cooling system

goatmaster187 · Post by **goatmaster187** » Sun Feb 16, 2003 3:27 pm

This one goes out to all of you that have done watercooled engines in a Bug. I am setting up my cooling system right now. I am unsure of where to route my cooling lines. I wanted to go through the heater channels so that The lines would be protected if I bottom out. Then again I could just run them down the center of the floor pan.

Crash · Post by **Crash** » Sun Feb 16, 2003 3:31 pm

for a front mounted radiator I have seen tubes being run in the tunnel. He just cut the ends of the tunnel open and laid them in on either side of the bottom of the tunnel. He said it worked well and did not interfere with shifting.

-Mark

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Blind Chicken Racing
http://www.blindchickenracing.com

Mike T · Post by **Mike T** » Sun Feb 16, 2003 10:50 pm

If you use rubber lines just don't bend it tighter than a 6" radius. A sharp bend will allow the line to kink and stop flow when the coolant gets hot. I ran the lines under the car down the center. I used 1.5" steel tubing for the H2o Bug but I wouldn't hesitate to mount rubber lines under there. Renegade Hybrids runs rubber lines under the 914's they convert to V8's with no trouble. They use Gates Green Stripe, actually a heater hose for big rigs.

Mike T
http://community.webshots.com/album/17899373RNzGkeGgim

Steve C · Post by **Steve C** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 2:03 am

Hi

I had some 1.5 inch stainless tube bent to follow the line of the chassis bolts in the heater channel, i made some brakets to hang it from the the chassis bolts. If your car is movable, mount your radiator and workout where your lines need go from the engine, then take it to an exhaust shop and have the steel lines professionaly made up, you need a few rubber connections to allow for movement or removal.

Steve C

Paul_S · Post by **Paul_S** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 12:35 pm

The center of the floorpan is a good place to run the coolant lines in my opinion. The foot wells would hit the ground before the pipes would.

I'm putting 35mm (1 3/8) copper pipes down the center of the floorpan in my bug.

Paul

Baja Wes · Post by **Baja Wes** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 2:30 pm

I have my radiator above my gearbox so I didn't have to worry about running pipes under my car. But when I considered putting the radiator up the front I was going to put a false floor on the passenger side and run them under that.

I used straight lengths of stainless pipe, connected by rubber bends. Mine had to be quite flexible to allow the engine to rock around.

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Wes - 200HP Quad Cam V6 Baja!offroadvw.net

Drakmare · Post by **Drakmare** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 4:16 pm

Thats sounds great for a baja but I think this paticular guy is going for street? So I dont think false floor will work or mounting a radiator above the gear box.

Although I could be wrong im no pro on the subject, lol.

Baja Wes · Post by **Baja Wes** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 8:01 pm

Reubs car has the radiator at the front, and the pipes run through the false floor.

You can't put them under the floor when your that low to the ground

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Wes - 200HP Quad Cam V6 Baja!offroadvw.net

Drakmare · Post by **Drakmare** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 8:03 pm

that is a slick bug

goatmaster187 · Post by **goatmaster187** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 9:38 pm

I'm shooting for a street use installation. I'd like it to be as inconspicous as possible. That of course is becoming more and more difficult. Damn I wish I was doing a baja instead.

Mike T · Post by **Mike T** » Mon Feb 17, 2003 11:01 pm

One disadvantage of a front mounted radiator is heat from the radiator exhaust air heating the front bulkhead and wheel wells as it flows out of the radiator and away. Running the coolant pipes through the center tunnel or under a false floor is going to give you waste heat you'll need to get rid of or insulate for. Steve C's under the rocker idea is good as you'll drag the floor before the tubes. The extra cooling from the tubes being in the open is a added benefit.

Mike T.

Richard Olafsson · Post by **Richard Olafsson** » Tue Feb 18, 2003 1:12 am

I run my 28mm copper pipe in a false floor and have no problems, it is nice and out of harms way, I'd definitly do it again! Although I may try the tunnel idea for the Ghia I am building at the moment...
Baja guys have it easy with radiator positioning!

Rich

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http://www.ricola.co.uk

zenjoe · Post by **zenjoe** » Tue Feb 18, 2003 10:35 am

If you don't mind the work, put the tubes in the heater channels. Its invisible and that is what I am going to do with my next car. I have my 1.5 inch copper tubes run on the drivers side where the body bolts to the pan. my car is lowered and I don't have any problems hitting anything. I commute almost 100 miles a day IN TRAFFIC, and it cools fine, plus it is easy to do.

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For info on stuffing a Mazda Rotary engine in a bug, go to http://www.geocities.com/zenjoe/vw.html