Front Mount vs Top Mount Intercooler

[Thom]

As the title suggests. I also havent found any threads properly answering this question.

I want to get an intercooler for my ZD30. I plan to do a lot of trips with my Nav offroad, with dust, mud, rocks and all kinds of crap flicking up and around I am wondering if the front mount is still a good option or not?

Looks like the best options are between the XR6 FMI ($400est.), or the XCountry4x4 TMI ($1450)

Throw some opinions at me!

 

[nismo4x4]

Top mount: protected from damage, shorter intake tract for less lag, limited overall size restriction due to placement, more air to the radiator for better engine cooling.

Front mount: better max airflow to intercooler, bigger overall size as well, engine will run hotter due to less flow and hotter air flow to radiator, can be damaged from road debris.

 

[Old.Tony]

Top-mounts do suffer a bit from heat soak. This impedes their ability to remove heat from the airstream inside.

Front-mounts get some additional assistance from the cooling fan.

I was a little concerned about my intercooler but if you have a guard protecting your radiator, it will protect your intercooler too. The only thing that can then damage the front-mounted intercooler (apart from accidents) is debris in water - and if you're wading through water that deep (or even a mudhole) you should have a wading bra over the front.

The wading bra will not only protect the front-mount intercooler, it will protect the radiator, prevent large gobs of mud from blocking up any of the fins and will help reduce the amount of water/mud flowing around the engine bay as long as you keep moving.

 

[Thom]

The top mount I linked has a thermo fan too, which would help with heat soak. But do you guys have any experience with the XR6 front mount?

 

[Old.Tony]

There are several threads about this on this forum in the D22 section - one of them is stickied and contains some pics too.

 

[Pix]

Can you fit a top mount on a ZD30 without a body lift? I went a Northside 4x4 front mount, I chose it because there are no pipes run in wheel wells and wasn't as expensive as a water to air.
I haven't noticed any increase in temps, even when crawling up hills in 4L, and there isn't so much that can get damaged from what I've seen, I even dunked it in the river a couple of weeks ago.

 

[ben85]

I think the cross country IC is probably the best.
After a fair bit of looking into it.

Xr6 IC is a good cheap setup, but count it out if you want to run a winch.
Also wont do much off road at low speed.

The CCI has a fan so should still be ok off road at low speeds. And should fit up pretty neatly and easily, Cut a hole in the bonnet for the scoop, no cutting bullbars or rad support panels or anything to run piping.

 

[Thom]

I think the cross country IC is probably the best.
After a fair bit of looking into it.

Xr6 IC is a good cheap setup, but count it out if you want to run a winch.
Also wont do much off road at low speed.

The CCI has a fan so should still be ok off road at low speeds. And should fit up pretty neatly and easily, Cut a hole in the bonnet for the scoop, no cutting bullbars or rad support panels or anything to run piping.

Does the bullbar need to be cut for the XR6 intercooler?

 

[qqc d22]

A water to air intercooler is. a really good option but more setup involved as said above you dont need huge air piping running from the front and you get to keep air intake piping nice and short to reduce lag. water to air coolers usually have a much lower pressure drop accross the cooler aswell

 

[nismo4x4]

Thom... search button... left click on it

http://www.navara.asia/showthread.php?t=8920

 

[Thom]

Thom... search button... left click on it

http://www.navara.asia/showthread.php?t=8920

I had read that and another post about intercoolers. But I couldnt find an answer to whether I need to cut my bullbar or not..

 

[tweak'e]

just to add........

top mounts can reduce airflow through the radiator as it competes with radiator flow around the engine. also when at low speed air flow can reverse and hot air from radiator goes up through the intercooler.

front mounts are better but you do need to seal between radiator and intercooler. otherwise air can go around the intercooler rather than through it.