Qualifier: I'm no 'spert on this but am speaking from my own experience and
observations.
Don't vw trannies usually carry a requirement for 75-90 wgt lubes? Isn't
that about 2 times the wgt of engine oils?
With my oil cooler, the only thing the thermostat does is turn on the
cooling fan. The oil is constantly running up through the cooler and oil
lines. My thermostat went out recently so I've bypassed it and my fan just
runs as long as the engine is on.
My engine oil pressure almost always registers (according to the VDO on the
dash) between 30 and 75, depending on engine rpm and cold/hot. I have no
idea about tranny lube pressures but am sure others here will.
Sorry if this wastes some valuable cyber/archival space.
I got my cooler from: http://www.mckenzies.com/catalog/show_products.cfm
That's the McKenzies cooler page. I got the Setrab-FP 119 Cooler & Fan
They might be a real good resource for your question, too.
bob

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jonathan Farrugia" <jfarrugi@UMICH.EDU>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, July 12, 2004 9:32 PM
Subject: oil coolers, engine and trans

> does anyone know what the design differences are between engine oil
> coolers and transmission oil coolers?  i was thinking that the engine oil
> coolers might be able to handle higher pressures than transmission oil
> coolers can.  due to the fact that trans oil is much thinner than the
> range of oils that can be used as engine oils.  then i was thinking that
> the oil cooler isn't going to see any pressure until the oil is at temp,
> thats if you are using a thermostat is the system.
>
> so then i started thinking that i have know idea of how much pressure a
> "normal" auto trans pump produces.  does anyone know ball park figures for
> auto trans pumps and the relative viscosity of trans fluid at temp?  do
> auto transmissions have a thermostat built in or is oil pump through the
> cooling system at all times?  i ask all this because i am in the
> beginning stages of designing myself a super budget custom oil
> cooler system :).
>
> jonathan
>