Jocko

Plastic Intercooler Scoop

9 posts in this topic

After replacing my holed intercooler and shaving the plastic piece next to the new intercooler so it doesn't hole my new one, I had a heck of a time connecting the 2 plastic pieces back together after I was done.

Long story short. It was making a racket because it was half broken and hard put back in properly so I decided it was easier to just yank out the plastic going under the car. The scoop was ripped off on the first snow bank as anyone who has driven this car in winter can attest.

The car runs fine without it but...  The question whether this will this have any noticeable impact on the cooling of the intercooler and is it worth the effort to replace it?

 

Thanks for your opinions

 

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Yes it definitely makes a difference.  I don’t remember the exact numbers but in the summer the scoop alone when my IC fan wasn’t working brought the intake air temperature down about 20 degrees c.  Let’s see if we can get smart142 to post a picture of his high dollar replacement scoop and mount (hint the colour changes depending on the brand of oil he gets in the 5 litre jugs).

 

Nigel

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The IAT (intake air temperature) will suffer.  I know when my green cdi had a broken scoop, it added about 10-15C to the temp on a hillclimb.  If the fan quits too, IAT will get close to 100C and that's bad for the fuel consumption/power output.

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You will be ok without for pottering around town but will benefit greatly from scoop the harder you drive. 

 

Inboard top clip on scoop is hopeless to fit unless subframe is lowered for improoved access. Both top clips are carbon steel so will evenually disintegrate due to rust. On mine I have fitted stainless steel top clips and stainless steel set screw and washer in place of the original lower plastic fixing. Set screw fixes to a stainless steel rivnut which I fitted some time ago when transmission was out. 

 

Rubber lip on scoop has the habit of breaking off during winter taking parts of the scoop with it. I have therefore modified my scoop using tough plastic from a soap bottle. Have since not suffered any more loss or damage to my scoop. 

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A few photos of the repaired intercooler scoop:

DSC03278.JPG

Been looking for photo of the new improved lower stainless steel fixing but failed to find photo.  Note condition of carbon steel top clips shown in bottom right corner.

 

DSC03277.JPG

I sure, on average, I used to loose one scoop each winter before I did above mod.

 

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19 hours ago, Nigel said:

  Let’s see if we can get smart142 to post a picture of his high dollar replacement scoop and mount

Nigel

 

As you can see I use part of a 5l oil jug and tie strap it to the broken I/c shroud.  This one has been on for 3 winters.

 

'' Inboard top clip on scoop is hopeless to fit unless subframe is lowered for improoved access.'' Tolsen

I use a long 11'' tie strap for the inboard scoop. Its difficult and usually results in scrapes knuckles and foul language.

And you need extra long needle nose or tweezers to pull that tie strap closed, but it can be done without lowering the engine.

P1050067.JPG

P1050066.JPG

P1050069.JPG

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Good to learn I am not the only one struggling with that inboard clip. 

 

To improve access to forward part of the power pack, I have removed rear sway bar.   

This sway bar is only 10 mm in diameter so does not contribute much.  I have not noticed any change in how the car handles.  End result is less weight, no wear on rear sway bar and its drop links and much better access for fitting and removing intercooler scoop. 

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OK so I guess the jury is in. I'll be replacing the scoop.

 

So this is why I had so much trouble replacing the scoop. Lowering the sub frame sounds like a PIA so I'm liking the idea of the tie wrap. This is the exact reason it was loose and knocking around back there and why I removed it. The one side just would not go in.

 

I had made a metal scoop on the bottom and fastened it with sheet metal screws. It seems to have toughed the abuse but I'll probably go the way of the plastic jug just to get a better aerodynamic.

 

BTW I notice the bolt was missing near the top of the scoop. Anybody know what size bolt that is?

 

Thanks again for all the feedback and keep up the good work.

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IMHO the metal scoop will be too rigid and will definitely break off the first time you drive through some snow.

The oil jug plastic is more flexible and will last longer - proof is in the pudding as they say.

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