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More VW Engine Cooling

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
This article is a bit technical, but accurate. Many VW enthusiasts added a smaller pulley to the engine to increase cooling, called a "Power Pulley". Basically they don't cool as well, something good to know about Snow Trac's and their already poorly cooled engines. Like I said: "It's Technical".
http://www.offroadvw.net/tech/wes/fan.html
 

muleman

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
Good info from someone who obviously did their work in an accurate environment. Good cooling of the cylinders and heads helps to let them survive.
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
something i learned on the oil portion of cooling is to use aircraft oils. modern oils are engineered for the politicaly correct emission engines have some of the additives removed that help to remove heat from engines also synthetic is a nono on aircooled engines as synthetic will migrate aay from heat and not alow it to transfer heat i learned that one the hard way i have no sientific data to back this info up just what was told to me by aircrft mechanics they seem to know what they are talking about now 2 years on this engine and i put ove 1500 hours a year on it and run her hard to prove the snot trac is a better snow cat than a fiberglass bath tub called a krusty
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
There is no doubt that the "Glorified bathtubs" , (Kristi) as you reffered to them, were poor machinery. The most significant supporting evidence of this is the ratio of the currently running machines to the number produced. ST4's have a much higher ratio. Snow tracs that were built before Kristi's even came into existance are STILL RUNNING. I'll rest my case there.

The synthetic oil cooling properties are very accurately researched by none other than VW Guru Gene Berg. They did in depth testing and wrote extensively about it in one of their service publications. Their testing showed a one degree heat loss of heat carrying capacity. This was under some of the most severe racing conditions, with VW Air cooled engines that had been "hot-rodded", or modified and built up to the limits of a VW Block. I'm still a fan of synthetics. One degree of 'lack of cooling' is not enough for me to get excited about. The advantages, Engines that last twice as long, plugs that last 3 times as long, and engines that start at 35 below with no crankcase heater overide the heat loss issue for me.

About the time I was putting air temoerature sensors all over the engine and engine compartment on ST4's and doing my own personal little study, Ron Hoffman, a fellow ST4 owner in Washington and big Gene Berg fan, pointed out the study to me. I promtly got a copy of Gene Berg's workshop manual and read it cover to cover.

In North America, the two preiminent all time GURU's of VW's would be John Muir, of "Idiot Book" fame, and Gene Berg, and later his son. John Muir more catered to the VW Hippie of the 60's and the home/back yard mechanic. Even though he has been deceased for some years he would be considered a legend in the VW community. First Editions of the Idiot Book are prized collector items. Fully half the VW mechanics in the US quote him regularly, and have an old greasy copy of his book handy. Gene Berg and his son took HIgh performance and Racing VW's to entirely new levels. Some of thier research was possibly more in-depth than Volkswagon of Germany engineers and certainly in line with Porsche Engineers.

The defense rest.
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
like you Lyndon i revere the qualitys of synthetic my first info i got wad Ron at car craft who builds aircooled motors for dune buggies that run in the dessert and backed up by the aircraft boys what i use works but i do have to pre heat the oil i did not have such good luck ith synthetic oils on the first 2 motors. i will agree i built the last case my self so maybe i did some thing better than the last guy but i now have faith in my combanation.
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Thats is a fine artical on fan and belt performance. I was however hoping the discussion might have included more about the sheilding of the engine compartment from the heat of the cooling air, and hot exhaust system parts. Some thing more applicable to Snow Tracs.

I wish there were more pictures of unadulterated ST's around with complete under hood the shielding/tinwork inplace. But from the sounds of things even with all the hard ware in place, it was not a perfect system by any means.

Thanks Lyndon,

Regards, Kirk
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
the one other thing i did was the sheet metal that fills the transition between the cab and belly pan got removed on mine i did this to improve airflow across the bottom of the engine i run mine summer and winter and have had no problems wih over heating and mine is missing the front tin
 

300 H and H

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Thanks Lyndon,

And dds do you put this transition back in for winter when it is cold? I gotta get my parts book out and look at this sometime....

I really don't want to run in warm temps, not above 40 or so anyway. I just want keep under hood temps as low as I can, without having wind blown snow melting on the engine ignition if I am out in a storm.

With the kind of heat and humidity we have had here lately, the only way I could get interested in a Snow Trac ride would be if the entire cab were removed...They do look cool that way I think.....no to mention low enough to go under things....

Regards, Kirk
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
that wall type shield will work best to keep ssnow off the front of the engine and i never put that piece back in having tha little lip in there has never kept me from backing out of something i should never have drove into to begin with also it makes it easy to clean spilt oil and mud out of the belly pan
 
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