Club 80-90 Forums

Make it simple please, looking for another van and would like to know pros and cons for air v water cooling system.

Thanks

air cooled are obviously older so more likely to have rust issues and just more general wear and tear, air cooled are simpler to work on mechanically(no leaks for starters) and cheaper imho. air cooled more thirsty , less power.

whats imho please Ivor

well, air cooled have less to go wrong,i had a type2 for 16 years did 110000 miles without a serious brakedown ,the syncro i have now well, see my other post![ i'm sure it will be fine when i get it sorted?]
regards.

water cooled gives you
warm van or camper in the winter... quieter..little more power...easy to gas
plenty spare engines.. more rust prevention from the factory..

later 2.1 injection are a pleasure to drive
Power assisted steering on later models some had air con fitted lowered suspension and plush interiors.

Air-cooled vans look great take a look at richnewtons Devon pop top ....stunning

Hi jojo, I would use caution , as some vans have a lot of ' imho' hard to describe what it is, its more of a feeling so to speak, Ivor may have a different 'imho' then say I have, indeed you yourself have lots of'imho' at least once you are made aware of it!

= I n M y H umble O pinion

There are many reasons for air v water, I personaly prefer air for its simplicity but water is more practical and economical,(imho) there is no definative answer but lots posted on here and you really need to define what you want out of your van first and work from there

Mike[/b]

Well i'd personally only have water cooled...been there done that and learnt regarding corn blowers...i have got an air-cooled at the moment though but that's a lawn mower and that's only used an handful of times a year.....a bit like an air-cooled T25 i suppose. ....here we go.

You lot must be posh!
The only way my mower is Aircooled is if I push it fast enough, fancy having an engine on one.

not arf...

later 2.1 injection are a pleasure to drive

if you are going to get a camper with a lot of problems engine removal is easier with air cooled, I think you can even run it on a bench.

I do feel that with todays congestion even the 1.9 DG and DF engines suffer in the heat, unless fitted with a radiator fan, so god only knows how much heat the Aircooled put up with.

Personally I would always go water cooled. Make sure that the water is pink (antifreeze) and its well maintained though, as when it goes wrong it does it with style and they can sometimes be a pig to bleed the air out.

do feel that with todays congestion even the 1.9 DG and DF engines suffer in the heat, unless fitted with a radiator fan, so god only knows how much heat the Aircooled put up with.

Ive got air cooled at the moment so thats all i know but i have wondered how it never gets hot when ive been sat on a motorway. To be honest tho lately ive taken to A roads much more fun and at the speed mine goes it doesnt always mean a longer journey.

Think we are going to go for a newer van even tho having the engine in the front is really wierd.

jojorose wrote:
Think we are going to go for a newer van even tho having the engine in the front is really wierd.

it will end in tears and rows....ask owlets

aircoolers empty your pocket at the petrol station, they are more often than not "freezing" in winter, you need to blow on the windows to defrost them, theyre older and rust prevention wasnt brilliant. of course some people are fanantical about their aircoolers?(there is also a austin maestro owners club) would you want one of those? go with water. personally i think diesel is better still, 40+ mpg and biodiesel is 74p per litre, plus seat toledo, vw golf, skoda, audi tdi engines go in there just nice ........... yes i have been the owner of an aircold... yack!!