Best just cap off the 2 hoses. 
Keep in mind the 2.1L really needs the cooler for operation near or above 4,000 rpm for extended periods. 

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Mbob1950
Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2017 8:17 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Oil heat exchanger fail.. more

What is the best way to eliminate the cooler? I was thinking of removing it and connecting the coolant hoses together.  Any downside to that setup?

Thanks

Bob McCullough

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
> Date: October 23, 2017 at 22:46:50 CDT
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Oil heat exchanger fail.. more
> Reply-To: Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
> 
> Sure sounds like a messy job.
> 
> Did you buy that 2 year old cooler new? Sounds like you put a lot of 
> miles on it?
> 
> I guess I was lucky. The O ring on my oil cooler had started leaking 
> so upon inspection of the cooler, noticed it was starting to craze or 
> crack a little.
> 
> 
> 
> On Mon, Oct 23, 2017 at 8:08 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> ......
> 
> 
> 
>>   I was hoping all the posts about the VW and the weak oil cooler was 
>> wrong....but mine, about two years old, went out too...When I get a 
>> chance, I'll be taking that out and making a better setup... I never 
>> want to deal with another failure...and I'm lucky nothing more 
>> serious resulted from it blowing..
> 
> 
> 
> --
> Neil n
> 
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