The Vanagon Dictionary

An engine that rejects heat directly to moving air rather than circulating liquid coolant. Gerry’s spark-plug reference separates bus applications by engine code and period: ED/GD/GE for 1975–1979 and CV for 1980–1983, including California models. A May 2002 Gerry discussion titled “83 Air Cooled - Production dates” concerns an owner’s September 1983 Westfalia and the difficulty of finding comparable 1983 examples; it is a period-specific production question, not a universal fitment chart.

• engine
• air-cooled

A fan shroud introduced in 1971 for upright air-cooled engines.

• engine
• fan

Distinctive smell of air-cooled VWs, often from upholstery or rubber seals.

• smell
• aircooled

A heat exchanger that removes heat from engine oil. Air-cooled Type 2 engines use an oil cooler in the engine cooling assembly; design and mounting vary by engine. It is distinct from a Vanagon coolant radiator.

• engine
• air-cooled
• cooling

The housing around the engine cooling fan that directs airflow across the cylinders and cylinder heads on an air-cooled VW engine. Type 2 shrouds differ by engine and model year; this term does not describe the liquid-coolant radiator used on water-cooled Vanagons.

• engine
• air-cooled
• cooling

The front-mounted heat exchanger in a water-cooled Vanagon's engine-coolant circuit. It releases heat from circulating coolant to outside air. Air-cooled Type 2 buses do not use an engine-coolant radiator.

• engine
• water-cooled
• cooling