DIY FMIC for mk3

[gldgti]

not that there's many turbo mk3's around (you 4-cyl guys need to get busy) but if anyones interested...

sunday i decided to get serious with the intercooler setup on the diesel:

not a lot of room to work with at all considering the HUGE a/c core, and the bumper support panel:


so it became necessary to cut up the bumper support panel instead
taking out most of the support panel in between the foglight positions and the leave the top 'u' channel shape for building on to:


test fit to see if my cutting was OK...

then i added some support for the IC and reinforcing for the support panel to stiffen it up, sincei just chopped a hunk out of it. reinforcing is 50x3mm flat bar stitch welded along the back (radiator) side and suppoted in the middle at the front with the leftover tab from before.


primed then painted....

[gldgti]

and fitted up...

and with the intercooler. 2x M8x1.25 bolts hold the intercooler in, but even without them, its tight. this 'cooler measures core size 570x145x65mm and is a really nice fit, clearing the a'c solid hose on the drivers side nicely.


basically i've routed the pipes through the holes in the bumper where the foglights usually go (i've deleted mine now ) and up infront of the alternator on hte drivers side, and down under the battery on the passenger side.
i used some bits i had left over from my old setup, which gives me lots of room to still play with the engine - hence the big elbow over towards the expansion bottle.



as to the performance - well its a HEAP better than no intercooler! the i've got the boost set to about 17-18psi - and with the k14 at that pressure, its putting out a lot of extra temp.... so on the test run up a local big hill, i hopped out at the top, popped the bonnet and literally burned my hand on the compressor outlet side pipe (over the timing cover) and guaged the inlet pipe at about 50-60 degrees C - so a BIG improvement!

lots more torque and hardly any lag (well, none before, now almost none!) so i have to say i'm happy!

bad pic of the finished product...

i had to cut out all of the little vertical struts between the number plate and the lower lip, to make room for the bottom edge of the IC... so i also removed a little of the material at the top so that more air can be forced up infront of the IC....seems to be working great. i'm seeing lower EGT's at high load (by between 50-100degrees) so thats gotta be good.
i also cut out a little panel behind the number plate.

all the tube is 2" stainless bright tube, 1.5mm thick. i mig tacked little nobs on the ends of the tube for silicone hose grip. the black rubber hose is X-series falcon radiator hose i think (assorted hoses box at supercheap).


feel free to ask any questions

[Tim]

nice.
What size core did you use? Looks to be a great fit

[VDUBD]

the setup looks great and perfect fit for the cooler, would help if it was on a petrol golf haha doesnt matter tho. i wish they would make turbo'ing a non turbo car alot easier and cheaper...

[Tim]

aah just saw the size is listed in there. Someone is just skipping through the post without reading properly

[KI11Z]

doesnt look like its getting any air??

[peedman]

Even if it doesnt get any air it will act like a heatsink and still lower intake temps. i still reckon that it will get some air but obviously not as much if mounted lower and not utilising the foglight inserts for the piping (like seen on vortex).

Nice work gldgti!

[gldgti]

doesnt look like its getting any air??

i can see how you might think this - it appears to be tucked in behind the bumper right?

BUT - air infront of the car while driving is at quite high pressure, particularly down there where the main inlet for the radiator is.

there is about an 1/1/2" slot between the front of the IC and the bumper, at the bottom, and NO gap between the bumper and the TOP of the IC core - hence, a measure of air is forced through the cooler as long as the car is moving.... you'll have to trust me on this.... i'm an engineer

my favourite saying (my dads favorite too) is

"Air is thicker than it looks"

[Preen59]

Very nice Aydan! Well done. Love it. Any performance/economy improvements?

Haha, "Air is thicker than it looks". My old man's favourite comment is "Trust me, I'm a doctor."

Air is actually considered a "fluid".

[Mrk_Mickey]

You wait til I show my gf's parents what you did to their old bumper support! hahaha. I like it man, it's all real neat and tidy and that gets my vote.