Air/Water Intercooler

[Dirtrag2]

how about using the power steering pump?  if you don't mind the extra effort to turn the wheel it should work provided that you use antifreeze in the system ( for pump corrosion ) and it's free...

[Otis2]

I have an air/water intercooler setup in my AAZ Vanagon.

It's a bit tough to find an air/water intercooler kit second hand, which is the only way the price can be kept reasonable.

I bought my intercooler & radiator second-hand from one of the GMC Syclone/Typhoon guys.  I then adapted it to the AAZ Vanagon.  Most of those Sy/Ty guys are switching to air-air intercoolers, so they are selling their factory setups.  Frankly, if I had a front-engined VW (like you do), then I would be doing air/air, too.

It's fussy to set up, more expensive, and more things to go wrong.  That said, I suspect it is more efficient than the air/air intercoolers mounted in the bottom of Vanagon rear air ducts... Luckypabst sure didn't have a lot of luck with mounting his air/oil cooler there anyway... http://vwdiesel.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=13579&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=105

I have 2 water pumps, front and rear, run by relays that switch on as soon as the alternator gives a charging signal.  Probably this is overkill, and I could get away with just 1 pump (but there are 300 miles of rad hose in the rear-engine setup).  

I can look up what I'm running (can't remember off the top of my head), but I can't claim either pump as the best for the purpose.  The bigger of my 2 pumps is a Jabsco marine unit, and it was ungodly expensive.  You need high flow rate and the capacity to run high temperature fluids.  Not an easy life for an electric pump, and if you're not prepared to $hell out for a good one, you should really stick to air/air intercooling.

I recommend that you ask around at the Sy/Ty forums.  They have a fair bit of collective experience with air/water intercooler issues, deciding which pumps suit the purpose best, etc.  

http://www.syty.net/forums/index.php

[vanbcguy]

how about using the power steering pump?  if you don't mind the extra effort to turn the wheel it should work provided that you use antifreeze in the system ( for pump corrosion ) and it's free...

My guess is it won't pump enough volume - I can't imagine it takes more than a few hundred mL of PS fulid to push the rack from one side to the other.  Really really high pressure, but low volume... I was originally thinking of using the AC compressor that's hanging off my motor somehow, but figured it would have the same problem... Capable of lots of pressure, but not much volume...

There's a Bosch pump that's standard on the Ford Lightning which is actually designed for this exact purpose... Apparently it's more or less bulletproof in that application so it's a good candidate.  Not something I'll find in a wrecker around here though!  That intercooler kit in the first post has an option to "upgrade" to that pump for an extra chunk of change... I'd have to think about it I guess.  

The "ideal" pump would be something that fit perfectly in place of my stock AC compressor given that it's nothing more than an idler pulley for the alternator on my car!  Someone swapped a 1.6TD from an AC equipped car in but the original 1.9TD had no AC, so the ductwork/evaporator/etc isn't there...  If I had to choose between spending the $$$ on an intercooler or getting AC installed I'd go for the intercooler!  A belt driven pump would be pretty sexy really - no wiring, dynamic adjustment of the flow rate to the engine RPM...

[Baxter]

Heater matrix.
Cinquecento radiator.

[Dirtrag2]

Heater matrix.
Cinquecento radiator.

yup that would work well

just need a way to pump it for reasonable $$  :?

[Baxter]

The Oettinger charge cooler kits that they fitted to t3's in Europe used a Bosch pump, like the auxilliary water pump on t3's, T4's and SB engined Golfs, Passats etc..

[Vincent Waldon]

Yeah, what about the aux coolant pump found on VR6 engines, etc.... perhaps not enough flow, but potentially findable in a JY?

[TurboJ]

Bilge pumps are quite good enough, and they aren't too expensive.
Even many race cars use them.

[jtanguay]

this intercooler is the one you want.  it offers straight through flow, so the air doesn't have to change directions so harshly.  it also has a true water type core that will cool the air more effectively.

on the topic of heatsoak, you really just need a big enough rad, as well as a fast enough pump.  oh and don't forget to have a thermoswitch hooked up as well so that the rad fan can cool it.  (dual fans would come in handy here)

insulating the air/water intercooler could possibly be a good idea as well, or just the charge piping going to the intake manifold.

my dream setup would be using this (or similar) air/water intercooler, with a very high flow pump that is thermostatically controlled to turn on when the air reaches the right temp, and then have the rad fan come on when the water temp rises.

the proper temperatures would later be set with the system running.  this type of setup ensures that there isn't any issues with winter driving.  (pump doesn't come on, so it will sort of pre-heat the air when it heat soaks  :lol:)[/url]

[Dirtrag2]

found this on ebay for $28 bucks shipping included.  Fab up some brackets, and voila a belt driven pump for my water/air IC.  it's aprox 1 inch inlet and outlet and about 8 inches long by 6 wide at impeller end.

hopefully it will flow enough  :lol:

[zagarus]

ooo very nice, just do the trick.

[vanbcguy]

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about... I'll be real interested to see how it works out!  

What's that pump off of originally?

[Dirtrag2]

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about... I'll be real interested to see how it works out!

I'll keep you posted later this winter when I get back working on my projekt fox  
http://www.vwdiesel.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=16098&highlight=projekt+dirtrag

What's that pump off of originally?

I don't know, I'll email the seller and try to find out.  it's all aluminum and has a rubber impeller.  should withstand the temps i'll be runnin'  [/url]