Intercooler Protection

[awelch]

Afternoon all,

As the weather is warming up, finally, I have removed my front fogs from my LCR 225 to allow far more air to both intercoolers. As a result the car seems to run perfectly and more consistently in warm weather and when its cool and damp it shifts,

Have others who have made this mod had any damage from debris to their intercoolers, if so have they added mesh or anything to prevent it?

Planning to make the blank holes look a little more purposeful!

Cheers

 

[Andi]

Mmm might go remove my fogs rite now, never bloody use them anyway.

 

[awelch]

Do it, its so easy! Just put four fingers in the mesh and give it a gentle tug, pops straight off, then you have two star nuts for each fog light, simple as that!

But remember to seal up and fix down the loose cable as quite a bit of water collects under there.

Enjoy

 

[D3DNA]

Adding mesh will help protect the i/c's and to make the removal of the fogs more effective get some ducting.

 

[Feel]

I ran mine for a while without any mesh, and while the chances of a "big stone in the intercooler" are probably slim, the thought of it eventually made me put some mesh in there.

Never had any damage while there was no mesh though. If there was a stone big enough to do damage to the core, it'd probably go straight thtough the mesh anyway, but...

I got some drilled ally plate (natural silver colour), dished it and siliconed it on the back of the fog light grill. I know someone on here cut up an Ikea waste paper bin as it had black plastic coated steel mesh, and I think I remember Leo either replace the grill with some black mesh, or cutting the standard mesh out of a grill and replacing it with some black mesh to get rid of the foglight hole.

 

[awelch]

I'm not sure its necessary as the plastic which houses the fogs and the undertray feeds the intercoolers perfectly, but it may still help.

Probably look better

 

[awelch]

Last reply was to D3DNA by the way, not Phil

Cheers for the post phil, tempted to mesh mine, and make it look like it belongs a bit more. How did you think it affected your performance? (removing the fogs not adding mesh!!)

 

[Feel]

Yeah, I guessed. No need for any additional ducting...

Like you said, more consistent and certainly seems to like it even more when it's cool. It's surprising how much of the intercoolers the foglight block up.

I was going to paint my silver mesh black, but actually it kind of looks like it's supposed to be like that, with the foglight aperature being there.

The other thing to think about - now you have a redundant power feed right down by the intercooler, bung a washer pump down there and knock up a water spray! Haven't done this myself...

 

[awelch]

Sad how we think alike on here.

Picture this, sitting on the gravel down by the front bumper. hhmmm if only I could get a water spray down here, better than the scooby top mounted interwarmer any day!! Then the realisation that i'd been sitting there pondering for way too long with people staring at me!

 

[Andi]

lol

 

[CupraJay]

Im going to be looking at a water spray system on my cupra when my FMIC gets here. If it goes well i might knock up a few kits and sell them on ebay or something. See how it goes.

 

[jetsetjimbo]

Im going to be looking at a water spray system on my cupra when my FMIC gets here. If it goes well i might knock up a few kits and sell them on ebay or something. See how it goes.

If you do I don't think there'll be any need to resort to ebay. I'd think you'll find plenty of takers on here.

I think I'm going to remove my fogs for the summer

 

[Andi]

Fogs removed looks better already.

So 2 mods done with 1 stone, more flow and car a tad lighter lol coz those fogs weigh a tone.

 

[awelch]

yeah they do, pretty heavy for small units!!

I'd definately be interested in the spray kits, advertise here before ebay I would!

Seems a fog removing trend is taking place, Andi, what did you think of the performance difference??

 

[Scotty_b]

Ive been running mine without fogs for well over a year (got lazy in the winter to put them back, plus i never use them anyway) and no damge so far but then i mave been lucky.

Looking at the size of the mesh in the main body i dont think blocking the fog light holes would make much differnce as stones comeing your not going to stop it that easily!

 

[BHP Addict]

Jay GT, how would you 'knock up' a spray system??

I have just finished my FMIC and would be really interested

 

[omg!]

Hmm, someone want to tell me what a water spray system is for please?
Thanks

 

[Feel]

Cools the surface of the intercooler down, which supposedly stops it from heatsoaking and make sit cool the air down even further...

 

[omg!]

Thanks for that.
I don't think I need one of those, living in Scotland. Probably doesn't get warm enough!

 

[DPJ]

But the spray shouldn't drench the intercooler, the idea is that evaporation takes the heat away...........