Cooling System

Coolant System

The 82 & 83' diesels have a radiator setup that should be overhauled to the newer setup.

The main differences between this setup compared to the later vanagon radiator setup is the following:

• Newer radiator shroud (metal) non-ac from an 85-90 van to be safe. The stock diesel one is plastic and not usable

You can use an AC fan-shroud, but you'll need to make an adaptor as shown below.

• Newer lower radiator support brackets 85-90. It doesn't matter if it's AC or non-AC

• New radiator hoses; the return hose is different between the diesel vanagon and the newer setups

References

These were the references I used to get the job done on my van and help another with theirs.

Radiator and Cooling Upgrade

Radiator Install

Electrical Setup

Rad Fan Replacement

Radiator Replacement

Installation

notes coming soon 06/06/16

Radiator Fan replacement

You will need to use an 85+ radiator shroud (metal) for a non-AC Vanagon.

However, if you can only find an AC based shroud, you can still use it.

You just need to make an adaptor plate for the non-AC fan to fit the AC shroud.

This can be done tracing the File:Diesel-acshroud-template.pdf template. I originally used a bucket lid when I discovered this issue; stoned engineering tricks!

notes coming soon 06/06/16

Photo

Radiator Fan Electrical

notes coming soon 06/06/16

Photo

Here is a photo of the electrical done on Betsy

Libby Bong

1x 2"x30" black pipe(pre cut piece sold at homedepot)

1x 2" to 1 1/2" rubber reducer with clamps

1x 5/16" brass hose barb

10ft of 5/16" silicone hose, couldn't get any smaller quanity.

cost me $15 bucks to make it, plus it looks cool sitting in my garage.

Diesel adaption

File:DVcoolantfiller.pdf