Re: Intercooler filth

[Phil@sievers.com (Phil Payne)]

In message <9412230120.AA04784@newkla.kla.com> Steven Buchholz writes:
> Neither the intercooler on my '83 ur-Q or the one on my '88 
> 5000CSQ have sensors attached.

Fascinating.  My sensor is a small electronic component - the size and shape 
of  a small diode or resistor mounted sideways to the airflow through a hole 
drilled in the rear ouput end of the intercooler itself.  It projects about 
1/4" into the airflow/  My garage is very evasive about its function, too.  I 
suspect they don't know.  

> My one concern is that if the intercooler is filthy, is the
> oil cooler clogged as well?  The intercooler is mounted behind
> the grille, but the oil cooler is hanging down underneath the turbo.

That corner of the car has a fiberglass panel underneath it.  Judging by the 
condition of the screws that held it in place, it hadn't been moved since the 
car was built.  The intercooler is on the extreme right of the car, right in 
front of the front wheel on the driver's side, and has foam rubber pads on its 
sides and underneath to form two air chanbers - a high pressure area in front 
of the intercooler, fed through slots (no grill - part of the problem) in the 
front bumper.  The air intake to the filter is above the intercooler.  
The area behind the intercooler and towards the car's centerline is a low 
pressure area that serves to draw air through the intercooler, oil cooler and 
out of the alternator cooling air ducts.  The oil cooler is mounted low and 
nearer the centerline, but behind a tough woven wire grid.  With the fiberglass 
panel off, both front and rear of the oil cooler are easily accessible.  I've 
poked it through with brass wire and an airline.  Oil temperature has never 
been a problem, in fact I've often felt it's a little low on occasions.

Apropos of the above - there's no way the air filter would come out through the 
headlight opening.  It has to go backwards after the fool system's been 
disconnected.

The intercooler is exposed to small stones, etc., coming off the road because 
there's no screen of any kind in front of it, nor is there provision for one.  
The front of the intercooler has obviously suffered for this, and lost of the 
vanes show impact damage.  There's plenty of room to put in a grid like the one 
protecting the oil cooler - I think I might just drop the intercooler out, 
clean it and install such a grid.

There's quite a large space up behind the air dam that's ideal for mounting a 
remote radar detector - lots of room, nice and dry, only plastic in front of it 
...    
 
I wish I had an easy way to upload .GIFs - taking the pictures would be no 
problem.  

 Phil Payne 
 Sievers Consulting UK 
 Vice Chair, UK Computer Measurement Group
 Phone    +44 385 302803
 Fax/BBS  +44 1536 723021
 Fido 2:2503/415
 CIS      100012,1660