Cross Country 4x4 - FMIC for 120 Series D4D

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

There's been a rumour or two about the status of the 120 series for a few days, what are mates for I suppose? Other than stirring up the pot and spreading wild accusations. So here it is - the truth of the matter...

For the laywers out there, i will add "to the best of my knowledge!"

Since the day I bought the 120 series, I have known that the intercooler was, shall we say, lacking! It was always hot at the end of a daily drive and lets be honest - isn't an intercooler supposed to get rid of all that heat and not store it? I mean, who would have thought Mr Toyota would stiffle an engine as awesome as the D4D, with such a restriction to the air flow by the standard cooler?

I decided that a few emails were in order, to find out what my options were...



I asked a few questions, what are the benefits of a top mounted cooler over a front mounted cooler? Should I be looking at thermo fans and/ or a bonnet scoop? Is it possible to fit the 150 setup into the 120? Can you build me something that would be better than the standard unit?

<-- i can't find a pic of the original without the cover on... -->

Jon, from Cross Country 4x4 was very helpful and did his best to teach me about coolers via email! Even sent some pics of a Hilux mod they had done previously!



Looked pretty good!!! and Jon was sure that he could complete a similar modification for the 120 Series D4D....

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

So in i went to check out the shop and let Jon double check the prado and come up with a few options about how we might be able to achieve the desired results... Again, more of the same questions... Just to make sure!

After a few weeks, I finally decided to go forward with this and asked Dodgey Dave if he ould please get the prado down to Cross Country 4x4 on my behalf - I was unfortunately already back at work and I really wanted it done before the 2012 SA GTG!!!

The following is a set of photos Jon was kind enough to compile for me...



My newly installed winch control box was relocated, the air horm was relocated and a variety of plastic tabs, metal and original brackets were removed or cut away to make room for the new cooler.

[butane8 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close butane8]

got a v6 waiting for cold air induction ... tell ya make he's got the job

cheers butane

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

A very empty space waiting for something special...



The new cooler is quite a bit larger and deeper than the original Toyota unit and looking at it its a wonder that they were able to find a location to fit it into the rig...



With the unit fitted in place, foam sealed to the ondensor core for the air conditioner to aid with making use of the air flow from the viscous fan...

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

Some more photos of the cooler in its new home...



The foam seal that was applied to keep all that air flowing in the right direction...

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

Next was the pipework, I wont say that it was easy for the boys at Cross ountry to find a location for the new intercooler, but compared with the effort that went into developing the pipe work from the turbo and routing it passed the second battery, around the AC pipes and making it all fit together - outstanding effort.



I'm good with my brackets and angles - but i still wasn't convinced that it could be done...

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

Was let to believe that the cold pipework was a lot simpler to work out and went quite easy - of course that could just be comparatively...



Certainly did a good job... Must admit, Jon was out with the polish after I had a look at the finished product cos I'd put finger prints all over it... Doesn't like fingerprints!!!

[butane8 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close butane8]

nice work

nice time to un - veil that.. nice work from 4x4 crosscountry... tell the boyz there to work on cold air induction for the 6packs,
bolt on set up retaining the stock top plastic.. they'd be rich

enjoy the gtg safe trip .. lots of footage to prove the point? lol
cheers butane

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

I must admit, I was doubtful when the process began on monday, and with it all being so close to the 2012 GTG, I was thinkting that I had taken a gamble at whether this could go from a R&D investigation to finished product in 5 days...

But I am impressed... The finished product looks awesome!!!







A 120 Series Prado just looks better in black!!!

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

Looks bloody tuff under that hood Matty.

[butane8 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close butane8]

would look better in silver

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

nice time to un - veil that.. nice work from 4x4 crosscountry... tell the boyz there to work on cold air induction for the 6packs,
bolt on set up retaining the stock top plastic.. they'd be rich

enjoy the gtg safe trip .. lots of footage to prove the point? lol
cheers butane

I have a dyno sheet which shows the performance of the original interooler and the new intercooler... I'll scan it onto the computer tomorrow and post some comments about it...

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

Looks bloody tuff under that hood Matty.

Thats it does mate...
Can I "borrow" your performance chip tomorrow? I want to see what this thing will do with more fuel!!!!

would look better in silver

Unlikely mate...

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

A big thanks to Jon and the rest of the boys at Cross Country 4x4, you've done a fantastic job and exceeded my expectations of what could be achieved in such a short time!!!

[KIMBOPRADO Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close KIMBOPRADO]

A 120 Series Prado just looks better in black!!!

Matt - I'll second that, as a Mercury outboard dealer told me once "once you have black - you won't go back"

Looking good under the bonnet there as well