Man with spanners - thinks he's a mechanic

[ChrisL]

Been busy buying bit's and welding up the injector bungs. They were fun, welding 2mm, 3mm and 10mm ali in a very tight gap, but I think I've done a good job, time will tell!!

Moving own with the charge cooler qa question about the water flow, is the diagram below correct? Obv the header tank will be at the highest point, but do I just join it to the pump, chargecooler/rad loop with a T piece, if so where's the correct place?

[SteveRST]

Looks OK to me.
Water flow i.e. colder water to the cool side of the chargecooler is right. Some suggest putting the header tank after the chargecooler rather than before.
- Loads useful chargecooler tips here: 10 basic rules of chargecooling.

What header tank do you have?
I'm not sure you'll be able to bleed the air properly with just a T-piece connection off to the header tank. In my experience, the water flows really pretty quickly and air bubbles are just held in suspension in the water flow and will never actually get a chance to 'float up' towards the header.

I did have something like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aluminum-Filler-Neck-With-Cap-Radiator-Charge-Cooler-Header-Overflow-Water-Tank/253235162742

And even then it was a bugger to get the air bubbles to bleed - they just whizzed straight passed, held in suspension by the fast flow of water.

In the end I ditched a header tank completely, and bled the system (with the help of an assistant) by splitting the highest pipe at its highest point, and holding each end at opposite ends of a big bowl of water - turn the pump on - air bubbles are expelled and fresh bubble-free water drawn in. When all air bubbles are gone, you can turn the pump off but keep both ends of hose still submerged under water and re-join the hoses while still under the water. Voila... no air bubbles and no need for a header tank. Worked for me.
Oh - I used see-through hose for the charge cooler system, so it's easy to see air bubbles at all points.

Steve

[Dick]

Bleeding - The most critical issue on any chargecooler system. Always use a header tank/filler, and it must ALWAYS be the highest point in any chargecooler system. Use a tank with an inlet an outlet at the BOTTOM of the tank. The air/water will flow in, the bubbles will rise up to the top of the tank, and the exiting water will leave already bled. Water inlet/outlets on the chargecooler should be facing as vertical as possible. Even pipe working should be routed logically. Air bubbles always want to go upwards, so having the piping routing downwards will not help...

9. Water flow - The cold water from the cool side of the radiator should be fed into the COLD side (ie throttle body side) of the chargecooler, and the hot water exiting the core should come out of the hot side (turbo side) of the chargecooler. This is a countercurrent design - the most efficient form of heat transfer across a medium.

9. System flow - Pre rad > cold water out > pump (at lowest point) > chargecooler > tank/filler > hot water back to pre radiator.

10. Pump - the pump should be fitted to the lowest point in the system, on the cold side (to assist longevity) and have decent flow AND pressure capability, and maintain it. Many pumps on the market claim 'high flow' but this drops off rapidly when they have any pressure behind it. Our Bosch unit is a tried and tested model, guaranteed and has had extensive testing and good for over 5 years of daily use....

[Dick]

Bleeding - The most critical issue on any chargecooler system. Always use a header tank/filler, and it must ALWAYS be the highest point in any chargecooler system. Use a tank with an inlet an outlet at the BOTTOM of the tank. The air/water will flow in, the bubbles will rise up to the top of the tank, and the exiting water will leave already bled. Water inlet/outlets on the chargecooler should be facing as vertical as possible. Even pipe working should be routed logically. Air bubbles always want to go upwards, so having the piping routing downwards will not help...

9. Water flow - The cold water from the cool side of the radiator should be fed into the COLD side (ie throttle body side) of the chargecooler, and the hot water exiting the core should come out of the hot side (turbo side) of the chargecooler. This is a countercurrent design - the most efficient form of heat transfer across a medium.

9. System flow - Pre rad > cold water out > pump (at lowest point) > chargecooler > tank/filler > hot water back to pre radiator.

10. Pump - the pump should be fitted to the lowest point in the system, on the cold side (to assist longevity) and have decent flow AND pressure capability, and maintain it. Many pumps on the market claim 'high flow' but this drops off rapidly when they have any pressure behind it. Our Bosch unit is a tried and tested model, guaranteed and has had extensive testing and good for over 5 years of daily use....

[ChrisL]

Cheers chaps, seems the only question is to have a header tank or not, I think I'm going to try Steve's approach first, I can always add a header tank later if I'm getting air in the system.

[ChrisL]

Below is a pic of the intake manifold thinking of placing the vacuum take offs on the underside of the plenum towards the capped end.

Not sure where to put the IAT sensor but thinking near the throttle body so it will pick up any changes sooner?

[ChrisL]

I’ve finally found some info in IAT placement, looks like between the intercooler and throttle is good...

[ChrisL]

And here they are, gorgeous aren’t they?

[SteveRST]

Good job. Those look pretty sturdy! Over-engineered

Yeah your IAT placement ideas seem fine. I'd think in the plenum itself would be ok too.

You got an IAT sensor? I know that with a forced induction engine you want a fast responding sensor - they usually have the sensor element open to the air, as opposed to some that are solid like you'd find with a coolant temp sensor.

What ECU you thinking of using again?

[Tony C]

Chris,

Great thread, I've been following with interest, and as my father would have said about your welding or my DIY, "a blind man would be pleased to see that". Seriously though, top job.