I disagree, in a way.

The stock oil cooler is sufficient for most conditions. If you want your
motor to last 100k-150k, and you DON'T have a Westy, and you don't push the
performance too much, the stock cooler (air or water) will be fine.

If, however, you want you motor to last 150k++, but you load your Westy
with junk and people, and drive like a Kamikaze up mountains in the summer
(like me  :)  ),  then a supplemental oil cooler is the balm.

Any cooler will help. Some are better than others, (debate amongst
yourselves). All coolers should be used with an oil-flow thermostat that
ensures fast warm-ups and full flow in the heat. Especially nice if you
have to haul three friends and their junk from Phoenix to Albuquerque
within five hours in July.

Coolers, yes... if you need one.  Got it?

G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett & Associates
www.bulley-hewlett.com
Cary, NC USA
888.468.4880 tollfree

-----Original Message-----
From:   KENWILFY@AOL.COM [SMTP:KENWILFY@AOL.COM]
Sent:   Friday, May 14, 1999 8:30 AM
To:     vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject:        Re: The Ultimate Oil Cooler

My 2 cents on this issue.  In the aviation world we have a similar mind
set.
Pilots think if they lower the oil temp of thier engine then this is good.
It is under extreme conditions.  However your engine is designed to operate
at a certain temperature.  If you lower this temperature (like say 50
degrees) you are not helping your engine but you could actually be causing
damage to it.  So what you really want is a consistant operating
temperature
within the range that the engine was designed for.  I think the stock oil
cooler on the 2.1l Vanagon engine fits this bill nicely.
Ken Wilford
Van-Again
John 3:16