Alisport Intercooler for 2.8

[Santiago]

Hi guys,

I am thinking about buying a new intercooler for my 2.8 TGV engine. The one it has is a standard 300Tdi intercooler, quite old, doens't look good from the outside: flatttened/deformed aluminum. It was a used intercooler when installed on the 2.8 engine.

Since I will be travelling to England soon I was considering eventually buying an Alisport uprated intercooler but the standard width one, not the full width one since I will be installing AC in my Defender later this year and I do nto want have space problems when fitting the AC condenser in the front of the truck.

I am not planning to tweak the 2.8 engine right now but I am tempted to slightly tweak the fuel pump and turbo boost in the future.

a) Do you think the Allisport standard width intercooler will do better than the standard 300Tdi intercooler or is the performance going to be just the same?

b if I install a standard width Alisport intercooler, will I only notice a difference in case I tweak the fuel pump and turbo boost or willjust changing the intercooler make a difference?

c) if I decide to go the slight tweaking route, how difficult and expensive is it to install a EGT measuring gauge?

I believe Pendy (US LR 90 Forum) mentioned it is OK to tweak a 2.8 engine as long as you measure the EGT and keep it beneath some number which i cannot remeber. What is a decent bhp figure I can expect to achieve from my all standard 2.8 engine by tweaking it and not risking blowing it up?

Opinions are appreciated.

Regards,

SG

[headhunter]

My 2.8TGV has a Brunel Performance Charge Cooler ( http://www.brunelperformance.co.uk/) with the heat exchanger taking up the conventional intercooler space and a radiator full length but half height to cool the water, driven by a small electric pump and an electric Spal fan. It's supposed to add about 20bhp.

The fuel has been tweaked slightly no more than a quarter turn. Which may add a few more. Turbo boost has not been touched.

I also have a Brunel high output engine cooling radiator without the oil cooler which is not requited on the 2.8 TGV.

EGT is fitted to the manifold (simple job) and as yet has not gone above 550 degrees (700 degrees being the back off temp.) and generally runs around 350-400 crusing at 65-70 mph with turbo boost reading around 17 at these speeds. Revs are about 2300-2400 in overdrive.

Exhaust is 3" stainless steel with a Vortex (no idea if it makes any difference) then a conventional 3" stainless box.

This helps eliminate back pressure keeping EGT lower as the gasses exhaust at a faster rate.

Emissions are very clean and no smoke is apparent.

As yet I have not tested in anger, eg. steep hill climbs or mountain passes or towing heavy loads or trials/events (not really what I am into).

The set-up is mainly for expedition use and off-road trecking, so reliability and endurance are the main requirements rather than extremes of power.

If you like the look of Brunel's products order well in advance to ensure they have what you want, they don't appear to hold large stocks.

Hope this helps

John