That's probably the next logical location. I checked out the clearance between the mouth shroud base and my IC and it's not nearly as big as the diagram shows. That means I'll have to do some more cutting/plastic fab work to get anything in front of the exposed front of the rad. And also work out the IC supports. After seeing just how small the gap actually is, opening up that area might help air to rad even if there's an oil cooler in front. This should be an improvement over the original location- top of the small IC - since it's in more of a direct air flow. Tho I'm still considering a larger oil cooler at this point. One day I want to track this car and it that would make it mandatory. 2nd gen rx7 oil cooler might work better too. It's got both bungs on the same end and is longer and thicker.

 

After looking at your idea, I got to thinking it might make sense to build a shroud/scoop around the cooler where it is now. That should send air straight thru the cooler and back out to the intercooler/condenser/rad since it appears to be a low pressure area now (given my oil temps went up 30f).

 

Love this sheet plastic...snip-snip-bend... So pulling from brain's idea and begi scooper for the rad, I fab'd up a scooper to feed air to the cooler's current position. Curious to see the results.
before:

after:

 

that's sweet!

I was pondering some sort of ducting to reverse funnel the air from my mouth to the whole radiator/IC. To at least utilize the "clinginess" of the air to pull it up to the hidden parts of the rad.

What about brake ducting...?

 

pics were very helpful, thanks

 

What you're talking about is a big project IMO. The biggest problem with the NA is that giant support (the thing splitime cutout). If that was removed and replaced with something that came forward as far as (or into) the front bumper support, then I think building a properly designed/engineered air entry wouldn't be so difficult. I bet the efficiency would increase dramatically since the surfaces and form would be designed for the specific function. At this point I'm just looking for the simplest solution, requiring the least amount of work and time.

I was going to run the spoiler ducts the brakes... one day. It works- did on the NB race car.

 

Good innovation. I'd bet that it is going to work great, but let's see what your results are.

 

the question that begs to be answered - what's the impact on the heat exchanger sandwich behind it? I'll report back... next week probably.

 

I forget, Rob, do you have the gaps between the cores sealed up too?

 

hey looks good! exactly something I was trying to convey. Works even better since you didnt have to relocate.

 

Yes- there's some of that rubberized weatherstripping between the exchangers, tho some of it has let loose. Gaps are no bigger than 1/4". I did notice last night that the rad doesn't have near the air flow gap shown in the diagram above. The clear path is really less than an inch. I'm eventually going to cut the bottom out of the mouth piece and make it a steady decline to the base of the radiator. That should make that gap/path to the bottom of the rad about 3". That said, my cruise coolant temp has risen over 2c. Big *** rad ftw.

It was an easy project to do after the kids went to bed- and no big tools to disturb the neighbors. My kind of project these days.

While we're on the subject of venting, I think I've found some useful parts for NA owners who want to put the cooler in the fender well and don't have the benefit of the fog light bezel kit from the NB (it won't fit the NA). BSR Products (same place that sells the sheet plastic) has numerous flanged ducts. The 3" circle would work well- just need to adjust the angle after it passes thru the bumper skin. Check it:
duct section
3 inch circle duct

 

Though not very well. Dropped the temps by about 20f after lots of driving around in and out of boost. Which puts me right around 275f - still to high. And at the price of reduced cooling to the rad, probably because 1. it's taking some of the air from the path to the rad and 2. it's creating a high pressure area at the top of the mouth after it exits the oil cooler. It also lengthened the time it takes the fan to bring the temps down and brought up my coolant around 2c when driving around at speed.

It's probably time to start another thread that's specific to the oil cooler project at this point, where I'll consider the next step.

New oil cooler thread here.

 

thats pretty slick man. makes me want to put scoops on my car hahaha.

 

http://coolpc.com/category/124559958...ccessories.htm