I have typically reused oil coolers. None of the engines I’ve disassembled have had had disastrously bad coolers. Most have some internal fin damage and Murbella was no exception.
Honestly, I don’t know how this kind of damage happens to an oil cooler inside of the housing. Outside, yes. Inside? Huh?
![1979 VW Beetle - Restoration](https://i0.wp.com/zuczek1302.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/2020_Murbella_Project/June/2020-06-11_Murbella_Day39B_13.jpg?resize=640%2C360&ssl=1)
Now I started this the other day with solvent soaking inside the cooler itself. I replaced that twice.
Today I filled it with acetone again, this time to displace any mineral spirits. However, you can see by the color of the acetone (above) that there is still a lot of old deposits in the cooler.
I may just keep doing this off and on for a few days until it finally runs clean when drained.
![1979 VW Beetle - Restoration - Oil Cooler](https://i0.wp.com/zuczek1302.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/2020_Murbella_Project/June/2020-06-11_Murbella_Day39B_18.jpg?resize=640%2C360&ssl=1)
I started sanding up the housing, trying to get the old burnt on adhesive from the sealing foam tape off. Normal scrubbing and blades were not doing it so I had to sand.
![1979 VW Beetle - Restoration - Oil Cooler](https://i0.wp.com/zuczek1302.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/2020_Murbella_Project/June/2020-06-11_Murbella_Day39B_19.jpg?resize=640%2C360&ssl=1)
The base didn’t really want to clean up much.
![1979 VW Beetle - Restoration - Oil Cooler](https://i0.wp.com/zuczek1302.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/2020_Murbella_Project/June/2020-06-11_Murbella_Day39B_16.jpg?resize=640%2C360&ssl=1)
There are the only fin areas with some damage. I’ve seen worse.
What would be so nice is to have one of those Concept-1 modern aftermarket shrouds that have the spacing to do a larger Type 4 oil cooler on a Type 1. For an FI convertible that would likely make a positive impact on the oil cooling.
Maybe some other time.