Intercooler arch mod with pictures...

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

For your delectation..!

 

I decided to have a go at the intercooler wheel-arch mod. Bit I didn't want to just drill a load of holes - I wanted it to look a bit nice at least!

 

So first of all, a foray onto Ebay turned up this vent for five quid:

 

 

I had to drill two more holes in the middle of the vent as it only comes with a hole at each corner. I just drilled the extra holes and used a countersunk bit to get the recesses I needed.

 

Removed the arch liner, and offered up the vent to where I wanted it to go:

 

 

Drew up a rather crappy template for cutting the hole

 

 

The vent is flat, but the arch liner obviously has a curve to it. So in order to gently bend the vent to fit, I boiled up the kettle and soaked it in a tray for a few minutes. Then I took it out and held it hard against the arch liner, and it bent just enough to fit nice and flush.

 

 

Hole all cut ready. I found it easiest to just cut it through with a sharp kraft knife.

 

 

Screwed down with some nice little self-tappers with bolt heads that I had knocking about (because race car ) with a bit of black silicone on the backside. It's fitted and sealed really nicely to the arch.

 

 

Job's a goodun, happy with that...

 

 

 

 

With the wheel back on, despie the bling screws, it's quite steath:

 

 

Hope you like it!

Edited 26 October, 2014 by Ray Luxury-Yacht

[BrownBarge]

Looks better then the 12holes i drilled in. Nice job

[DaveMW]

I done nearly the same, but cut the hole out with it on the car still ha, not sure if its done much really but it must help

[meaty101]

Nice job. I went to my local scrappies and used an arch vent from a Fiat cinquecento. The only problem I can see with yours might be the slats should be facing down just to stop water and general road grime getting in. It does make a difference in warm weather but I'm not too sure you'll notice any benefit right now!

[BrownBarge]

All amatuers

[trundlenut]

Good use of the dolmio lasagne dish.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[rwbaldwin]

Here's my effort http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/192532-intercooler-mods/#entry2300875

[Bowders1]

I did this years ago, before i fitted a FMIC and one of my first mods

 

I went up market then and bought a new Audi TT arch with vent (£18 back then)

 

Cut out the arch vent

 

made template

cut out hole in VRS arch

lined it up

Mastic in arch

clamped it over night

result was no screws needed, and vents facing down to stop crud and water getting to SMIC

 

looked OEM which is my OCD  

 

[andy68]

Fitted mine the same way, not going to make much difference once my front mount is on :clap:

[karlbar2k]

Pointing down or out of the arch is fine. I did mine with a vent from b&q about three times the size

It's worth cleaning up the intercooler fins (carefully) and the front vent has a lot of plastic that can be removed too.. I will have to have a dig around for my pics, the increase in airflow is always going to have a benefit so a nice worthwhile pikey mod

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

Pointing down or out of the arch is fine. I did mine with a vent from b&q about three times the size

It's worth cleaning up the intercooler fins (carefully) and the front vent has a lot of plastic that can be removed too.. I will have to have a dig around for my pics, the increase in airflow is always going to have a benefit so a nice worthwhile pikey mod

 

Ooh, I'd be interested to see what else I can do with regards to the front inlet. I didn't really look at it - so yeah if you could post some pics, I'll get the tools out again next weekend!

[meaty101]

No I haven't looked at the front either. I think there is a plastic shroud thing on it. I didn't think it blocked any airflow though.

[karlbar2k]

this is my arch

 

[karlbar2k]

this is the front

 

[karlbar2k]

the plastic was a kind of wedge shape so it was quite restricting.  

[YellowCar]

Result, just had an offer of 20 notes accepted (inc p+p) on a TT arch liner with vent in nice condition on ebay...now where did I put that knife?

[rwbaldwin]

Result, just had an offer of 20 notes accepted (inc p+p) on a TT arch liner with vent in nice condition on ebay...now where did I put that knife?

Not a bad price and well worth it. When you get it, you'll notice just how much flow it allows compared to the diy store vents.

Tigerseal is best for securing the vent.

If you look at the picture in Bowder1 post (or in mine http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/192532-intercooler-mods/#entry2300875 ) you will notice that the surround isn't cut square. This can't be avoided to to the shape off the TT arch. Also, note the position.

[YellowCar]

Not a bad price and well worth it. When you get it, you'll notice just how much flow it allows compared to the diy store vents.

Tigerseal is best for securing the vent.

If you look at the picture in Bowder1 post (or in mine http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/192532-intercooler-mods/#entry2300875 ) you will notice that the surround isn't cut square. This can't be avoided to to the shape off the TT arch. Also, note the position.

 

Cheers for that.  Did you take your arch liner off or do it in situ?  Tigerseal dries pretty quick doesn't it?

[rwbaldwin]

Cheers for that. Did you take your arch liner off or do it in situ? Tigerseal dries pretty quick doesn't it?

You really need to take it off. It lets you clamp it in position with Tigerseal between the vent and the arch. Ignore any that oozes out. It's easy to trim off with a sharp knife. When it dries, run a thick bead around the back to be sure.

[karlbar2k]

When you get it, you'll notice just how much flow it allows compared to the diy store vents.

Tigerseal is best for securing the vent.

I agree that a lot of the vents people have used are not as good as the TT vent BUT some of the diy store vents will flow more than the TT one and they are a good deal cheaper I always advise people to go for the vent that has the highest cfm value. The metal ones were just no good, better drilling or cutting slats in the liner, but some of the plastic ones have a really good cfm and they are easy to work with you just need to paint them

[YellowCar]

We don't have many shopping choices in this neck of the woods and I was getting bored trawling the ebay. Plus as Bowders says they look nicely OEM. Looks like a bit of a pain to clamp mind.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

We don't have many shopping choices in this neck of the woods and I was getting bored trawling the ebay. Plus as Bowders says they look nicely OEM. Looks like a bit of a pain to clamp mind.

 

Mine came from Ebay...

[Bowders1]

We don't have many shopping choices in this neck of the woods and I was getting bored trawling the ebay. Plus as Bowders says they look nicely OEM. Looks like a bit of a pain to clamp mind.

Not too bad to clamp I just wanted to make sure it was tight against the vrs arch liner. Good point made earlier that I did have to cut the TT arch out not quite square as to make sure the section would sit flush. Tiger seal does not dry quick. It takes at least 2 hours to get a external bond and around 8 hours to fully cure depending on outside temperature. Although should be bonded ok well before 8 hours. There are much cheaper vents in diy stores but they all look gash to me and although you can't see them when fitted I know it's there lol. Also not sure about folks comments on flow rate. The idea of the vent is to take away the heat from the smic as air is passing through it to allow it to stay cooler, ( sure that's what folks mean right) and I would see the TT vent being well able to do that as it works for the TT with 225 bhp. Also as the vented slat's are pointing downwards they do a very good job at keeping crud filling up the smic fins and bumper area that comes off of the tyres. Without the slats pointing down the arch / bumper area will soon fill up with all sorts.

[YellowCar]

Not too bad to clamp I just wanted to make sure it was tight against the vrs arch liner. Good point made earlier that I did have to cut the TT arch out not quite square as to make sure the section would sit flush. Tiger seal does not dry quick. It takes at least 2 hours to get a external bond and around 8 hours to fully cure depending on outside temperature. Although should be bonded ok well before 8 hours. There are much cheaper vents in diy stores but they all look gash to me and although you can't see them when fitted I know it's there lol. Also not sure about folks comments on flow rate. The idea of the vent is to take away the heat from the smic as air is passing through it to allow it to stay cooler, ( sure that's what folks mean right) and I would see the TT vent being well able to do that as it works for the TT with 225 bhp. Also as the vented slat's are pointing downwards they do a very good job at keeping crud filling up the smic fins and bumper area that comes off of the tyres. Without the slats pointing down the arch / bumper area will soon fill up with all sorts.

All sounds reasonable to me, just been and got my tiger seal and some clamps, waiting for the postie now and I'm good to go. Think you're right about that vent being effective/tried & tested for the TT, I'm heading towards 225bhp now so I will be needing little bits like this to keep things cool, especially as the car is more fun to drive now hehe. Slats pointing down has to be the way to go, and while some DIY vents may give better flow, this is because the gaps are bigger thus leaving the smic more vulnerable. Fair play you can save £20 doing it that way but for peace of mind and the aesthetic I'd rather do it this way.

[karlbar2k]

Crud catching depends on the design of the vent.  The one I have fitted (pointing out the arch) when viewed flat on looks solid so no crud can get in   TT arch was a good mod when you could get one from Audi for £18 but now you have to pay £20+ second hand and you know me Bowders, I love a Pikey mod

 

during my searching the best automotive vent I found was off a Kia or Hyundai turbo diesel 4x4, massive vents!