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RacingLine Golf MK7 Oil Cooler

victorofhavoc

Autocross Champion
Location
Kansas City
Was anyone successful in adding a thermostat to the VWR kit or creating a fairly easy to install solution that worked on the street as well?
Once you have the vwr lower threaded portion, any standard thermostat will work.

My kit works on the street with the 10 row, but I have to keep my hood liner in or my hood louvres let hot air go. It's been sucky through winter, but that's also due to below 0 conditions and short drives.
 

Navi

Autocross Champion
Location
BK/NYC/Hamptons
Was anyone successful in adding a thermostat to the VWR kit or creating a fairly easy to install solution that worked on the street as well?
yes. My setup during install:



 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
If only you found the extra VWR adapter in your garage 😭😭😭😭
Yeah, that's the real issue. Having to buy the entire kit, just to get the adapter.

The kits cooling core is too small and no thermostat.
 

burgerkong

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Ontario, Canadeh
Yeah, that's the real issue. Having to buy the entire kit, just to get the adapter.

The kits cooling core is too small and no thermostat.

I had a dream where I had a couple dry break connectors plumbed in so I can take the entire lines + cooler assembly out during the winter time haha. Maybe it's time to get back to making the adapter.
 

victorofhavoc

Autocross Champion
Location
Kansas City
Yeah, that's the real issue. Having to buy the entire kit, just to get the adapter.

The kits cooling core is too small and no thermostat.
The vwr size with venting and air leak areas in the grill/cooling-stack intake taped off with gorilla tape does a good job of keeping oil temps safer for 20 min sessions. Adding venting and tape reduced my temps by another 15 degrees or so. 30 mins is pushing it, but by that point 200tw tires are out the window, the diff isn't locking well, and brakes are really needing venting out.

Still, the vwr kit is terribly overpriced and unfortunately the most hassle free solution at the moment. If you're truly serious enough about more cooling, I'd work on designing a better air intake path to the cooling stack and get air out more cleanly. That would solve a lot more globally, but also has its drawbacks for street use applications.
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
The vwr size with venting and air leak areas in the grill/cooling-stack intake taped off with gorilla tape does a good job of keeping oil temps safer for 20 min sessions. Adding venting and tape reduced my temps by another 15 degrees or so. 30 mins is pushing it, but by that point 200tw tires are out the window, the diff isn't locking well, and brakes are really needing venting out.

Still, the vwr kit is terribly overpriced and unfortunately the most hassle free solution at the moment. If you're truly serious enough about more cooling, I'd work on designing a better air intake path to the cooling stack and get air out more cleanly. That would solve a lot more globally, but also has its drawbacks for street use applications.
My issue is that my car does double duty, both autocross and track, and I'm trying to stay in STH. No interest in XSA, though that would make it easy to set up for track. I just want to keep the build simple. Tune, IC, oil cooler, radiator, coils, RSB, brakes, brake venting, done. If I can increase airflow without cutting up hood, I would, but don't think there's much I can do.
 

victorofhavoc

Autocross Champion
Location
Kansas City
My issue is that my car does double duty, both autocross and track, and I'm trying to stay in STH. No interest in XSA, though that would make it easy to set up for track. I just want to keep the build simple. Tune, IC, oil cooler, radiator, coils, RSB, brakes, brake venting, done. If I can increase airflow without cutting up hood, I would, but don't think there's much I can do.
Is an oil cooler legal in sth? Didn't think it or brake venting was legal. I don't follow scca stuff anymore because I hate their classing, and car safety stuff is the biggest reason why.
 

Navi

Autocross Champion
Location
BK/NYC/Hamptons
I was getting heat soak from the placement of the VWR cooler (right in front of the intercooler). I went with a Setrab 19 row and relocated it. Don't mind the janky brackets. This was during test fitment / mock up. I also added the GOLF R fender liner to allow air flow since it has vents and the GTI liner doesn't.



 

victorofhavoc

Autocross Champion
Location
Kansas City
I was getting heat soak from the placement of the VWR cooler (right in front of the intercooler). I went with a Setrab 19 row and relocated it. Don't mind the janky brackets. This was during test fitment / mock up. I also added the GOLF R fender liner to allow air flow since it has vents and the GTI liner doesn't.



How are you plumbing air to it? Or did you just yank the cooling stack ducting?
 

AceHammer

Go Kart Champion
Location
NY USA
Car(s)
2015 A3
If people are still looking for a way to help drop temps, I came up with all the part numbers for adding in auxiliary radiators from the golf R. The right one costs around 450 to retrofit and the dsg one runs around 300. I'm assuming it would help due to the dsg/oil being water cooled. You can also get what looks like csf 4 pass replicas off ebay for the aux radiators.
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
If people are still looking for a way to help drop temps, I came up with all the part numbers for adding in auxiliary radiators from the golf R. The right one costs around 450 to retrofit and the dsg one runs around 300. I'm assuming it would help due to the dsg/oil being water cooled. You can also get what looks like csf 4 pass replicas off ebay for the aux radiators.
Post up the part numbers, man. Don't keep us guessing.
 

AceHammer

Go Kart Champion
Location
NY USA
Car(s)
2015 A3
Everything matches up except the upper radiator coupling, I'm about 90% sure that this is the correct part based on engine codes, and diagrams. (Splits in 3 ways vs 2 on my A3 with a DSG cooler, and the aux radiator return runs right to it). Would need an R/S3 owner to confirm for 100%

Edit - The confusion for me around the upper inlet, is that it has the 3-way split on Mk7Rs without the left cooler. The diagram above makes it seem like that 3 way runs to the DSG cooler. Of course, the coolant diagrams are awful too.

On my A3 which has a DSG oil/water cooler without the aux rad, this extra split does not exist

Edit 2 - Found a coolant diagram on some Russian site that is somehow 10x better than the VWoA official parts diagrams.

Confirmed from ROW part diagrams these are the correct parts.

The right side radiator simply acts as an extension of the center radiator, with coolant flowing splitting off from the upper radiator inlet and merging back in into the coupling at the water pump
b3da4ba27de54afd6ca323ff7e6ebe55.png


Right Side Rad - Prices for new OEM parts from https://www.audiusaparts.com/

Air duct - 5G0117334 - 20

Upper radiator coupling - 5Q0-122-291-CT - 25

Lower radiator coupling - 5Q0-122-291-DS - 116, This comes with a new temp sensor hence the high price. I have found ones on eBay for 60 dollars, but I am still looking for one without the sensor

Mounting bracket - 5Q0121093FD - 65. There are several different revisions/styles of this. This is the most recent as well as the cheapest.

The actual radiator - L&R ALUMINUM AUXILIARY RADIATOR - 150, message the seller and ask for just one, sold as two for 284.

Water hose - 5Q0-121-051-K - 20

Water hose - 5Q0-121-101-N - 27

Cross tube - 5Q0-121-070-AP - 35

Gromets for the bracket 4D0-317-867-A 2x - 12

Nut for the bracket N90761103 - 2x - 2

Bolt for the bracket + washer N10471802 - 2 | N90225901 like 30c lol

Washer for bolt N90225901 - 1

Hose clamps N-906-870-01 - 3x - 9

Hose clamps N-906-869-02 2x -9

Generic bolt for hard-line N90817003 - 1


903fb6b75f85580a748b7c5f60beffc4.png
6cbfe4eb7b9d42b35f6d5fa427843c98.png



Will also need a 6 in generic coolant line, as VW wants to sell that small section as part of the entire upper coolant hose.
 
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AceHammer

Go Kart Champion
Location
NY USA
Car(s)
2015 A3
Res for left

Gonna go through the Russian site and double-check everything tmr. Will post on the left one then.

Though it appears from a cursory look that the left one can be added even to manual Rs for even extra cooling capactiy
 
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