New fan housing without a thermostat

kevander · Post by **kevander** » Wed Aug 07, 2002 10:25 am

When I had a turn-key engine built for my 1969 Beetle, the company put on a fan housing (with doghouse oil cooler) than no longer has the vent assembly or a thermostat. The housing has fixed vents in place where the moveable system used to be on my old engine. Is this now the norm for a 1600 dual port engine? It has run fine for a year - started every day in a Wisconsin winter without a problem. I only discovered this when I had the engine out to check for an oil leak (the oil cooler seals had leaked).

Post by **Marc** » Wed Aug 07, 2002 10:39 am

It'd be better for your engine if it had a functional t'stat (all stock vehicle engines from Germany did, although the Brazilian(?) stuff doesn't). Besides reducing wear by allowing the engine to warm up more evenly and rapidly, you'll have more defroster output when you first start up. See if your engine case has a stud to mount a t'stat bracket to (bottom RH side).

[This message has been edited by Marc (edited 08-07-2002).]

TomB · Post by **TomB** » Wed Aug 07, 2002 10:57 am

Marc is right on. The Mexican factory shrouds are still made to fit the flaps and linkage, but the factory doesn't use them. (Mexican climate is rather mild.) I retrofitted a set to my btlmex car, and the increase in defrost when cold is a major plus in winter. (Even in Texas!)
Even if the case hasn't been tapped for the T'stat bracket stud it has the boss cast in place and is easy to drill and tap - once the RH heater box is off. Worth the effort.

kevander · Post by **kevander** » Wed Aug 07, 2002 12:07 pm

Thanks much for the input!

captCRUNCH · Post by **captCRUNCH** » Wed Aug 07, 2002 12:13 pm

however fixed fins are better than missing fins or fins that stay closed all of the time. but still...nothing beats a working t'stat...best of both worlds

RoWaMe · Post by **RoWaMe** » Wed Aug 07, 2002 1:51 pm

Kevander- rather than mess with your existing fan shroud to retrofit working flaps, try to find a factory-produced (German) shroud with the flaps already screwed on, either at a VW swap meet (cost around $20-40), a local junkyard or from VW magazine advertisers that carry stock VW used parts. One fella here in NY got some good original shroud parts sent all the way from CA; placed called "Russ' Recycling". See their ad in HotVWs. Another place is "Parts Place" in Pontiac, MI. Buy a new thermostat (only about $15) and the return spring near the fan opening while you're at it.

[email protected] · Post by **[email protected]** » Wed Aug 07, 2002 7:57 pm

no longer has the vent assembly.[/B]

What does that mean, really? There is no rear vent for the doghouse cooler? If that's missing, then you don't have a doghouse.

[This message has been edited by [email protected] (edited 08-07-2002).]

kevander · Post by **kevander** » Thu Aug 08, 2002 9:26 am

Sorry for the confusion. By vent assembly I meant the flaps and control arms. Also, I have another fan shroud from a previous engine that fits fine and has the required flaps, but I just didn't know if possibly the new engine was built such as not to need these anymore. Sounds like they just used a Brazilian shroud without the flaps. Thanks everyone.