Club 80-90 Forums

I`d stick to having a charge cooler instead of intercooler in a T3 due to that your never going to get the airflow over the coil positioned where it is on the pics. Ask a few peeps on here and they would confirm that. There are many different arrangements for charge coolers but the french filth one and the f0rd rs ones seem to fit the bill with only minor mods. I`ll be fitting mine soon and can do a build thread if interested. Prob put pics on my facebook page you need more details.

On the pics I posted, the I/C has been placed in a section of fibreglass thats moulded to lead all of the air from the side vent through the I/C. Add one of those air scoops to the side vent and you'll have a working solution. Perhaps add a fan? Much simpler install than front radiator, water pipes, circulation pump, expansion tank, cooler unit and connecting the airflow.

The one thing I would say in defence of an intercooler opposed to a chargecooler is reliabilty.

Without the water circuit there's less to go wrong. I've had quite a few problems with mine over time losing water, running dry and pressure building up bursting hoses.
I can't for the life of me work out where the water is getting out of the system, however I suspect it might be the seal on the header tank cap. I've started doing it up really tight now which seems to have slowed the water loss, but the level is always a bit low when I check.

I like the simplicty of an intercooler, but from lengthy conversations with people who know far more than I do about airflow, I still don't think even with an airscoop there will be sufficient ram air feed from the (relatively) low pressure area around the van body to enable the cooler to be efficient.

That said, I've still not seen anyone do some decent test as to how much air actually flows down those rear vents, I suspect the exit from the vents is far more important than the entry...

Charge coolers are good but far more complicated than intercoolers. And have far more to go wrong. How do you know it is working propyl?
As for intercoolers not being sufficient enough on a T3 BULL SH-T. I have been using various intercoolers on T3 for many years now on ETDI's { with no elec fans fitted}
On the ETDI there is a temp sensor for charge air, if this temp gets to high [ above VW's parameters ] the ECU will go into limp mode. I have never had this happen
with an intercooler on a T3.
I am not knocking charge coolers as i have used them as-well but if i was traveling i would rather have an intercooler fitted for simplicity and reliability.
Russel

Tom,
Slight delay but took this pic in Devon at the quick alternator changing session



From the cruise down there and back
Looking at 1/2 bar boost air inlet temps were between 35-40 deg C, when pushing 1 bar + boost uphill air inlet temps reached 50 deg C.
EGT reached 650 max

Both syncros are using the ren 5 set up now, yellow one was the first to be changed and the difference from the single core pace set up to the 3 core set up is seriously noticeable - power and efficency.

The only problem realy with having it in the engine bay on static/idle is the heatsoak.

PC52 wrote:Tom,
Slight delay but took this pic in Devon at the quick alternator changing session



From the cruise down there and back
Looking at 1/2 bar boost air inlet temps were between 35-40 deg C, when pushing 1 bar + boost uphill air inlet temps reached 50 deg C.
EGT reached 650 max

Both syncros are using the ren 5 set up now, yellow one was the first to be changed and the difference from the single core pace set up to the 3 core set up is seriously noticeable - power and efficency.

The only problem realy with having it in the engine bay on static/idle is the heatsoak.

Is the Pace Renault 5 a single core or a 3 core?

Tom
It's 3 core

PC52 wrote:Tom
It's 3 core

Thanks, should be arriving Thursday.

I have fitted the subaru charge cooler behind the rear light