Intercooler Upgrade - adding a fan

[Sefo Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sefo]

Re: Intercooler Upgrade - adding a fan

Yeah, looks cool, should get a couple of NOS stickers

[mumstruk Member Find all posts View Profile Close mumstruk]

Re: Intercooler Upgrade - adding a fan

Just a thought, how about spraying water onto the core? I remember reading somewhere about Rally cars doing this. Would look kinda cool (or scary) with steam escaping from under the bonnet. With the range of two full fuel tanks you may need to carry 20 litres of water and the weight penalty might negate performance gained.

[pjorek Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close pjorek]

Re: Intercooler Upgrade - adding a fan

Just a thought, how about spraying water onto the core? I remember reading somewhere about Rally cars doing this. Would look kinda cool (or scary) with steam escaping from under the bonnet. With the range of two full fuel tanks you may need to carry 20 litres of water and the weight penalty might negate performance gained.

rally cars not only have it wired into the ECU so the spray system works automatically (they do have a manual override switch, at least I had on my STI) but the idea is to use it whilst vehicle is travelling at speed. Also in the WRX it worked as it had a bonnet scoop so fresh wind blowing onto the cooler gets even colder (no steam though). I reckon it'd cost less and you'd get better gains if you swapped a 150 series front mount + brackets + piping for your top mount. I reckon some wrecker shops might start getting them soon

[mumstruk Member Find all posts View Profile Close mumstruk]

Re: Intercooler Upgrade - adding a fan

The 120 picks up cold air from the grill via two ducts, goes into one and then via the double skinned bonnet and forced through the core. Wont longer piping and larger make the boost lag more? The other thing to remember is that diesels are different to a petrol motor. The diesel is on boost almost all of the time and the major problem is when you have low range engaged for long periods of time and at slow speeds there is low airspeed to cool the core.

[DocK Member Find all posts View Profile Close DocK]

Intercooler Fan Upgrade

Have refined the fan a little more with a dedicated shroud that fits up into the bonnet space left by the scoop. Also added 2 misting sprays that pulse on for 20 seconds on high boost. The timing of the pulse is variable and the also adjustable when it switches on at what level of boost.

You can see the misting nozzles in the top of the shroud in each corner - pulses out at about 200psi.

Does it help much in terms of performance - hard to tell but watching the EGT seems to show a drop when everything is on. Is it worth the expense of the misting pump and spray etc - not really. Is it worth the fan - yes I think so.
Cheers
DocK

[Gramps Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Gramps]

Hey Doc,
Do you restrict the use of your fan to just 4wding or do you use it in traffic as well?

I used mine for the 1st time off road last weekend in Moonta but couldn't tell a difference. Kinda thought it was due to the hot ambient temp.

[DocK Member Find all posts View Profile Close DocK]

Mostly with slow 4wding. However, I keep an eye on the scan gauge intake air temp and if it starts to climb too high in traffic I put it on. I reckon over 60kph the fan makes no difference anyway, so cruising it is off all the time.
Cheers
DocK

[DocK Member Find all posts View Profile Close DocK]

[QUOTE=##########;396971]Dock, you have got a bonnet scoop as well, haven't you?
I am very interested how you mounted the unit there mate. I just wondering whether you took some photos of this when you installed the unit?

G'day Roo,
Yes I have a scoop courtesy of a RAV4.

The unit is mounted on the original bolt holes that hold the engine cover on. From memory 2 of these go thru into the inter cooler body and the other 2 have captive nuts, also mounted on the inter cooler. I was careful to ensure no mounts thru the inter cooler fins and that there was adequate clearance between the fan, it's shroud and the actual inter cooler. Last thing I wanted was a tiny perforation sucking dust straight into the induction manifold. Think that would be the end of the injectors given the tolerances these operate on!

Cheers
DocK

[znelbok Member Find all posts View Profile Close znelbok]

SO its been a while now since all this was discussed - how is it going. Are the fans holding up and do you still think it is worth while?

From a 4WD perspective, I can understand the benefit of increasing the airflow over the IC, but it has to be cool air so it is important to keep the seal around the IC to the bonnet. As a 4WD'er I know that there are times when we need power at very low vehicle speeds and the engine can be at higher rev's for extended periods with little to no air across the IC - hence the fan makes sense.

MickL - how is the speed monitor switch going. I was reading your comments regarding the controller and your trouble with the signal originally and I wondered why you did not use the speed input to the NAV unit. From my very limited understanding it is a pulse signal to the unit so I would think a piggyback on that would make sense.

I am keen to try this myself if everyone still thinks it is worth while - speed controlled when the car is on.

Mick

[groeschel Member Find all posts View Profile Close groeschel]

SO its been a while now since all this was discussed - how is it going. Are the fans holding up and do you still think it is worth while?

From a 4WD perspective, I can understand the benefit of increasing the airflow over the IC, but it has to be cool air so it is important to keep the seal around the IC to the bonnet. As a 4WD'er I know that there are times when we need power at very low vehicle speeds and the engine can be at higher rev's for extended periods with little to no air across the IC - hence the fan makes sense.

MickL - how is the speed monitor switch going. I was reading your comments regarding the controller and your trouble with the signal originally and I wondered why you did not use the speed input to the NAV unit. From my very limited understanding it is a pulse signal to the unit so I would think a piggyback on that would make sense.

I am keen to try this myself if everyone still thinks it is worth while - speed controlled when the car is on.

Mick

I am running one since two years permanently on without issues.
The fan is mounted with rubber mounts on the plastic cover of the inter cooler and comes on when the engine is started.
It was a test with a cheap $30 fan from ebay, I think a 10" from memory but it holds up without any issues
Without having any hard evidence I would dare to say the fuel consumption in traffic was slightly improved
Cheers
Michael

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

MickL - how is the speed monitor switch going. I was reading your comments regarding the controller and your trouble with the signal originally and I wondered why you did not use the speed input to the NAV unit. From my very limited understanding it is a pulse signal to the unit so I would think a piggyback on that would make sense.

No issues in the end, I run a frequency sensing switch (Jaycar - kit) and picked up the signal at the ECU loom behind the glove box. (not sure right now if the NAV loom has a speed pulse input? can't remember I would have thought it just used it's own internal GPS for speed calculations?. The ECU is much easier to access any way)

The set up works very well and overall is quite cheap in the scheme of things (say $30 for the fan and the same for the switch kit or there about)


I also used a cheap Ebay fan, no issues there at all.

I've put a fair bit of info on here about it but it's scattered through several threads (I'm sure there's another intercooler fan thread somewhere) there is also a little info and picture in my build thread.

Mick (formally MickL)

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

I put a post on Facebook and was basically ripped a new ar$ehole by a former Prado owner telling me to remove the third spotty rather than install a scoop and a fan. Apparently (and correctly) I know nothing about airflow and this is the reason my motor blew up in the first place.

I considered his valuable propositions for a long time and discussed them with 2 persons I consider to be very knowledgeable in the area of engines and airflow. After considering the very poor build of his side steps (commercial builder and supplier) and that of the two experts I have come to the conclusion his opinion is probably of the same quality.

Well, one less facebook virtual friend I guess and I will be proceeding to install the attached scoop and consider a fan underneath it. Then I can see whatever I want and manipulate temps as and when needed. Oh and thanks to AJ120, I now have modified steps that actually don't sit hard up against the body and rattle like a salvation army collection tin.



MLC (Still MLC) (That's for you Mick )

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

Shame on you mlc! Capital S for salvation and A for army in future.

Otherwise tell your new friend to go drive a Patrol.

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

Apparently (and correctly) I know nothing about airflow

And just to blow your mind... scoops can work when fitted facing backwards too, and a forward facing scoop may not work at all! and to top it off a scoop that isn't even in the direct air flow can work too.
It's funny so many "automotive professionals" can forget the basic science they learnt in high school.

Shame on you mlc! Capital S for salvation and A for army in future.

I would have mentioned that.... but I did better at science than English, especially the spelling and grammar bit! :?

MLC (Still MLC) (That's for you Mick )

Sorry... who T F are you again?

Mick

[znelbok Member Find all posts View Profile Close znelbok]

Thanks Guys

The ECU is probably easier, but the radio is coming out soon so I will path in a wire for the pulse input so the relay can use it when I do it later on.

The mods looks pretty easy so I am going to give it a go.