Boosted Engine Bay Cooling


keithiesbig1

keithiesbig1

EAT SLEEP BOOST RPT
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Jun 15, 2010
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Alright folk,

Me and the other keith have been brainstorming ways to reduce engine bay temps now we have Turbo's, but the cars are our everyday cars not just track cars hence the list avoids drastic measures! Below is a few things we discussed:

Air in/Heat reduction:

- Heat wrap manifold (possible risk of cracking welds)
- Turbo Jacket (Not keen on it due to overheating oil/water cooling to turbo)
- Heat wrap downpipe back
- "cool-it" exhaust shield for under Oil sump (Link)
- Along with the above an Oil Cooler (Mounting position is another problem with intercooler)
- bigger radiator with shrouded fan (on my list to do)
- Mishimoto thermostat to reduce fan activated temperature (Link
- A custom sheild between manifold/turbo and radiator
- Replacing fog covers with intake cover and duct it in to bay (Link)

Now the problem of getting hot air out :nerv:

- Bonnet vents (NO, none seen that we like and they let water into bay....)
- Bonnet lifters (NO, this lifts the bonnet off the seal allowing water in again...)

My current idea/thought:

Using 2no 12v DC 80mm fans (ones for PC tower cooling) run them off a switch either in the car (manually operated) or off the ignition cable (automatically runs when car is on) and use some 82mm ducting with the fans in-line to pull the air out of the bay! :blinx:

Ideas of location:

- Through some vents in the wings (not if i can help it, will look poo...IMO) :D
- Pulling air into the wing void and into the front wheel arch through arch liner
- Locate the duct near the rear of bay up high (around where the 3 point strut is) and pull air straight down the bulkhead and dump to the floor (preferred option but can be tight for mounting)


A lot to take in....I know! A lot of time to think at work :naughty: Has anyone else got any ideas or solutions they have seen or have?

Cheers :p
 
You need to consider the aerodynamics at play here, utilise the naturally occurring high and low pressure regions around the car to get air to move in the direction you want it, and don't force it where it doesn't want to go.

The back of the bonnet is a high pressure region, so little use for sucking hot air out, it's more beneficial as an intake location.

The front of the bonnet is a low pressure region, conveniently located just above and behind the radiator. A vent here will be very effective as the low pressure over it will attract the heated air exiting the radiator directly out of the bay, promoting cooling flow past the turbo as well.

Using an air dam under the front bumper will help to create another low pressure region underneath the rad, again promoting flow out and under the car.

Trying to force air into the engine bay anywhere else other than through the radiators will only aid in raising the bay pressure, reducing the pressure differential over the radiators and reducing their efficiency.
 
It all makes sense...... but i am trying to limit modifying the look of the car externally with vents etc

i thought pulling hot air through the duct/vent to the air travelling under the car would be a good option? im basing this on heat rises, so pulling that down and out would help?

I think the method i have mention may be of more use when stationary than at speed :nice:
 
Also seal off the radiator four sides; top bottom left and right.
Oil cooler can hide directly behind the smaller upper opening on the bumper; above the bumper bar.
 
tama666 said:
Also seal off the radiator four sides; top bottom left and right.
Oil cooler can hide directly behind the smaller upper opening on the bumper; above the bumper bar.
Click to expand...

What do you mean by "seal off" like a shield?

Might be a bit tight up behind the grill, but i will take bumper and grill off for a look! :nice:

We originally thought about the void in-front of the passenger wheel well where the washer bottle is, relocate the bottle and use the flow from the fog hole to the oil cooler, but this space is a bit tight! :angry2:
 
keithiesbig1 said:
It all makes sense...... but i am trying to limit modifying the look of the car externally with vents etc

i thought pulling hot air through the duct/vent to the air travelling under the car would be a good option? im basing this on heat rises, so pulling that down and out would help?
:
Click to expand...

Pulling air in from the scuttle panel, straight down and out the bottom?

Can't see it being all that effective to be honest.

You're pretty limited if you don't want to modify the looks. Maybe direct the AC into the engine bay? :p
 
This is the sort of vent you need.

Rhettly4.jpg
 
i dont have a problem with changing looks as such, but all vents let water into engine bay and im not committing to that!

I STAY IN SCOTLAND!! :lol:

And the vent idea was just me brainstorming, just not something i have seen discussed in depth before when its a good point to discuss! :nice:

EDIT: AC is out, 18kg of weight :p
 
keithiesbig1 said:
What do you mean by "seal off" like a shield?

Might be a bit tight up behind the grill, but i will take bumper and grill off for a look! :nice:

We originally thought about the void in-front of the passenger wheel well where the washer bottle is, relocate the bottle and use the flow from the fog hole to the oil cooler, but this space is a bit tight! :angry2:
Click to expand...

Seal off the radiator voids. The areas between radiator and body of car. If you seal off these areas, air is forced to go through the radiator allowing more efficient cooling. Otherwise the air goes around the radiator instead of through the radiator.
 
You may well be able to get air to flow there, but I'm doubtful it would gain you anything as all the heat is at the front of the engine.
 
tama666 said:
Seal off the radiator voids. The areas between radiator and body of car. If you seal off these areas, air is forced to go through the radiator allowing more efficient cooling. Otherwise the air goes around the radiator instead of through the radiator.
Click to expand...

There isnt much room in front of the radiator with the intercooler, but another good option to look into :nice: cheers

Kozy said:
You may well be able to get air to flow there, but I'm doubtful it would gain you anything as all the heat is at the front of the engine.
Click to expand...

Hmmmmm....i think it might be something i have to test with temp probe in bay and monitor before and after and try different locations for vents/fan to see how the heat behaves at stationary.

At speed i doubt that will do anything, what was the option you mentioned underneath the car? like a diffuser or have i got it wrong :lol:
 
Think of it like a splitter, but instead of pointing out front, it points straight down at the ground. A lot of cars have them as standard. The original Golf GTi is a good, if very obvious example, though they can be a lot more subtle.

It causes a low pressure region behind it which promotes scavenging from behind the radiator.
 
I drive my turbo as a daily, what are you worried about?
the lack of power wont be a big problem cause its daily so not as if your racing it?
Im getting custom heat shiels made up, if your welds are good enough there not gona crack, + heat wrap screamer pipes and use heat refelctive tape on the cooling systems and it will be fine, no drastic measures need to be done.
 
TBH if its just mainly a road car, it shouldnt get that hot. Wrap the mani, downpipe and screamer to keep heat down.
An oil cooler does help alot, it should be easy enough to get it some place in the EK chassis.
Lifting the back of the bonnet doesnt let that much water in. As kozy says it doesnt help when on the move but as soon as your sat still, it lets alot of heat out.

Murray
 
1.4POWER said:
I drive my turbo as a daily, what are you worried about?
the lack of power wont be a big problem cause its daily so not as if your racing it?
Im getting custom heat shiels made up, if your welds are good enough there not gona crack, + heat wrap screamer pipes and use heat refelctive tape on the cooling systems and it will be fine, no drastic measures need to be done.
Click to expand...

When we were at JAE we had 4 jordans sitting (2 standard and 2 turbo) and they were running with head lights on so we could pitch tent, this is where i noticed how much hotter turbo's get even at tick over as it was raining and the steam from the 2 turbo jordan bonnets was a lot! :nerv:

Its not that i am concerned, more curious to see what measures there are to reduce temps as its clearly hotter than stock :nice:

Murray said:
TBH if its just mainly a road car, it shouldnt get that hot. Wrap the mani, downpipe and screamer to keep heat down.
An oil cooler does help alot, it should be easy enough to get it some place in the EK chassis.
Lifting the back of the bonnet doesnt let that much water in. As kozy says it doesnt help when on the move but as soon as your sat still, it lets alot of heat out.

Murray
Click to expand...

I was planning on wrapping, just not 100% on manifold thats all :nerv:

There is a space behind the intercooler on the opposite side as the radiator (passanger side), but this means it will be directly next to turbo...... was trying to think of somewhere a bit further away that would be a bit cooler thats all :blinx:
 
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