Club 80-90 Forums

has anyone ever fitted the radiator at the back with a "pusher" fan on the engine?
just a thought but it would do away with all the underbus pipework and system bleeding problems.
maybe i'm missing something but i'm curious

God knows I am no technical expert....but don't rads work by having airflow over them.....would you get any/enough airflow in the back of the bus? Surely you would need huge fans on all the time???

Em
x

I have a customer who installed a subby into his 1977 baywindow and it has the rad covering where the engine lid used to be. He says the fan only comes on after getting off the highway and in heavy traffic, both only when it's hot , like 75-80 o F. Its been like that for at least 7 years with no problems

ermie571 wrote:God knows I am no technical expert....but don't rads work by having airflow over them.....would you get any/enough airflow in the back of the bus? Surely you would need huge fans on all the time???

Em
x

hi em
yeh you're right m8 but the Aircooled seems to manage ok for airflow. i was just curious since peeps seem to have lots of problems with corroded water pipes and airlock problems. i understand why it was done as the obvious place for windblast is the front and it makes it easier for the cab heater but i think if i was to ever convert an Aircooled to watta i'd stick a radiator somewhere under the back

Isn't that how the old rear engined Skodas worked???

I would think replacing the engine lid with a rad works because the low pressure behind it draws the flow through the side vents enough to cause flow through the rad. At speed there is quite a lot of pressure built up in the engine compartment.

yeh you're right m8 but the Aircooled seems to manage ok for airflow.

Fully cowled and BIG fan

Front is best though... replace corroded pipe with many options.

Regarding replacement options do you mind me asking what you would suggest to replace metal pipes, bearing in mind the VW plastic ones are hard to come by/expensive? Any cheap robust solutions?

Also does anyone know how the pressure thing relates to a T3 engine compartment? ie the best way of using this to draw more cool air in (or hot air out)?