Intercooler scoop from 05 wrx sti (allegedly)… looks like an absolute hack job in my opinion, but there weren’t a lot of good options (nobody would ship from Aus) and so this was the best of the worst possibles.
Anyway, top mount, so no need for a bunch of tubing. I am geting a little oil spray creep so I’m going to have to replace the gasket where it bolts to the intake. But overall it has lowered EGT’s even further, and reduced water temps as well. Interesting to see how it works on the Utah trip coming up. Hard to gauge temps when the outside temps are winter temps.
There was a hiatus after this, but last night I finally switched out one of the failing electric hubs from last year on Lockhart Basin to manual. Other one will be done tonight.
I’m sure there are a few other things but that’s the high points from the last year of mods on this truck. We have just figured out a rough route for May, so it’s time to figure out my to do list for this winter/spring…
I like the scoop Phil. Hopefully there’s at least one angle that looks good to you?
On the plus side, it’s big enough that you might get ram-air effect above 160kph.
What about brakes? I seem to remember there were a couple times where we were stalled on a climb and you were lamenting the amount of pedal pressure required–and even then, we overpowered the brakes by simply leaning on the front bumper trying to release the winch, remember?
Is there a beefier master cylinder, maybe? I wonder if it’s possible to increase vacuum assist or something…
I think there’s a booster boost from an 80 series but more things to complete first. Trailer has brakes so that covers safety on the road. Could be vacuum related too? My truck doesn’t natively make vacuum so it has a vac pump on side of block. Maybe something to check down the road…?
I’ve decided no more projects on truck until garage lights are done.
I also need to sort out some jackstands. My old ones aren’t compatible with the new floor. I need them with little pads under the legs ,(I could just use a sheet of something under each one but that’s more things to find space for…)
Ram Air over the intercooler is the point. But 160kmh is ambitious, and that’s if i was dropped from an Antonov.
So how do your brakes work, then? I just remembered a buddy–long time ago–telling me his diesel van had hydraulic brakes since diesels don’t make vacuum like petro cars. But you just mentioned a vac pump?
Mine are hydraulic. As in brake fluid, m/c etc. but also vaccum assisted via a vac pump gear driven off the block. The 2.5 diesel paj used a vac pump driven off the alternator and cooled by the oil. When the seals let go, the alternator let the oil pass through and the resultant mess was not an ideal charging environment.
Btw, the 2.8 did same as my 70 series, with vac off the block, in case 4m40 deli dreams still fill your nights. Don’t want to stand in your way of living in a van -
Bought some new jigsaw blades. Also bought some fender flare material. The plan is to cut the hole in the hood bigger to allow the intercooler more breathing room. No such thing as too much cooling once you start compressing the air?
Had to use the grinder. Enlarged the hole. Painted the portion that would remain under the scoop flat black. Applied the edge seal plus new 3m tape. Then carefully dropped it in place. Two screws from the underside on each side. Plus the ones on the front.
Sits much better on the hood and I’ve exposed maybe 25% more of the intercooler to the air passing over it?
May make no difference but it won’t be worse and isn’t that the name of the game with any mod?
I have to think that a 25% increase in airflow volume through the intercooler is going to make a remarkable difference. Especially on such a low-powered mill to begin with–and this time of year, eh? Surely, a stream of below-freezing air being forced through that thing is going to make some difference!
This time of year is actually likely to yield zero gain, since temps don’t really get up there anyway. Its more southern trips where I’m hoping to gain some thermal room, pulling the trailer up those passes…? But we’ll see?
Also, given the relative low beltline of the 70 series, and the high seating position, you invariably end up using the top of the door as an armrest. So of course where there is a need, some company will come along and fill it: Voila! Door-top armrest/cupholders (magnetic on sides, and held by a bracket that slots into the window molding).
Also, update on some other interior mods: The center console (literal) ammo can covered by an aftermarket honda armrest cover has been brilliant, if not aesthetically perfect. The leather steering wheel wrap is holding up perfectly, and the Carhartt seat covers are wearing like… Carhartt’s. They’ve been installed 3 years or so now and are still just like new (might give em a wash?). BIG BALL shift knob has been baller.
And finally, Android Auto on a 10.5 inch screen almost feels like cheating in a rig that is (no exaggeration) unchanged since 1984.
Oh, and in looking at these pics, it occurs to me that my antiquated “tool for war” (its true - look up the landcruiser specials in most major conflicts) now has FOUR cupholders for the front seat passengers. FOUR!
A sunny afternoon and barely below freezing temps found me in the neighbor’s driveway after work, helping with beers while he wrapped up an oil change. He mentioned the Defender 130 being his dream rig, and we commiserated around knowing that ship has sailed.
We got to sharing our respective Defender Stories (@ChazzLayne being the source of most of mine, of course) and something about the way he said “they’re just work trucks like you find on any jobsite in the world” reminded me of what you told me/us about the 70s and the mines.
So, now I’m telling Steve how Toyota’s been making the 70 for something like 40 years, and that’s because they send most of them underground into the mines, where they’re welded into 4LO-LO, and do 100k underground before they ship em back up to the surface–and people actually BUY THOSE for personal use because they’re indestructible.
I showed him this sweet little 2000 for less than half the going rate of a Reserve Not Met on BAT and he said what everyone who’s ever immediately fallen in love with a JDM vehicle says–I don’t know if I could get used to driving on the other side.
IC is now fully sealed against hood duct. Should increase its effectiveness when climbing those southern hills while getting the hair dryer blasted down its throat.
I feel like TMICs present special design considerations. The massive scoop and seals should do you right by channeling fresh air into the IC, and I suspect the direction and volume mitigate most heat sock concerns–but do you have to take additional steps to also extract more air from the engine bay to prevent pressurization and restriction?
This question feels both asinine and incredibly interesting at the same time.
All those old forum threads about radiator/FMIC ducting and hood vents to create low pressure behind them got me thinking you’ve got 4+ liters of oil-burner cooling itself with whatever it can pull through the radiator.
Made-up math to hopefully clarify what I mean by this?
1000cfm air flow through radiator into engine bay at 60kph
+500cfm air flow through TMIC into same at same time
If you can’t freely exhale >1,500cfm of heated engine bay air, doesn’t this = restriction?
Hmmm. No real shielding underneath (beyond a little deflector at the front to ensure the rad sees its fair share) likely equates to a giant rush of air down and back? Its a long ass engine compartment, and the inline six isn’t taking up much width, so its pretty open overall.
Also, 12 or so liters of coolant, 10 liters of oil, 4.2 liters of iron block/head, and a giant engine driven fan with extra juice squeezed into its viscous clutch means a lot of cooling is happening behind the scenes too…
Don’t want to stand in your way of living in a van -
