Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

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C J Murray
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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#31 Post by C J Murray »

Clearly the 3 on the right should be merged to 1 design. It looks like the sellers are trying to sell based on theirs being "different" and therefore not price comparable to the others. Which of the 3 is cheapest and who sells that one?
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Martin Benade
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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#32 Post by Martin Benade »

Dick, any pictures?
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Dick Weiss
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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#33 Post by Dick Weiss »

No Martin--sorry; It was done years ago w/o having a camera available.
However, I'll look in my archives for possibly still having a case repair.

Dick

Thomas Frisardi
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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#34 Post by Thomas Frisardi »

i moved my question to a new topic.
Last edited by Thomas Frisardi on Mon Nov 30, 2015 8:47 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Jacques Lefriant
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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#35 Post by Jacques Lefriant »

Hi CJ
I am sure your friends at AA or QSC can be conned into having 10,000 of these made in Vietnam so you can buy a couple for $100 or less and will pay your labor when the fan comes apart.
Sorry i had to rant VP only sells wholesale and to a few in the trade. since these coolers are made in small batches (25) the cost from Aero is the same for all 3. so either of the superior VP versions the cost to you will depend on the retail outlet you purchase it from. The generic version has had other vendors besides Aero and may be available. Most of our usual vendors Stoddard etc buy other products from VP so VP is the preferred vendor for this item.
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C J Murray
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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#36 Post by C J Murray »

Jacques,
I meant which has the lowest retail. Different distributors have different pricing philosophies or different costs of doing business so a wise consumer should shop around for the best deal since they are all made by the same manufacturer. Thank you for the insight.
Cliff
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Peter Silten
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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#37 Post by Peter Silten »

I bought the one sold by Stoddard.

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Jacques Lefriant
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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#38 Post by Jacques Lefriant »

CJ
i don't know who has the lowest price or which retailer gives the best overall service i just was involved with VP as a technical adviser and did the plant tour for them at Aero/Pacific Cooler which was quite impressive. For now only Wilhoit is stocking version 5 to the best of my knowledge.
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Michael Moss
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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#39 Post by Michael Moss »

So did we decide which cooler to buy? One issue I have with the aluminum coolers I have seen is how the base is machined where the seals fit. The pocket for the seal is cut straight and only allows the seal to compress inward and seem like it would reduce the flow. When you look at the base of the stock coolers there is a smooth radial transition to the base of the cooler and on the engines I've taken apart the seals have bulged outward. It may not make a difference but that would be a simple feature to add during the machining process. Please correct me if I'm wrong .
Mike Moss 64C

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Jacques Lefriant
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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#40 Post by Jacques Lefriant »

Hi Mike
The as formed feature on the steel coolers is not optimum. The alloy coolers have a consistent profile and seem to work with the existing seals. when you use the alloy coolers on the early cases the vendors usually supply a step stud 8-6 and a VW seal with 2 diameters to engage the parts. This seems to solve the problem with the installation. You could have 3 different configurations of coolers an early small seal one the present one and the vibration enabled one. I give up.
j
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Pascal Giai
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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#41 Post by Pascal Giai »

Which oil cooler should I use ?
My engine case is a replacement case from 67 with additional machining for O-rings, spacers and washers. The fan shroud and cooler I have are 912s.
But I would like to use an earlier fan shroud without the top mount bolt. Should I keep the same 912 cooler, soft mounted ? And risk the oil cooler to vibrate on the fan shroud ?
Or should I go for an aluminum one ? In that case what is the right set up and the right gaskets ?

Thank you for your help !

Pascal Giai, San Diego
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Neil Bardsley
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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#42 Post by Neil Bardsley »

Jacques Lefriant wrote:Hi CJ
some testing has been done. all but #2 have the same airflow as some of the stock ones. VW addressed the problem of cylinder 3+4 cooling with their Dog House version when it became an issue with more engine power. There has been at least 2000 alloy coolers installed so if they were a problem it would have been reported.
j
BTW the #4 will work better since there is more surface area and contact to the passes than #3 these coolers are bar and plate construction so the core is the critical component and is labor intensive. even thought Aero had the #3 in their repertoire VP had the #5 designed to use the same core as #4. Production of #3 had been less than 200 units #4 is approaching 900 units #5 just started.
I just had a look at a photo of took of my Alu Oil Cooler. I think I have No 2 so might try to do some measure of the temperature of left/right head. I guess that is what you were preferring when you send the air flow was more restricted than stock.

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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#43 Post by Mark Yarrish »

Bob Anderson wrote:Sierra Madre has the aluminum oil cooler on sale at $375 right now if you need to purchase one. I bought one when it was on sale a few months back but have not installed it yet.

Regards, Bob
Bob, that seems like a good deal. Today's price looks to be $445. Initial impressions of the Sierra Madre cooler? How do the welds look, finish... etc?

Mark
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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#44 Post by Mark Yarrish »

Ben Wainscott wrote:No problem changing out the cooler in a C with the engine in. Due to the square top hat on the aluminum cooler I needed to take off the engine hood to get the fan housing back on.

Ben, I have a C car as well, thinking of swapping out the cooler. Along with an oil change, do you think this can be done in a day, with the engine in the car?

Thanks,
Mark
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Ron LaDow
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Re: Which Aluminum Oil Cooler Should I Get?

#45 Post by Ron LaDow »

Mark Yarrish wrote:Ben, I have a C car as well, thinking of swapping out the cooler. Along with an oil change, do you think this can be done in a day, with the engine in the car?
Thanks,
Mark
It is possible to swap it with the engine in the car, and you'll remember the job for a looong time.
Ron LaDow
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