Well I just changed my oil cooler seals (my first project on this car) and I would like to say thanks to everyone for all the information. I do have a question however I removed the 3 10mm nuts like the instruction on PP and went to remove the 13mm when I realized there were none. Should I be worried I could not find where they should be. Oh and by the way in the article they recommend using permatex to put he seals in but he does not know why. I tried engine assembly grease and it did not work. used permatex and everything worked great. Oh I have a 1.7 1970 since I know your going to ask.

The 13mm bolts hold a metal bracket that wraps around the outboard end of the cooler onto the fan shroud, I think it was. I wouldn't be hugely surprised if you could get the cooler out far enough to slide the new seals in without removing it, but I would think it easier if you had unbolted the bracket.

I'm guessing that the bracket is there to help support the cooler and keep vibration from working it loose or cracking anything. I would feel much better knowing it was in place and bolted down than not knowing...

--DD

I agree however I could not locate where they should have been either. I looked in the areas that were on PP and checked Haynes as well, but I did not see them.

Get a bracket and install it because eventually due to weight of pressurized cooler, vibration, and road bumps your cooler will move/work the seals and you will probably have to replace again within about 20-30K mi. or less. Torque setting for the three 10mm mounting nuts is 5 ft-lb (Wilson, How to Rebuild Your Volkswagen Air-Cooled Engine, pg. 149), not much so there will be too much movement without the bracket. John

The first two post are on target.