Rear mounted radiator ???

[Jim Andritsakos]

I would like to know if anyone has some info for setups that have the radiator where the firewall used to be ???I would love this setup to my project 1303 RS as the wbx DJ engine is w@ter cooled!.Radiator types etc etc ??? Any info it would be neat...


rgds to all

[Wally]

Jim,
I don't have the exact info you are looking for, but like to tell you about a wbx engine that I've seen that has been using a radiator in the engine compartment without removing the firewall! He had used a porsche fan set-up to pull (or was it push?) the air through the radiator, using a special made housing to duct the fan to the radiator! It made a very special whine whem revved. Very cool! It worked/cooled great for him.
Just a thought.
Good luck,
Walter

[ricola]

There was a bug in Volksworld not too long ago that used a 1.9 wasserboxer with rad in the back, he had those Remmele style rear 1/4 panel scoops to duct air. He was Dutch I beleive and it was painted up in orange and black formula 1 style...

Rich

[Wally]

That's the one. Its a small world..

[ricola]

In the volksworld article it didn't have a Porsche style fan, just the standard radiator mounted one...

[Moog]

There was a Fench Bug in February SuperVW with a 1.9 WBX. He had a Golf / Rabbit radiator and fan unit in the engine bay. The firewall was intact, and there was no ducting from the rear quarters. He'd also welded the vents up under the rear window and had no vents in his engine lid. I'm not convinced that it was the best approach, but on the other hand i guess it worked OK.

For my 2.1 WBX i'm going to try a late model classic Mini radiator (i.e. from 1997 to close of production, not a BMW New Mini). These had a modern type radiator at the front, instead of at the side of the engine bay like all the earlier ones. The rad is bigger than the earlier ones, but is still compact. I'm mounting it in the left hand wheel arch, behind the tyre, inclined over slightly. Ally ducting will prevent stone & spray damage from the tyre, while maximising air flow through the rad. Well, that's the theory at least...

I'll post up how effective it is when it finally hits the road [ETA: 2010 at current rate of progress...]

[GUTTERS]

the orange and black one was built by frankys vw services in holland and is owend by his son. the scoops are from frankys and not remmele and his are half the price to remmeles and are exactly the same.

[1303C2/3]

Well i'm not sure but I think it was the German ''VW Speed''magazine 2002/1 where a 2.2 l Subaru flat four powered Oval window GL bug had a rear mounted radiator fan set up. The firewall had been cut than turned 180 degrees and welded in again upside down. The radiator was an Audi unit (dont know which type) and twin electric fan set up and shroud were Opel. Together with some sort of wind deflectors from under the rear torsion tubes directing air tothe radiator might provide enough cooling I think. It should work with your WBX engine. A friend of mine has a 1.9 lt DG engine in his Fastback with a small an old fasioned Fiat 131 radiator up front in the spare tire location and only a very small air intake under the front bumper. His engine runs very cool even in the hottest summer days. Good luck!

[crewcab1964]

anybody have any pictures of the radiator install?

[1303C2/3]

I'll scan the pictures of that article in VW Speed. I'll post it here.

[MattKab]

I'm strictly aircooled but I'm currently working with a low budget drag Bug club project using 1.9 wbx heads with the water jacket sealed. The heads are fitted to 1914cc Type1 barrels with Type1 studs to a modified wbx crankcase. Each head is to be cooled with a rad' and fan from a 1.0l Polo. We've mounted the rads side by side in the rear window opening. Air is ducted from the rear side window openings to the fans which blow up and through the rads. We are yet to source a pair of electric in-line water pumps which will hopefully initiate a flow through the head, up to the top of a rad' and out down back to the pump. Once the head tries to boil the coolant, fingers crossed a thermal syphon effect will accelerate the flow of the coolant, the pumps become redundant and the heat gets transfered. It's very experimental and we're hoping to be the first to keep the coolant in the system (and the core plugs in the heads). Pics still outlawed ;) Watch it steam down the 1/4 at Big Bang if it's ready :)