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Air control flaps
landfall - March 10th, 2015 at 09:40 AM

ON removing and dismantling my engine I have discovered, that while I have a thermostat, it is not connected to anything.

The linkage and air control flaps have been removed from the fan housing.

Do I really need these air control flaps here in the Australian climate?

hulbyw - March 10th, 2015 at 07:00 PM

Recommended, but good luck finding some
Cheers

psimitar - March 10th, 2015 at 07:13 PM

People take em off cos if the thermostat fails it defaults to the flaps shut and hence you overheat the engine. This is supposedly why many remove them.

As already said, finding the flaps is gonna be a mission. Maybe try Megabug in the UK as they specialise in breaking old VW's and UK are more likely to still have them on the engine :)

landfall - March 10th, 2015 at 07:23 PM

Thanks for the replies.

I am in the process of building a new engine and of course am reading the appropriate books, which all say that they are essential.

Talked to a specialist VW engine builder today that said he never fits them, not needed in Australia. Along with another piece of advice I received from him last week I really think what else do some of these specialists leave out of these engines and is near enough good enough?

I will try and find some if possible, or else I guess it will be another missing part.

vw54 - March 10th, 2015 at 07:57 PM

if your up north prob don't need

if yr don south helps the engine warm up correctly

psimitar - March 10th, 2015 at 08:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vw54
if your up north prob don't need

if yr don south helps the engine warm up correctly


Hmm, even winter up north can get pretty chilly in the hinterlands. I reckon Darwin's probably the only place you could truly get away with never needing them.

matberry - March 10th, 2015 at 11:28 PM

IMO they are necessary. I see a definate improvement in cooling efficency when fitted. It is about improving/straightening the air flow into the fins of the heads and barrels.
The original systems default position of the flaps is OPEN if anything fails. Where they go wrong is if the spring fails or clips break there is nothing to keep them open, also the new Brazilian thermostat is of a design that if it fails it pulls the flaps shut, not desirable. I fit them or make a similar version to all my engines even if permanantly welded open for the benefit of improved cooling.

landfall - March 11th, 2015 at 06:19 AM

Thanks for the replies, I will try and source some.

My biggest concern was exactly what Matt has pointed out, that they direct correct air flow.

Lateral - March 11th, 2015 at 11:40 AM

Hi

Try these guys in the US.

http://www.awesomepowdercoat.com/