My Radiator block and Hot air intake modifications.

[Insightful Trekker]

Originally Posted by TRI

... but could not find a general rule of thumb at which degrees and under which driving habits the block should be removed.

There is no general rule of thumb. Temperature and Driving conditions will mandate when the radiator block size you choose will be too much. 205F (96C) coolant temperature is the fans on point and should be respected.

That's why monitoring the ECT (Engine Coolant Temperature sensor) with a scan tool is necessary to establish the "normal", "safe" operating range for the blockage you choose. If you remove active monitoring remember that _anything_ different in your driving pattern can result in an overheat and serious engine damage.


Also see:

1-6x17" cardboard piece & +10 MPG! Yup no lie

HTH!

[TRI]

I did a hot air intake myself. It's a simple flexible aluminium tube from the exhaust pipe to the airbox. The OEM tube at the airbox gets changed by the alu tube.

63 F outside temperature, intake temp with the OEM tube: 74 F.
With the tube installed I've seen 100-118 F, 26-44 F more.
What would you concern the maximum intake temp? I don't want to burn the car down. Is 140 F too much?

[faxe]

@Peter: It's now been 3 years since you created this great "howto", are you still running the hot air intake just as you did from the start, or have you changed anything / improved your setup. ?

Temperatures are falling here, and getting into & maintaining LB. are getting
harder now, so i am also looking at making a hot air intake before temperatures realy takes a drop.

[retepsnikrep]

No changes. It works so why fiddle.

[Mister]

Thanks for the info posted retepsnikrep.

Just finished a 170Km round-trip test drive with a similar setup and all seems well. Outside temp was + 15-17*C and I've got 2.9L/100Km in moderate driving.