Shackleton Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 It strikes me how the intercooler is obscured by the A/C, and in turn they and the auto box cooler obscure the coolant rad. With my nudge bar and driving lamps, there must be less air getting through. Was thinking of making up my own version of a Saudi grill. Has anyone made any modifications to try and encourage better air flow? What about mounting the intercooler in front of everything else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puffernutter Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 If you mount the intercooler in front, then the air through the radiator will be hotter, therefore you will get less cooling on the water system. How much effect that will have I don't know, but if driving at speed, it may cause the engine to get hotter, maybe overheat? Just a thought. Cheers Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shackleton Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 But the intercooler is in front of the rad anyway, and right against it. Say the intercooler was right up against the stays just behind the grill, wouldn't there be more space for the air to cool a little between the intercooler and the A/C rad? Just on the topic, on my Td5 conversion RRC, I had to cut 3" off each fan blade for clearance. Haven't had a problem in 40k miles, some of which was in extended gridlock in 40ºC. But then there's no gearbox cooler or A/C rad in front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Jim Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Why not go down the route Subaru used and fit a top mount intercooler and a bonnet vent/scoop??Not the most common way of doing things, but would keep it out of trouble off road too.Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puffernutter Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 I wasn't aware of the arrangement. On my Discovery 300Tdi the intercooler was to the RHS. When I had my Defender 110 with a 19J and had an aftermarket intercooler, that went in front of the rad and I got a slight increase in temperature (nothing significant), I then swapped the 19J for a 200Tdi with the intercooler to the side and removed the engine driven fan. Never had an overheating issue even when to loaded car trailer! Cheers Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 200/300tdi have a rad that is way over size to the point they won't open the thermostat if left on tickover. Not sure about td5 though. I think the best thing you can do is make sure all the air goes through all the rads, intercooler etc and not round the sides though more air coming in isn't going to be a bad thing. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shackleton Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 The temp increase makes sense Peter, for sure. Mike I reckon the Td5 is more or less the same, certainly in the winter, idling won't open my thermostat. Jim, I just realised that there'd be a fair amount of head scratching to get the intercooler directly behind the grill, only to be left with a convoluted system of pipework, so that Subaru idea is really interesting. I wonder would there be the clearance over the top of the engine? There'd have to be a little scaffolding structure to mount the intercooler. Might have a sneaky measure once I have the head back on lol EDIT: Just fond these, kinda 3rd the way there: http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=73306 http://forum.lro.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=54110 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Ditch the intercooler and fit a charge cooler, then the extra rad capacity can be used to cool the charge cooler... TBH it all sounds like reinventing the wheel, LR must've spent at least a long lunchtime working this stuff out so it all works properly, if it's not working there's more than likely something wrong with your truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shackleton Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 It's all working fine, least it will be when I refit the head LR did a grand job on the cooling, it's just all the other mechanical stuff lol. But ideally wouldn't the A/C have it's own dedicated flow of air, likewise the intercooler, likewise the coolant rad.... I'm not a big offroader, nor do I tow anything big on a regular basis. My LR's are perfectly capable of negotiating the odd bit of soft sand or beach track when I'm surfing and that's why I got them, but what really does it for me is the Meccano nature of them. There's so much scope for getting creative to make them suit your needs better, or just tool around for the craic. There are plenty of guys on here who are studious (some bordering on obsessive) about their EGT's. I don't have £500 to spend on a swanky intercooler, or a VNT, let alone the instruments to monitor all the above, just think this could be a fun way of riveting on a few more pieces from the box and maybe dropping a º or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Idris Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Apart from blocking air flow, the intercooler doesn't heat the air up much. Its about a sixth of the heat output of the engine rad. Plus the air going into it is very hot at 150 deg.c, so you will still get good cooling with heat coming off an air con condenser. If you want 'extreme bonnet scoop' I have a 7" fan blowing air down directly onto my carbs. It follows the line of; if you can flow fresh air over the engine and gearbox, their surface area is good at dissipating heat. But inversely, I have a plate where the rad was, as it runs rear rad. Opening up the front has a cooling effect if you are moving for sure I'd stick with the current order though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shackleton Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 So it's back to a Saudi style grill then Really interesting info mate, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Jim Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 Seen this on a group on Facebook. Looks like a Defender, but seems like someone had the same idea . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydie Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Go to my profile, you can see there how I modified my grille by drilling some 50 odd 28mm dia. holes in it to improve air flow, a further modification I recently carried out was to relocate the airconditioning condenser to the underside of the roof rack. The addition of the scoop on the bonnet works as well and the scoop in the photo has also been upgraded with the installation of a Toyota Hi-Ace bonnet scoop its almost double the width of the one in my old photos and the home made aior diversion blades have been widened to match, they direct airflow over the top of the inlet manifold and turbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shackleton Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 Seen this on a group on Facebook. Looks like a Defender, but seems like someone had the same idea . A Defender with a flip front, must be a competition vehicle. Were there any shot of it finished? Iain, that sounds fantastic, but I could only find a picture of the small scoop. I'd especially like to see the A/C compressor on the roof and the pipework. I would thank that in itself would make a huge difference. Did you notice it in the driving? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydie Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 I found the picture in my media, "modified grille" you should be able to find it, its one of the very first. Yes, relocating the condenser up under the roof rack makes a huge differance, in our climate my driving temp now runs arround 85 degrees, with the condenser it ran arround 90 and up to 115 when the aircon was running Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shackleton Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 That's a nice neat solution. I just found a close up in your 'Trips' album. I'm missing something though because I've looked through your whole gallery and can't see that picture you posted above? Anyway, I was looking for shots of that larger scoop, and the AC roof mount & pipes. I might well go the route of your grill for starters Thanks mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydie Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 She has changed a lot since those initial snaps taken 4 years past, the scoop went in next, and then the larger full size roof rack - now a permanent fixture, then the back inside was modified with a 90 litre water tanl, cabinets and fridge / freezer - so no rear seats but there is only Julie and I and Max, a small K4.5 (not a real K9 dog) so rear passengers never come into the equasion. I'll take some more snaps and post them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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