EMPI Super Kooler Oil Cooler — Doghouse | Cerakote (98-1189-B)

This is the doghouse cooler. Open your engine lid: if there's a rectangular oil cooler box hanging off the outside of the fan shroud on the driver's side, you have a doghouse and this drops straight in. If the cooler stands upright inside the shroud, read the note below — you have options, but it isn't a bolt-in. Can't tell? Send us a photo of your engine bay and we'll tell you — we look at these all day.

The EMPI Super Kooler isn't a plain replacement, it's a hardware upgrade. EMPI had CSF Radiators build it — a company that makes radiators for a living — specifically for doghouse fan shroud engines.

Vehicle Fitment

Straight from EMPI's own application table:

• VW Beetle, Super Beetle, buggy & sand rail, 1971–1979: direct replacement
• VW Karmann Ghia, 1971–1974: direct replacement
• VW Thing (Type 181), 1973–1974: direct replacement
• VW Type 3, 1961–1973: direct replacement
• VW Beetle & buggy, 1949–1970: fits with the correct doghouse fan shroud, tin and adapter — not a bolt-in on an upright engine
• VW Bus (Type 2), 1950–1971: same — with the correct shroud, tin and adapter. 1971 was the last year the US Bus came with the Type 1 doghouse engine; from 1972 it's a Type 4.
• Type 4 motors: EMPI lists it as fitting these too

Running an upright (pre-1971) engine? This cooler can still go on — EMPI's table says so — but it needs a doghouse shroud, the right tin and an adapter, so it becomes a conversion rather than a swap. Call the shop at (657) 438-7002 before you order and we'll tell you what the whole job needs. If you'd rather keep the upright setup as it is, the upright Super Kooler, 98-1186-B is the direct-fit part for your engine.

Key Performance Features

• Bar-and-plate core: EMPI puts it at 10% more cooling volume than the OE tube-and-fin in the same footprint.
• Cerakote ceramic coating: an ultra-thin thermal barrier that sheds heat faster than paint or raw aluminum.
• Pressure tested to 120 psi (8.3 bar) — it will take a high-volume oil pump without fatigue.
• Billet CNC top, cast bottom for structural integrity.
• Built-in M10x1.0 sensor bung: put a real oil temp or pressure sender in the cooler instead of guessing off a dipstick gauge.
• Comes complete: the "Hoover bit" air tin and premium Elring seals are in the box, so you're not hunting parts halfway through the job.

EMPI's Tested Numbers

These are EMPI's published test figures, not ours:

• 47% colder at the cooler outlet than the OE unit in equivalent conditions
• 5% better than the larger Type 4 oil cooler
• 86% colder at the outlet when paired with the EMPI Super Shroud

Worth saying plainly: that's the temperature of the oil leaving the cooler, not the temperature in your sump. Your sump temp still depends on your tin, your timing, your jetting and how hard you drive it. But the direction is right and the construction is honest.

Fit the Hoover Bit

The "Hoover bit" is the small piece of tin that seals the gap between the cooler and the shroud. Its whole job is to stop air taking the easy path around the cooler. Leave it out and the fan pushes air past the cooler instead of through it — you'll have bolted on an expensive part that does almost nothing. It's included here. Fit it.

Specifications

• Part Number: 98-1189-B
• Manufacturer: EMPI / CSF Radiators
• Core Type: Bar and plate
• Material: Aluminum, Cerakote ceramic coating
• Top / Bottom: Billet CNC top, cast bottom
• Sensor Port: M10 x 1.0
• Pressure Tested: 120 psi (8.3 bar)
• Included: Hoover bit air tin, Elring seals, installation hardware

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I know if I have a doghouse shroud? Open your engine lid. A rectangular oil cooler box on the outside of the shroud, driver's side, means doghouse — 1971 and later. A cooler standing up inside the shroud means upright — 1970 and earlier.
• Will it fit a stock 1600cc engine? Yes — any doghouse-shroud Type 1 engine from stock 1600cc up through high-displacement builds.
• I have a 1966 upright. Can I use this? EMPI says yes, with the correct doghouse shroud, tin and adapter — so it's a conversion, not a swap, and there are parts beyond this cooler involved. Call us and we'll price the whole job honestly. Or stay upright and take the 98-1186-B.
• Do I need a high-volume oil pump? Not required, but one pairs well on built engines (1776cc+).
• Will my stock tin still fit? Yes — the included Hoover bit replaces the stock cooler tin and fits the standard doghouse shroud.
• What sensor fits the M10 bung? Standard M10 x 1.0 temperature or pressure senders — AutoMeter, VDO and most aftermarket gauge senders are this thread.
• Is the Cerakote durable? Yes — it's the ceramic finish used on firearms and engine components. It won't chip, fade or burn off like paint.
• Should I do the shroud at the same time? The 86% figure is the cooler and shroud working as a pair, so if you're in there it's worth pricing both. See the Oil & Cooling collection.

Explore Related Categories

Building a hotter engine? Oil & Cooling · Engine Tin & Components · The Washburn's Signature Series