Front Oil Cooler Questions

[SteveStromberg]

You could also go with a Dry Sump system.
Steve

[ben]

I went another route, I went water-cooled. I mounted a 12-volt water pump just under the fuel pump (1972). I then modified the oil filter housing to accept an oil to water cooler from a Golf / Jetta / Vanagon. I used an aftermarket aluminum finned inline transmission cooler. I hand bent it to fit under the car and just in front of the engine. In the trunk I mounted a Rabbit coolant bottle and ran the hoses through the plastic cups down into the engine compartment and then through the rain gutter tube holes. I have not yet been able to determine the effectiveness since I haven’t yet installed an oil coolant temperature gauge.

[mtndew342]

Steve, What exactly does the dry sump do vs the regular set up or vs and external oil cooler?? Looks pretty simple to install and would it do anything for oil starvation on hard corners?

Ben, I would be very interested to see any pics or drawings of that set-up. I don't think I fully understand how your cooling the engine? thanks

~Steven

[maf 914]

Ben,

Your setup sounds interesting. What do you use for the water radiator and where is it mounted. The heat that the water picks up from the oil in the oil-to-water heat exchanger has to be rejected somewhere, or else your water temperature will climb to 212 degrees and boil.

Mike

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Steven, a dry sump system is intended primarily to keep oil going to the engine under all circumstances. Even upside-down, for dry sump systems installed in aircraft!!

The general idea is that you have two oil pumps. One is a high-volume low-pressure pump, and that sucks oil out of the crankcase and moves it into an oil tank. The second pump is a high-pressure pump which gets oil out of the tank and sends it to the bearings and such. The tank is built to hold a decent amount of oil (9 quarts in the stock 914-6 setup) and can keep supplying oil for a good while even when the pickup in the sump is only sucking air.

A side benefit is that the tank acts as a radiator (or a cooler), though not a very good one. It's definitely more than was in there before.

Another benefit is that the oil that gets picked up in the sump is often foamy from getting pushed through all the oil passages and getting whipped around by the crankshaft. When it gets put into the tank, the oil has a chance to settle down and de-foam, so you get oil going to the bearings and not oil and air.

There are more benefits to running a dry-sump system. That's why the 911 used such a setup. It is, however, more expensive. And that's why the 914-4 was not dry-sumped.

--DD

[AlexO]

Is it possible/practicle to convert a 4cyl to dry sump?
--Alex

[Mark Henry]

I don't know if a dry sump pump would fit under a stock fan set up, I don't think even a full flow cover will fit.
Most of the aftermarket dry sump pumps were of questionable quality and fit.
Just do a Type 1 one pump convertion, use a 26mm Shadek (sp) pump, decked and a steel cover.

[ben]

This is a picture of my water-cooled radiator. It is attached with a few red zip ties. The radiator used is an aftermarket transmission cooler I picked up at a garage sale. As for the pump, this was purcahsed from pumpworld on the web for about $100.00. Right now I have it wired up to a toggle switch and turn it on on hot days or when climbing hills. Note, picture is looking twards left rear.

[maf 914]

Now I see. That is a pretty unique approach. How effective is it temp-wise? Thanks, Ben.

Mike