Front mounted cooler install

[88 Club Sport]

I finished the front mounted cooler installation today and thought I'd post a few pics.

I ended up sticking with the stock bumper and adding a valance below to accommodate the cooler. I picked up a Setrab and went with socketless hose. The bumper needed notching to for the mounting/cooler brackets and and the glass valance needed some tweaking but it went together fairly easy.

Colin (cowtown) did a similar install on his turbo transplant so I referred to his pics quite a few times....thanks Colin!

For those interested in a similar setup, I picked the parts up from the following venders:

Cooler - $150.00 http://www.tracktune.com/services.htm
Carrera cooler oil lines - $25 From our host
Hose and fittings $100.00 http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/
Valance $250.00 http://www.rennspd.com

[GrindingGears]

Very nice....that's the best way to get cool oil...congrads...

Are you going to get a protective screen for the cooler? or just leave it exposed?

[MuffinMan]

Great installation and documentation! It looks cleanly done. Do you know the model number of the oil cooler you used?

[88 Club Sport]

Philip, Yep, I definately want to put a screen over it. .....not sure what to use yet but I'll check out Home Depot tomorrow.

Rob, the part number on the cooler is 5106663-01. It also has a description numer of 172AN12D.

[CarreraS2]

Look great Craig!

The cooler looks like it fits perfectly in the opening. I'm sure you won't have any high oil temps with that baby in the airflow!

[88 Club Sport]

Brain. Yep, the fit was good for the valance I chose and your right, I doubt I'll see high temps. At the last DE it got to 230 or so and it was only 55 degrees out. The loop just did not cut it.

When are you getting a project......your way overdue

[Trust Me]

How many inches off the ground does that front valance sit? Thought about the same set-up for my SC. Car sits at euro specs and I scrape the stock valance now. Still kicking around the duck tail too..

[88 Club Sport]

Trust Me......Sorry for the very late response, I ran into some problems! To answer you question, with the front at 24.75 inches, the spoiler has 5.5 inches off the ground.

Well, I fired her up and went out for a good hard drive and was happy to see the temps in the 210 range. I got it back to the garage only to see a leak! The cooler had been used to bench test motors at Roush (sp?) so I assumed (my mistake) that it would be ok. I took it all apart and up to a radiator shop where they told me it was junk! It was leaking in 2 places. The shop that sold it has told me they will refund me...time will tell.

I took another chance (these darn coolers are over $400 new) and ended up getting a similar cooler from a PCA member off EBay for $80. I had to redo the plumbing as both fittings were on the same side but that was actually better. No leaks

I rattle canned the valance and installed a screen the night before going to a 2 day DE in Pueblo this last weekend. It was 90 degrees and it never moved past 210 degrees.

[Porschekid962]

very very nice mod to do. my car runs nice and cool now. my only advice to you besides putting a screen on it is to make sure all the fittings are good and tight before the bumper goes on because then it is a pain and make sure they dont rub any metal. i also built up some ducting behind the cooler to make sure the heated air didnt go under the car but into the wheel wells.

[GrindingGears]

****** sweet

good work

[raceman]

looks great amigo ! l might recommend Perforated aluminum sheet instead of mesh for the protective layer in front of the cooler.Mesh won`t do much to protect the cooler from stones and road debris.l know people use it but there are much better options out there.Mesh flows the air though,that`s for sure but you`re trying to protect against punctures and mesh won`t do that well.l will post info on my extruded aluminum sheeting source,all kinds of really trick,beautiful aluminum sheeting.Pick your pattern and hole size etc.Good prices too

[Wil Ferch]

Small point, perhaps, but in contrast to those guys that hog-out the tub behind the cooler for improved air flow... I submit that you can get nearly the same good effect by making sure the air is simply forced through the cooler...by gasketing the edges. Even with a resulting 1/2" or so open space behind the cooler...that should work well.
---Wil

[chrisp]

How big is the opening in the valance? I am contemplating moving my fender cooler to a new front valance like this and want to know how well it will fit. Thanks.

If this the "Ruf valance" as shown on the Rennspeed website?

[88 Club Sport]

chrisp, The opening is 23.5 by 5.5. Yep, that's the one from Rennspeed.

raceman, I look forward to seein your pic of your aluminum sheeting.

Will, you are right.....I do need to do that although she's already running pretty cool at the track even without the gasketing.

[chrisp]

Eventhough I think I have temp stabilized at 210-220 (used to hit 250) I think I should go further. I was at the Glen last week and had a chance to compare my car to a friends 3.2 ltr. After a 20 minute run I was at my now standard 210-220 range. After his sprint race he was barely over 180. He has a front mounted cooler and I have a fender cooler. Although I have a nice duct going to mine I don't think it's nearly as effective as the full frontal shot.

Thanks for the measurements.

[David]

From the pics it looks like it's hard mounted. I've had coolers crack that were not rubber mounted. Food for thought.

[88 Club Sport]

125shifter, I sandwiched the cooler mounting bracket in rubber where it mounts to my L bracket. The brackets themselves bolt right to the tub.....no rubber there.

[Trust Me]

88, Thanks for the reply. I wondering what the height of the valance is? Bottom of bumper to bottom of valance? Looking great by the way.

[88 Club Sport]

Troy, From the bottom of the bumper to the bottom of the valance lip is 7 inches.

[williel]

Why not use the engine lid grille cut to size like the Ruf Yellowbird...that's what I did as you can see below a little wet from being hosed down after a track event.