fiestaturbo.com

[The Gilly]

Hi guys, down at Power Engineering getting my car tuned. It's a mark two XR2 Turbo. With a fiesta lump.

When i got my BHP report back some notes had been added:

HT Leads are poor
Easy Sorted

But it also said that cool air wasn't getting to my charge cooler because of it's location.

So I need to address this problem before getting it chipped.

Any ideas on what I can do? I don't currently have any vents in my bonnet but would this make that much difference? I've head about water cooling the air flow? Any ideas much appreciated!

Oh and if you want to tell me to wee-wee off and buy a mark 3 then I understand that too!

[JJ]

By it's very nature, a chargecooler consists of an intercooler surrounded by a water jacket (to remove the heat from the air passing through it). Most people run Pace chargecoolers, with the unit itself, plus a rad, pump and water reservoir. So where's your chargecooler rad situated? Most poeple put them in front of the main radiator. Increasing the size of the reservoir (I run a 3 gallon boot-mounted tank on my FRST) also buys you more time before the heat 'saturates' the water and it can't extract any more of the heat.

James

[The Gilly]

sounds like a plan! The intercooler is in the passanger side of the engine bay behind the light unit. That's stopping a fair amount of the air getting to it to be honest.

I'll look at getting a chargecooler but due to limited space (it's tight in this engine bay as it is!) I might not be lucky!

[The Gilly]

Sorry but my original post said that i had a chargecooler. This isn't the case, I've got a standard Fiesta Turbo intercooler! Sorry!

[JJ]

Ahh, so you have an intercooler, not a chargecooler! That would explain it!!

The intercooler needs air much like the rad to work properly. Can you not fit a FRST rad and mount the intercooler next to it, as in the FRST? If not, a chargecooler would be a better option, though I've heard of people running without intercoolers, but only on very low boost setups.

[philhoward]

Any more than about 6-7psi and you'll be asking for trouble without an intercooler!

I'm curious - is there any cars which are fitted with chargecolers as standard that I could crib one off - I haven't got an RS, but am running RS running gear (RWD so lots of room at the front). Did I hear that Saab fit one???

Only asking, cos a Pace one probably wouldn't fit in mine (especially if it's designed to fit in the ERST/FRST engine bay).

[gartrac]

Phil,find an ally intercooler from a production car and surround this in an ally case and run the water into the case( I think pace units run the water in the core and blow the charge air over the core).I've used this set up on my rwd kit car(sylva striker)and it works really well.I used a large oil cooler unit as the water cooler.All in cost £165 (£100 of this was for the water pump)
What car are you running?

[philhoward]

Reliant Scimitar SS1 1600 Turbo - was running a carb with the turbo (and an intercooler), now (nearly) running on KE-Jetronic a la ERSTS2. Using the method you just described (case up an existing one) would that make it more effective than the standard air-air methods? I assume so, otherwise why would everyone use them!?!?!?!

The other method (the Pace way?) - would a normal heater matrix do, or would there be too much restriction to the air? I like the sound of the "case up the existing one" method, though....

What water pump did you use? One from a caravan or boat or something?

Cheers Gartrac - you've got me thinking BIG style now!!!!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: philhoward on 2001-05-05 14:20 ]</font>

[gartrac]

Phil
Charge coolers seem to work better than normal intercoolers at most times,the only time an air to air cooler seems to benefit is at high speed, i.e. loads of air flowing over it,and this is only if it can be mounted in an area that is exposed(i.e.infront of the radiator)as in the RS500 Cossies.
I bought the water pump direct from Pace,a bit expensive but I've tried a few other pumps from garden centres which worked O.K for a while but the hot water killed them off after not very long,shame because they were only £17!Might be worth trying a few industrial suppliers from the Yellow Pages,just make sure you tell them it has got to handle hot water.
As for the heater matrix core I was advised against these because the fins are very thin and prone to braking off and getting blown into the engine.
I think the pump I bought from Pace may have a makers name on it,I'll have a look and let you know.(they may sell you one direct as I'm sure Pace make a healthy profit on them)

[JJ]

Pace make very little on the pumps as they buy them in. They make most of their money on the ally bits - chargecooler, etc. Speak to Wayne @ Pace and he'll sort you out with a cheap-ish pump