Radiator Cooling Panel

[Rob's Lexx]

Just fitted my rad cooling panel and had wondered how exactly it is meant to help further 'cool' the radiator??

i always thought that grill vents direct air into both the radiator and the air intake ducting.

the lip on the cooling panel would appear to restrict air coming up through the grill into the air intake?? or is this not so??

maybe i'm having a blonde moment but can't figure it out really....

looks mint though!! lol!!!

[redz_UK]

it stops the hot air form the rad getting back into the cold air intake.. in theory

[Rob's Lexx]

ahh right o, well is it not more restrictive to have the cooling panel as the lip of it surely limits the amount of cold air reaching the air intake through the grill??

i may be completely wrong, but looks that way to me. lol.

[Steviewevie]

ahh right o, well is it not more restrictive to have the cooling panel as the lip of it surely limits the amount of cold air reaching the air intake through the grill??

Do you have an induction kit or are you using the TTE airbox and the original air scoop with your supercharger ? The original air scoop sits on top of the radiator panel so should still be able to suck in air as normal, just not so much hot air coming from the radiator.

If you've got an induction kit though you may need some other method to channel cold air to the air intake.

[Rob's Lexx]

using the TTE airbox.

maybe its just me thinking too hard on this one, lol.

cheers chaps

[DJ Wozza]

Think so matey, it just keeps the hot air from entering the air intake. The theory is cooler air = denser air,

denser air = bigger bang. I don't know if it is that effective in practice, but that's the theory anyways mate.

[Bazza]

not entirely correct

the panel is there to direct air to the radiator, incoming air will take the path of least resistance, that being up and over the radiator, the panel forces the air through the radiator

the intake takes the air from in front of the radiator !

In forced induction engines its not worth worrying about channelling cool air into the intake

[aido]

In forced induction engines its not worth worrying about channelling cool air into the intake

I thought FI engines were more dependant on cold air and that's why the big Skylines and Supras tend to take a headlight out and use that to allow cold air straight through into the intake?

All the Supra and Aristo guys recommend staying with the stock airbox setup as you get too much heatsoak with an induction kit unless you channel cold air straight to it from say the fog light area?

[aztecbandit1]

But dont most force fed cars have an intercooler to help cool the air anyway? (probably a blonde moment lol)

[aido]

But dont most force fed cars have an intercooler to help cool the air anyway? (probably a blonde moment lol)

They do but they only have a certain efficiency rating so colder air in initially means colder air hitting the engine :)

That would also apply even with watercooled IC's too!

I'm a bit confused

[aztecbandit1]

But dont most force fed cars have an intercooler to help cool the air anyway? (probably a blonde moment lol)

They do but they only have a certain efficiency rating so colder air in initially means colder air hitting the engine :)

That would also apply even with watercooled IC's too!

Right get it now cheers mate :D

[Gord]

But dont most force fed cars have an intercooler to help cool the air anyway? (probably a blonde moment lol)

They do but they only have a certain efficiency rating so colder air in initially means colder air hitting the engine :)

That would also apply even with watercooled IC's too!

I'm a bit confused

Do you remember how much better you old supercharged is200 ran in the cold weather mate :winky:

[aido]

Unless that's what Barrie means in that N/A engines will be pushing hotter air in as it's not cooled at all?

[aido]

Do you remember how much better you old supercharged is200 ran in the cold weather mate :winky:

Yeah exactly, and the Aristo too!

Well actually I daren't drive that at the minute as it's got about three times the power of when I dropped it off and that and me in this weather equals accident

[Gord]

Unless that's what Barrie means in that N/A engines will be pushing hotter air in as it's not cooled at all?

He did say '' forced induction engines ''

[Bazza]

ok take your nice cold air

stick it through a turbo or super charger

it compresses, which in turn heats it up

heats it up to far more than what it was

what effectively cools it is the intercooler !

what is more important is that it can get enough air, on the high boost machines you see, they need a lot of air

[Bazza]

Do you remember how much better you old supercharged is200 ran in the cold weather mate :winky:

Yeah exactly, and the Aristo too!

Well actually I daren't drive that at the minute as it's got about three times the power of when I dropped it off and that and me in this weather equals accident

the colder it is the more efficient the intercooler works

the turbo/supercharger still heats the air up to the same temperature

[aido]

I'm still confused

I get what you mean mate, but on the IS that performed better in the warm with the TDi airscoop, and likewise the only induction kits that are recommended are the ones that have really good ducting laid otherwise you lose power as they're dragging already hot air in?

Volume wise they'd have the same air to pull in with or without the scoop / ducting wouldn't they? Or is it because of the ducting throwing more air at it then?

Just thought it was a case of getting as much cold air as you possibly could even with FI? I guess it will only be a miniscule difference in reality though.

[Steviewevie]

not entirely correct

the panel is there to direct air to the radiator, incoming air will take the path of least resistance, that being up and over the radiator, the panel forces the air through the radiator

No, no, no. You've got it all wrong.

The radiator panel is there to look shiny and blingy when you open the bonnet ! :winky:

[DJ Wozza]

lol yep Stevie, you got it ha ha ha :)

[Gord]

I'm still confused

I get what you mean mate, but on the IS that performed better in the warm with the TDi airscoop, and likewise the only induction kits that are recommended are the ones that have really good ducting laid otherwise you lose power as they're dragging already hot air in?

Volume wise they'd have the same air to pull in with or without the scoop / ducting wouldn't they? Or is it because of the ducting throwing more air at it then?

Just thought it was a case of getting as much cold air as you possibly could even with FI? I guess it will only be a miniscule difference in reality though.

Temps at the filter do make a difference. 10 degrees colder at the filter usually gives the same 10 degrees less at the intake, assuming a relatively efficient intercooler.

Extra bonnet scoops for the filter are a total waste of time unless your filter is actually sticking out into the airflow.

Most mods and innovations in induction kit design are basically getting closer and closer to the ideal - a sealed airbox. What's the point of fitting an induction cone then boxing it in? You might as well just keep your airbox unless there's some reason you can't.

Once your airflow requirements get beyond a certain level, the ambient air temp that your cone is sucking up is pretty much irrelevant compared to the heat that your turbo is putting into the charge. The important bit is getting your intercooling capable of the boost pressures and charge temps that the turbo puts out. Air filter mods are a waste of time.

Running a big pipe down to say your bumper and then pointing the other end at your filter is a complete and utter waste of time. The pressure inside your engine bay is far too high to get any useful airflow through the pipe. The only way this kind of thing works is if it's ducted to a sealed filter which is pulling a vacuum...oh, isn't that an airbox?!