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Posted by: BuddyV May 21 2015, 05:03 PM

So.... both of my 914s have BENT tabs (at least one per car) that hold up the engine lid.

Explains why one side has never quite lined up properly..... didn't figure the tabs were bent since they looked fine.

But..... I was playing with the idea to hang an oil cooler to one of the lids, and CLONK!.

Gave way as soon as I let go of the weight of the oil cooler.

HHmmmm......

The tabs are not broken off yet.... so I was hoping I could weld in a triangular reinforment plate????

Would that work? Is there enough room to work with this area from a welding point of view?? Looks tight/small.

Thank you in advance....

Posted by: The Cabinetmaker May 21 2015, 06:19 PM

Tabs? Are you referring to the hinge mounts that are spot welded to the firewall?

Posted by: screenguy914 May 21 2015, 07:27 PM

Sounds like it.

The dinky tack welds seem to be an eventual failure point - probably a cost factor (cheaper than a proper threaded attachment).

If you plan to hang an oil cooler off of it, I'd vote for a more substantial hinge. They make them, but there's some fabrication to mount them. Or at a minimum, add reinforcement. Better yet, while air flow is abundant in that location, don't mount an oil cooler there. Exit air from the oil cooler (heated) will then be the source for cooling air for the engine.

Instead, move the cooler up front where air pressure is highest and thus most efficient to transfer heat. However, that requires more hose, fittings/adapters, a thermostat, hardware, a smooth routing path for the oil - to and from the cooler, and planning.

This archive should be full of owner examples.
Sherwood

Posted by: Dave_Darling May 21 2015, 10:47 PM

The edges of the L-shaped bracket are bent a little. I've had the corners welded--it worked OK for a while, but failed again. I gave a buddy of mine from work some brackets cut off a wrecked 914, and he added a doubler inside the L plus welded the edges back up correctly. The doublers line up with the edges of the bent-up part, so we knew they weren't in the way of the lid moving.

Then he welded the brackets onto the firewall. They're pretty darned solid now!!

--DD

Posted by: The Cabinetmaker May 22 2015, 04:43 AM

I add the triangular brackets the op speaks of on every car I work on as a preventive.