. The 'stat was before the cooler as well so it was a genuine drop. Clearly head temp may be a
different story as i do not have that info.

My biggest issue has always been (according to the gauge) getting the oil up to operating temps. Have always believed that 150 is preferable but I have in the past found that quite hard to achieve quickly. I only once had temps over 210 and that was on a really hot UK day (28C), a long sprint and then hitting traffic. When moving the external cooler, albeit not ideally situated seemed to cope.