Club 80-90 Forums

Well I have just fetched my caravan from storage and I thought I'd use the van and see how it did. The caravan is a Bailey Beachcomber 470-4 1023KG. No problem pulling it out of the site up a steep hill than onto the main roads. Quite slow acceleration but no problem getting to a decent 45-50mph on the single carriageways. Onto the M42 and up to 60mph no problems. There is quite a climb between junction 2 and 1 with a crawler lane. Turned out that lane was quite useful!! Speed dropped to about 47mph up the ascent!! Back on the flat no problem holding 60mph. Only issue was oil temperature which usually runs at 100-105 degrees on the motorway climbed to 115-117 degrees with the extra load. I think the sender over eggs it a little and that was with my 17 row cooler fitted. Transmission oil is cooled by a 15 row cooler and there was no over hot smell from the transmission. Reversing was no problem the van gives a good direction to the caravan due to the short rear overhang. On the whole I was quite pleased. It is now another option for Holiday time. Van and Caravan!!! Perfect. I reckon there is a limited flow going to my engine oil cooler. I need to look at the bypass and oil pressure relief.

Hi 123

Is there a tread anywhere about your external autobox cooler ?

I just ordered a load of bits to do my own thinking nobody had dumped the standard water heat exchanger

Regards
Rick

I can't remember doing a thread but I used some adaptors the right thread for the two bolt holes where the standard cooler goes with AN8 male on the other end. I used dowty washers underneath them to seal against the end of the autobox. I then used two hoses with AN8 female 90 degree fittings the auto box end and fixed the 15 row AN8 cooler at an angle under the floor just out of line with the wheels on the left side of the van. I created a scoop from mild steel and protected the cooler from stones with a 4mm metal mesh in the inlet. This works a treat it is so much better and cooler than the original water/oil version. It was actually very easy to do. Some folks use banjo fittings and copper washers on the autobox end but I couldn't get the right length bolts to go with these.

There used to be a good thread about fitting a cooler with pics but I can't find it. Must do this upgrade myself. I can't visualise what you've done. Next time youre under the van could you get a couple of pics

This might be the thread you are thinking about, some useful links anyway

http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=59595

By the way, I don't believe the "oil cooler" really is an oil cooler, sure it's a heat exchanger, but much more about warming the oil when cold than removing heat from the oil when hot. It's all about more rapid warm up & emissions. A separate cooler in the right place will do so much more, you should fit a thermostat in the circuit too.

Thanks 123

I have the right bits then

Atf ports are M12 x 1.5
I like the scoop idea, hadn't thought about a scoop.

Thanks for the link too guys.
Rick

Hi Mate. Can you do a write up and pics. Ideal for the wikki


Thanks for link to previous thread. The one I had in mind arose when my first gearbox was playing up. It was just about fitting an ATF cooler and had links for parts. May have got pruned

Ill try

Not much of a wordsmith but ill have a go

Rick

That would be great. Prefer pics to text myself

Was thinking of trying something like this on our 1.9DG
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-15-ROW-AN ... SwW8RbBkaR

Browsing through this thread with mild interest - none of my business really
But I notice the cooler in the last post is very similar to the Kenlow job I fitted in the rear panel of my WBX to the right of oil/water fillers flap the with a pair of 12V PC fans switched by a strap-on thermostat on the feed pipe. The adapter fits between the existing oil heat exchanger and the oil filter on my WBX. I fitted this over ten years ago and it has been working faultlessly since then cutting in just after the radiator fan under really heat stressed circumstances. I notice Kenlow doesn't do retail these days.

We took this route instead. Folding caravan. Not cheap but very easy to tow and barely affects MPG. We love it. Very spacious and roomy due to box like shape. Towed with 1.9 LPG and 2.1 auto without any issues.