Royal thats good news when your work pays off like it did. Just curious as to what your engine temp was and what weight oil you are using. Sounds like you earned the good nights sleep.

The current radiator cap is on top of the front grill, so it is chromed and highly visible, a show piece, if you will.  I’m at a loss to find one that would be a suitable replacement.
Arhg! The VW project is coming along, but not finished.  I thought we were going to have her ready by Thanksgiving, but I gave up on that.  I can only handle so ma…[Read more]

Good on ya, Roy!

Needed a 4-core to keep my 350 Nova cool. If I were you I’d look for the biggest, thickest radiator that will fit in the space. I’d look into the reverse flow types that came in the early-mid 1990s. Could need a water pump and some minor head work for that too, but might be the way to keep a rig like yours cool. Whatever new radiator you get, cap…[Read more]

Ray,I’m not sure those monroe shocks would work.  It doesn’t appear the springs are adjustable on the shock.  Your mg may ride to high.

 MGLR, You will need to use a cap that is designed for the particular radiator that is on the car. If my memory is correct, the Chevrolets with the 283 engine use a 7 and 1/2 lb cap.I do  not think that the TD cap from Moss will fit.

I noticed “Nissan” on one of them last weekend.  I’ll try to get a better look on Saturday morning.  It’s too dark by the time I get home this time of year.

I wish I could get in it Walnut or some other nice wood.  My Fiberfab 283 dash is full of holes and looks aged.  I don’t know if the gauge holes and switches would line up.

Great job.    
Fun tearing into a VW engine huh! Its way easier working on the engine when its removed and on a stand. Glad alls well!

My final (hopefully) report on this thread.  New pump is in and I took her for a ride.  Same oil.  Same outside temp.  Pressure @ 3000rpm is up to about 34# and the engine seems to really like 30-34# pressure which is where it stays at anything over 2000rpm.  At hot idle, my pressure is up from about 6-8# to 19-20#.  (I should mention that I set m…[Read more]

 Odds are the current radiator is a chevette or for small engine.  a double core would be the best way to go. I would stay with the pressure cap for a 283 i do not know what the pressure requirement for 283 is, but ever who re cores the radiator should know, good luck ,Dan

I got my VW engine cooling tin from Mofoco. Excellent quality. Other suppliers, if you want new, are CIP1 and Mid America Motorworks. And of course there’s always eBay and the classifieds in http://www.thesamba.com
 

My mechanic went to look at the dog house cooling fan housing that he had found, but it was not in good shape, so he refused to buy it for me.
The quest continues.

I think sop it with oil on the install. See also John Muir’s book page 287. Don’t think there’s a way to prime the whole system like we used to do with Chevy’s & such–that trick where you put a flat blade on a long extension and attach that to a power drill and spin the oil pump with that through the distributer hole.Man, I always though that was…[Read more]

I do the same in the reading department Royal . It seems when you come across some information and think that makes perfect sense, then along comes some other info that seems to contradict the first. I do believe the German engineers knew what they were doing in the tin deparment for cooling and that it should be left intact. These forums are…[Read more]

Ed, Re the nubby thing: I’ll check out the cam before installing it.  Do you, or anybody else have any suggestions as to whether I need to prime the pump before starting?   I uised to use STP a lot on rebuilds that I did and I was planning on “packing” the pump and gears with STP before mounting, but there is probably a better way. 

Mike, Very likely you are right,- an owner choice thing.  I am new (again) to VW’s having owned 2 about 40 years ago.  So, whatever I say is probably something that I have recently read or something that I thought I knew that I learned on my other autos.  I read a lot and tend to over study things which often means that I over worry about stu…[Read more]

Royal I have read the exact same thing about the air flow through the heater boxes helps to keep the area cool over the valve cover . I dont disagree, but my heater boxes are not hooked up to my fan and when i pointed my infrared thermometer at them they were much cooler than the surrounding bare exhaust. I do know when you run J pipes instead o…[Read more]

I’d have a look at the part that engages with that nubby thing. I believe that’s the camshaft in this case?

I plan on towing MiGi up to Carlisle this year and back.  That’s about 900 miles (round trip).  I’ll be towing with my 2wd Mercury Mariner mid sized SUV.  I bought my tow bar before I had even seen, let alone bought MiGi.  Towed her home, never even considered driving it, but could have (300 miles).