EMPI Early Cooling Fan 30.7mm — Non-Doghouse Upright Shroud | 1961–1970 VW Beetle, Bus & Karmann Ghia (98-2003-B)

EMPI Early Cooling Fan — The Narrow Fan for Pre-Doghouse Air-Cooled VW Shrouds

The cooling fan is one of the most important — and most overlooked — components on an air-cooled Volkswagen engine. Bent or cracked fins, a worn hub, or a fan that has gone out of round will drive cylinder head temperatures up and can take the engine with it. This is EMPI's replacement for the early, narrow-profile fan used on Volkswagen's pre-1971 non-doghouse upright shrouds — the shrouds with the oil cooler mounted inside the fan housing.

If you are restoring an early Bug, a split- or early bay-window Bus, or a Ghia, or building a buggy motor around an early upright shroud, this is the correct fan. It replaces VW part 131-119-031 (superseding 113-119-031A).

Vehicle Fitment

• 1961–1970 VW Beetle
• 1961–1970 VW Karmann Ghia
• 1961–1970 VW Bus / Type 2 (upright engine)
• Early upright non-doghouse fan shrouds with the oil cooler inside the housing
• EMPI 36HP-style aftermarket shrouds and Ram-Air shrouds built to the early narrow width

Early / narrow style only. This fan will not correctly fill a 1971-and-later doghouse shroud — the narrow fan leaves an air gap and costs you cooling. For doghouse shrouds use EMPI 98-2004-B (stock) or 98-2006-B / 98-2006-0 (welded race). Type 3 pancake engines use a different fan entirely.

Note on year ranges: EMPI catalogs this fan as "61–70" and that is the range shown above. Several resellers extend it back as far as 1949 or 1954 on the same interchange number — if you are working on a pre-1961 car, confirm your shroud width before ordering.

Key Features

• Correct early narrow profile: 28.6mm inner fan width, 30.7mm outer fan width — the part the trade calls the "30mm" or "thin" fan.
• Stamped steel construction.
• Direct replacement for VW 131-119-031 — no modification required.
• Restores proper airflow on a shroud running a bent, cracked or out-of-round original.
• Sold each.

Technical Specifications

What Else You May Need

The fan hub hardware kit (EMPI 00-8898-0, also cataloged as 111-198-123A) supplies the hub, spring washer, shims and screws if yours are worn. Fan-to-hub shims set blade clearance inside the shroud.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know whether I need the early or the late fan?
Look at the shroud. If the oil cooler sits inside the fan housing and there is no cast "doghouse" box on the side, you need this early narrow fan. A doghouse shroud — 1971 and later — takes the wider 36.9mm fan.

Can I run this fan in a doghouse shroud?
Physically it will go on the hub, but it is roughly 6mm too narrow for the housing. The gap costs you airflow and cooling. Use the correct wide fan instead.

What VW number does this replace?
131-119-031, which itself superseded 113-119-031A.

Is it balanced or welded?
No — this is the stock-style replacement fan. If you need a welded, statically balanced fan for a high-RPM engine, that is the race fan, and it is only made in the late wide profile.

Is hardware included?
The fan is sold each. Fan hub kits and shims are separate parts.

Is this genuine EMPI?
Yes. Washburn's Metal is an authorized EMPI dealer, so this is a new genuine EMPI part.

⚠️ Prop 65 Warning

WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive harm. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. All parts legal for use on pre-pollution controlled vehicles only.