Rad Lowering And Intercooler Installation

[tom_m 0]

Not wanting to do a complete thread hijack, and being rather proud of my efforts i thought i'd better start a new topic after questions in the Original Thread by bill, after i suggested lower his rad.

 

so here are a few snap shots of teh process i went through to install and lower my TD rad and install a 4wd cossie intercooler under the slam panel and behind the grill.

 

Lining it all up, copious use of cable ties and a handy (if slightly too short) tin of gunk

 

 

the complete first attempt... too low and not strong enough by half to hold up the TD rad, let alone a TD rad full of water, the TD rad being roughly double the capacity and therefore double the weight ... time for some steel but you get the idea, the ic sits perfectly behind the grill without any choppage of the grill.

 

 

the second attempt bolted in, using, i might add, two hole that were already there in the front panel in ideal locations! made from steel box and re-used angle ali from the first try

 

 

this shot is a good illustration of the choppage required to teh front panel (not pretty, but not structural either, no illusions over resale value here!) and shows the ic well, incidentally the ic is perfectly centred in the grill, but the endtanks are different, making it look more to one side that the other.

 

 

and finally my fav shot again, it looks so good its a shame to cover it with a bumper

 

 

to secure the top of the rad to stop it flapping about i'm planning to run a rod in front of the top of the rad that i can bolt through because the td rad has convenient captive nuts from where it was bolted (yes bolted, it must be the weight ) to the cowling in the donor vehicle

 

few more pics here, i'd post more, but i think i'm already pushing my luck with teh picture police

 

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v11/the_...and%20and%20IC/

[jimistdt 1]

Thats a fantastic write up Tom_m. Looks a good job too. A couple of questions for you. Does the pipework come out parallel to the wings on that intercooler? I should imagine that the pipework is pretty straight forward? BTW Which inlet manifold have you used?

 

Jimi

[tom_m 0]

Thats a fantastic write up Tom_m. Looks a good job too. A couple of questions for you. Does the pipework come out parallel to the wings on that intercooler? I should imagine that the pipework is pretty straight forward? BTW Which inlet manifold have you used?

 

Jimi

 

Thanks Jimi

 

It does on the passenger side, but not the drivers. this pic illustrates it quite well. Not such a huge problem because I was going to have to use an S bend to get the pipe to the inlet anyway. I'm going to try robturbo's suggestion of using the rover t16 S bend, because it looks like it will fit there quite nicely.

 

I'm using the OE inlet maniold on the 2ltr turbo engine.

Edited September 2, 2008 by tom_m

[Alastairh 47]

Looks great mate.

 

Time for the engine!

[M@tt 77]

nice work tom!!

 

i'll be using the exact same intercooler on my CTI so always good to nick other peoples ideas and methods

[pike_1.9cti 0]

That looks very tidy!!

 

 

In your opinion tom (or anybody else), can you lower the rad (using standard gti one) without having to cut away at the front? as im tryin to keep mine standard (or eaily returnable to standard) as its road car.

 

Also, ive just noticed a problem with that, will the rad still get affective cooling once lowered?

 

cheers ben

 

 

edit: sorry forgot to say im just running carbs, no intercooler needed, (well yet)

Edited September 2, 2008 by pike_1.9cti

[M@tt 77]

only problem i can see is without removing that cross member the you might have to angle the bottom of the radiator really far back especially with the fan cowling on the front of it. Space might be a bit tight around sump/oil filter if it needs angling back too far.

 

But i have no first hand experience so someone else may be better placed to comment

[tom_m 0]

That looks very tidy!!

 

In your opinion tom (or anybody else), can you lower the rad (using standard gti one) without having to cut away at the front? as im tryin to keep mine standard (or eaily returnable to standard) as its road car.

 

Also, ive just noticed a problem with that, will the rad still get affective cooling once lowered?

 

cheers ben

 

edit: sorry forgot to say im just running carbs, no intercooler needed, (well yet)

 

yes, for sure it is, a number of people on here have done so. des developements will charge you a mint for some spangly brackets if you're loaded, or again i reckon you could knock something up using stuff from b&q fairly easily. you don't lose any space because the rad already effectivly sits behind the crossmemeber when in the cowling anyway, but you will have to modify the cowling if you're keeping it, and your rad fan(s) won't be blowing 100% of their output directly onto the rad anymore

[dirtdog 4]

I've thought about doing this before on my STDT. It looks great!

 

Are you using any fans Tom? I've got the dual fans and i'm curious as to if I could squeeze one in.

Did you mount the new rad further forward because its thicker than your old one?

Also I notice the lack of bonnet pins..how did you manage to keep the bonnet clasp thing? I cant see clearly in the photo but I assume it's got just enough room to lock in?

[tom_m 0]

nice work tom!!

 

i'll be using the exact same intercooler on my CTI so always good to nick other peoples ideas and methods

 

no worries m@tt, always happy to help, i'll do you some close-ups of the ic mounts when i'm at the workshop tonight if you want. i trimmed a little off the nose of the slam panel to get the IC nice and high, and as a consequence can't use the bonnet catch or clip anymore, which could be a downside for a road/standard car, but i've got a set of locking aerocatches coming to keep the bonnet shut (and look good to boot )

[tom_m 0]

I've thought about doing this before on my STDT. It looks great!

 

Are you using any fans Tom? I've got the dual fans and i'm curious as to if I could squeeze one in.

Did you mount the new rad further forward because its thicker than your old one?

Also I notice the lack of bonnet pins..how did you manage to keep the bonnet clasp thing? I cant see clearly in the photo but I assume it's got just enough room to lock in?

 

by virture of the fact its not in the fan cowling anymore (not intentional, but a happy by product) it is further forward in the engine bay yes, and i've got an aftermarket slim fan that i'm going to mount on the back of the rad, leaving room for the oil cooler in front of the rad.

 

without the cowling there is a ton of space there. but potentially you could just lower teh section of cross member you cut (if you're cutting) out and keep the fan cowling with the rad, i've seen pics of it done that way too.

[welshpug 1,626]

my only concern about lowering the rad and removing the cowling would be that air would take the easiest route and go either side of the rad/intercooler, had you thought about filling the empty space so that the air has to go through the I/C and Rad?

[jimistdt 1]

my only concern about lowering the rad and removing the cowling would be that air would take the easiest route and go either side of the rad/intercooler, had you thought about filling the empty space so that the air has to go through the I/C and Rad?

 

I would have thought the air resistance provided by an I/C or Rad would be minimal anyway??

 

Jimi

[welshpug 1,626]

why do all vehicles use a fan cowling then?

[jimistdt 1]

why do all vehicles use a fan cowling then?

 

 

To increase the air flow when the vehicle is not moving fast enough to do so itself?

 

I'm not picking a fight, just thinking aloud

 

Jimi

[tom_m 0]

what empty space

 

 

i have been cosidering a heat shield between the rad and the ic to prevent the heat from teh rad rising into the ic and causing heak soak (eek starting to sound like a subaru driver now!) and yes i was considering some form of cowling, but that got scrapped once i found there was no space around the rad anyway and i don't think the minimal air gap around the ic will cause much of a problem, and aid under bonnet cooling. there are going to be other things filling those gaps too, like oil cooler pipe work i expect.

 

like jimi says i'm fairly sure the cowling is there to make sure all the air from the fans goes through the rad instead of leaking out sideways (a problem i won't have with a pull type fan(s)), because if you notice the cowling obstructs a large area of the rad from moving air, which does nothing to help the rads efficiency on the move.

Edited September 2, 2008 by tom_m

[ashley peddle 3]

neat work... when is the engine going in?

[James_R 3]

Looks familiar

 

 

You can drop the std rad the same, infact you only need the alloy L bracket not the steel box section as it's much lighter (althogh we've not tried putting water in yet)

 

It's also worth considering how low you'll be running the car, mine sits about 1" lower than the bottom of a std valance so speed bumps are thy enemy!

 

Good work tom, when's the engine going in?

[TEKNOPUG 3]

You go to bed in September 2008 and awake in January 2006, just as Tom is beginning his turbo conversion......

[tom_m 0]

You go to bed in September 2008 and awake in January 2006, just as Tom is beginning his turbo conversion......

 

you finally got the flux capaciter working then andy

Edited September 3, 2008 by tom_m

[Garry 1]

Looks good Tom.

 

I would advise you fit twin fans, I will be doing so soon. Handy to drag the temps down if you are stuck in queue......

[All Praise The GTI 3]

nice tread. i tried to fitt a 2wd cossie cooler like that to my turbo conversion but the IC was too close to the inlet manifold. no matter how many short silicone hose i bought and cut up i couldnt get it to fitt

[M@tt 77]

oh bugger i've got a 2wd one! i thought the 4wd one was even deeper?

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Hmm, now where I have seen that before!!

 

But the intercooler fit's a treat, Not sure if it's a 2WD or 4WD drive one thou

[tom_m 0]

Looks good Tom.

 

I would advise you fit twin fans, I will be doing so soon. Handy to drag the temps down if you are stuck in queue......

 

yeah i had twin fans with the old engine, and i've got the turbo diesel loom so its a proper job. just gotta get the second slim fan for it.

 

its going to be close for sure, but not a lot isn't in this build