Upgrade intercooler or not?

Nerdos · Mar 23, 2010

This is my first forum post so please go gently with me if I've breached protocol in any way.

I am considering upgrading the intercooler on my 300 CSW 110. Other than the cost the things that are making me waver are:
a) if an uprated intercooler - ie a full width one such as is made my Allisport - gives as great a performance gain as is claimed, why did Land Rover themselves not just make the intercooler that size in the first place? I appreciate that larger means more expensive but the difference in cost is small when compared to the claimed difference in power.
b) with 160,000 miles on the clock would trying to boost performance be a foolish thing to be doing?

Hopefully there will be someone out there (without a vested interest in selling me a larger intercooler) who may be able to put me straight.

Cheers,
Nerdos a.k.a Paul

tapper · Mar 24, 2010

Nerdos
have been thinking about this for my old 300 TDi disco 160,000 miles .What i was wondering as well was can the Intercooler be bypassed altogether .Loss of cooling against increased air pressure .Perhaps someone might help us

hext · Mar 28, 2010

I'm still undecided on this too.

I'm going to properly clean the intercooler as per some suggestions on here to see if that makes a difference (and save some dollar)

some interesting reading here

Nerdos · Mar 29, 2010

Thanks for that link, Hext. That pretty much covers it for me. Tapper, FWIW I think bypassing the intercooler would be a counter-productive.

Nerdos · Apr 28, 2010

I decided to take the plunge and am having a full-width Allisport intercooler fitted. I'll post my assessment of the upgrade once I've picked my truck up later this week.

hext · Apr 30, 2010

good stuff, I've cleaned my intercooler (was pretty clogged up!) and found a hole. I have definate improvement (proberly due to the hole). really interested in seeing how it goes (and seeing the pics!!)

Nerdos · May 4, 2010

Well, I picked up the truck on Saturday and on first impressions I am stunned by the improvement in performance. I should mention that while I was dropping the truck off to have the work done we had the bonnet up and the chap who was doing the work pointed out that the EGR was still present but loose. The work to the engine comprised blanking the EGR, replacing the viscous fan with a thermostatically Pacet item, fitting a full width Allisport intercooler and tweak the fuel pump as required.

Before the work I had never heard the tubocharger but now I hear a pleasant whistling and a real urgency from the engine. I'd say the performace is comparable with the wife's Vauxhall Vectra but I might be letting myself get carried away. My only concerns now are; how will the fuel economy be affected? and will reliability be impacted? I'll have the answer to the former before too long.

PS Hext, just noticed you're in Pompey. I'm a Portsmuthian myself. Small world and all that.

hext · May 4, 2010

good news nerdos, where did you get the work done?

Nerdos · May 4, 2010

Work was carried out at Alldrive near Swadlincote in Derbyshire. Small family business doing only land rovers and (as far as I remember) only up to and including 300Tdi powered variants at that. I did take some pics but they're not that thrilling. Can post if you like.

hext · May 5, 2010

yeah upload em, would be good to see how it fits...have you noticed any side effects?

Nerdos · May 19, 2010

As requested, a few photos of the work carried out. Not very exciting, I know. The variable potentiometer on top of the radiator bracket is to set the temperature at which the Pacet fan cuts in. Clockwise = hotter, anticlockwise = cooler - no more high tech than that.

Beast o Bodmin · May 19, 2010

beast

im workin on twin standard ones at the moment....

hext · May 19, 2010

looks good!!!

have you noticed any querks?

Nerdos · May 19, 2010

Not yet, no. I do very few miles so it can take me 3 months to go through a tank of fuel and it's fuel that I'm worried about. After all, you can't get more power out of thin air so all that rorty goodness has to come from diesel. When I have to refuel then I'll post the economy here. Obviously, in the meantime if anything more notable occurs - like throwing a rod for example - I'll let you know. But for the moment it's all good.

Qplater · May 23, 2010

Just fitted an Allard intercooler. Was getting 20 mpg. Now getting 29 mpg. goes like a rocket but clutch now slipping in 4th and 5th due to extra power when I boot it

WSLR · Jun 6, 2010

Just for information purposes, Alive Tuning supply an top quality intercooler which is a simple drop-in replacement. It's pretty good value as well considering the other options from other tuners and aftermarket suppliers. I've fitted a few of them with good results. I won't say any more in case I get the boot for not being a forum sponsor etc etc... :doh:

Disco Moneypit · Jun 7, 2010

I had Allard custom make an alloy header tank for my Disco. Whilst the quality of the work was first class, the price was a little steep IMO. Am I correct in thinking that Allard and Alisport are the same firm?

BoB, you mention that you are working on a twin intercooler setup at the moment? Did you, or anyone else reading this thread consider fitting an intercooler out of another vehicle, (Cossie or Evo for example)?

Providing that an intercooler from another vehicle was simular in external dimensions to the Alisport one, my questions are thus.....

1; Am I correct in thinking that to mount and plumb in such an intercooler isn't that difficult? Surely just a case of drilling the mounting holes, taccing on some pins to the intercooler, then using some extra standered LR rubber gromits? Oh, and sone Samco hoses to connect it all up.

2; No doubt that the Alisport item is a serious and well developed piece of kit, (don't they provide parts to Bowler?). How much better, if at all would an Alisport item reduce intake temps compared to a Cossie / Evo one bodged to fit?

Nerdos · Jun 8, 2010

Just refuelled (sooner than anticipated). Economy was 27.3 mpg. 210 miles pootling round the village and in and out of town and 200 miles on fast A roads. Also I probably need to take into account some hooligan acceleration I have been doing 'in the interests of science'. This is on a mostly standard 110 County Station Wagon so I'd expect better results on a 90 but I'm very happy with how things have turned out.

Nerdos · Aug 11, 2010

Just need to add a ****ty footnote to this saga. I wrote a letter to my brokers (Sureterm) informing them of this upgrade just to keep everything kosher. They called me yesterday to say that the underwriter (Zurich) was de-insuring me in 24 hours and would not offer me insurance under any circumstances having had the Allisport intercooler fitted. I went to Adrian Flux directly and found someone who would insure the truck on a modified basis. So, Zurich, thanks for nothing.

Phil_b · Aug 20, 2010

Damn zem, my tuned pug was insured with them informed them of the mods and stage of tune and they were dirt cheap mind you that was through flux,
Although I'm now with highway on my gti6 which is Liverpool vic. And nfu mutual with the disco inferno

Upgrade intercooler or not?

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