Intercooler below crash bar

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JimS3

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Seen a few pictures on the 'sticky intercooler thread' of smaller front mounts that fit underneath the crash bar, thus avoiding having to cut it like the AH and welly cooler.

Toyosport seem to have some reasonably priced ones. Anyone with one of these logged their intake temps? Or know how much power they are good for?

This is what I'm on about: (sorry if I have nicked your picture)

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Uhhuh.

ALL of us manly K03 boys run one of these beasts. Not suitable for a K04 though.
 
I don't get why peeps are so hung up on cutting it tbh...

If you want an intercooler that works then yeah cutting the crash bar will give you the room for a decent sized core... AH fabs V1, V2 and Welly cooler are all tried and tested S3 solutions... they just work..

The smaller one you have pictured appears to work ok on A3's with smaller K03's

<tuffty/>
 
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Sorry to crash the thread, I'm looking at getting a fmic also, would the small core one from eBay be fine for what im after? I would only be fitting a k03 's' in time. Also where can you get the 2.5" pipe work
 
<tuffty/> said:
I don't get why peeps are so hung up on cutting it tbh...

<tuffty/>
Click to expand...

Was nearly killed in a head on car crash many years ago (as a passenger) which was not much fun, so anything that weakens impact protection makes me nervous!

But looks as though its the only way then to get a decent cooler.
 
The bumper bar offers no more crash protection than the old style metal bumper on a Mk1 golf... they are there to give substance to the styled/moulded modern bumper cars have these days...

Can understand your reasoning and can't imagine what that must ave been like for you but in a situation like that the alloy 'crash' bar will provide nothing.. its designed to shrug off 'parking' bumps and thats about it...

<tuffty/>
 
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<tuffty/> said:
The bumper bar offers no more crash protection than the old style metal bumper on a Mk1 golf... they are there to give substance to the styled/moulded modern bumper cars have these days...

Can understand your reasoning and can't imagine what that must ave been like for you but in a situation like that the alloy 'crash' bar will provide nothing.. its designed to shrug off 'parking' bumps and thats about it...

<tuffty/>
Click to expand...

Many thanks tuffty, put my mind at ease, welly cooler is looking favourite now then :yes:
 
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I honestly think the front end of my car is stronger now it has a huge FMIC behind the puny so called "crash bar".

Anyway, in my thread I have pics of when I tried running a FMIC similar to the size above alongside one of the stock smic and it just wasn't up to the job. Changed to the Welly core and now all is well in the world.
 
The crash bar is designed to crumple anyhow. That tank of an fmic we have will act as extra bracing to an extent..
 
Sorry for being completely naive but can someone point me toward where I can purchase a wellycooler? Or even which cooler on the AH site is the V2? I can only seem to find the V1...

Just looking around for my future Stage 2 mods. :)
 
I'm running a toyosports 550x225x64 Type R on mine. According to most of the people on here, who are in the know, its too small, yet my car has made 294bhp (ok its obviously a happy dyno), on stage 2, and I've never seen intake temps at more that 10deg above ambient.

Generally, when on boost and giving it some, i'm seeing 6-7deg above ambient. I've not taken it on track yet, and its hard to really drive hard for sustained periods on the road, but I've done 25 miles or so, really ragging it, and when on the move, never managed to get intake temps any higher than mentioned.

The reason I went for that cooler was more for fitment reasons rather than avoiding cutting the crash bar, but now that I've seen it fitted, it pretty much fills the lower bumper centre grill, so anything bigger will be getting no more airflow over it
 
vivalacoulter said:
Sorry for being completely naive but can someone point me toward where I can purchase a wellycooler? Or even which cooler on the AH site is the V2? I can only seem to find the V1...

Just looking around for my future Stage 2 mods. :)
Click to expand...


Welly is a forum member who designed an fmic to fit and work. Its a universal cooler i believe. Look in the stickys bud. The ah is a different brand all together. Think they are better flowing for bigger turbo set ups.
 
Ok just to let you know,i had a wellycooler on.my golf when I crashed.when u went to get my parts of it.they guy at the recovery places said that massive cooler probably saved your life as it took the impact of the crash.:...just saying!
 
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daz-20vt said:
Welly is a forum member who designed an fmic to fit and work. Its a universal cooler i believe. Look in the stickys bud. The ah is a different brand all together. Think they are better flowing for bigger turbo set ups.
Click to expand...

Okay, now I'm sure I'm being blind, can't find the wellycooler in the stickies! Or is it somewhere in the large thread on the AH Fab ones?
 
Paradox1 said:
Ok just to let you know,i had a wellycooler on.my golf when I crashed.when u went to get my parts of it.they guy at the recovery places said that massive cooler probably saved your life as it took the impact of the crash.:...just saying!
Click to expand...

Some mods I find hard to justify before I make payment and get them fitted....but I love this justification on why to fit a FMIC :) lol

I'll remember this when I'm buying the bits and pieces I need in the next few months :thumbsup:
 
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I would read the fmic sticky but try searching wellycooler as it may have been a thread now i think about it. Its defo about somewhere. Daz
 
JimS3 said:
Seen a few pictures on the 'sticky intercooler thread' of smaller front mounts that fit underneath the crash bar, thus avoiding having to cut it like the AH and welly cooler.

Toyosport seem to have some reasonably priced ones. Anyone with one of these logged their intake temps? Or know how much power they are good for?

This is what I'm on about: (sorry if I have nicked your picture)

View attachment 20072
Click to expand...

There's one on the VAG Parts / Cars for sale Facebook page if you're looking to buy one - he will only accept cash on collection though - doesn't wanna post. AH Fabs V1 with all piping £150 - I wanted to but it was cost me that in fuel to drive there, iirc I think it Norfolk? Ill try and find the link..,.
 
Alex Ayers his name was.. From Lowestoft - so if you're not that far away from there it's a bargain :)
 
JimS3 said:
Was nearly killed in a head on car crash many years ago (as a passenger) which was not much fun, so anything that weakens impact protection makes me nervous!

But looks as though its the only way then to get a decent cooler.
Click to expand...

and behind the trimmed crash bar is..... oh dont tell me... erm... Oh I know.. a 76mm Thick aluminium, deformable intercooler...
you think an aluminium crash bar has strength?
 
badger5 said:
and behind the trimmed crash bar is..... oh dont tell me... erm... Oh I know.. a 76mm Thick aluminium, deformable intercooler...
you think an aluminium crash bar has strength?
Click to expand...

See your point.

So a front mount is an essential safety upgrade... lol :yes:
 
Read the thread.

I had previously confirmed this kit is only suitable for K03 cars, and my response was to grail who was the only person quoting 2.5" sizing.

Pal.
 
There really aren't any draw backs to the Wellycooler if you want a FMIC. There excellent VFM, good fun to fit and work very well. Why look for an alternative?
 
The most important function of the crash bar is to provide a crumple zone to protect the chassis legs, as already said when a large aluminium cooler is installed trimming of the bar really isn't an issue although any major cutting of this crash bar may reduce its ability to protect your chassis legs in an impact, while none of us ever intend to crash its worth consideration.
Its good practice to avoid cutting any crash bar where possible but knowing the issues on big power S3 builds little other options are realistically available, if safety was truly in question I wouldn't but as only the condition of the chassis legs in the event of an impact is in question IMO bash on..

Ewan.
 
The crash bar is also a structural piece of the car that connects the chassis legs and stiffens the chassis. What else substantial is there connecting the chassis legs if the bumper is cut. In a low speed shunt the bar would probably deform a little and save the rad, standard intercooler , and air con rad meaning the car could still be driven.
Without it its liable your intercooler will be pushed through the rads at the front of the car.
People are quite happy to add strut braces to increase stiffness but whats the point if you are removing something like the front bumper.
I personally wouldn't cut the bumper bar or remove parts of it, but each to their own.

Karl.
 
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