Intercooler vent -a slight variation :)

[MC Bodge]

No need to bother with an expensive Audi part. Here's a quick How-to:

Nip down to B&Q with 5 quid in your pocket for a 'flush-fitting' plastic heater vent from the central heating dept.
Grind off most of the 'chrome' plating the surface with an abrasive wheel.
Slap on some black Hammerite.
Cut nicks in the vent surround to allow it to bend a bit.
Remove front wheel.
Remove wheelarch liner (noting where the intercooler sits and where the vent will fit)
Draw lines on wheelarch to show where vent and fastenings go.
Cut out the hole with a Stanley Knife.
Attach vent to the intercooler side of the liner with self-tapping screws and cut off the sharp points (Louvres should face 'outwards')
Re-fit liner and wheel.

-Bob is now your Mother's sister's live-in lover

Smile as you drive your car with its diminished warm temperature effect.


bigger pic here


For < the price of a couple of pints and a couple of hours effort on a suunny day it can't be bad

[roblatus]

I am thinking of doing this mod myself. Does it give any noticable benefits?

[MC Bodge]

It's difficult to say...

It could have been a placebo effect, but I reckon that throttle response when starting off from the lights and tootling around the houses today (>20degC, warm enough to sit outside the pub) was better after the vent was fitted than before. The performance didn't seem particularly blunted by the warm day.

As I said though, as it's so simple, why not try it?

[devonutopia]

you should notice it more at higher speeds/revs, when heatsoak traditionally cuts in.

Looks neat though. Not sure whether the extra cost of the TT vent is equivacle (thats a big, probably mispelt word after 3 cans of export) to the effort put in to make that vent fit.

[MC Bodge]

I've not had chance to test it thoroughly yet.

Apart from painting it (which isn't necessary if you don't mind silver -I already had the paint), fitting the vent is easier than using the TT one as it doesn't need cutting-out of a wheelearch liner first, it already has reinforced mounting holes, it's exactly the right size and looks neater.

[WW_VRS]

It should work well, I was going down the same route but ended up with the Forge FMIC instead

Looks fine in black and it's cheaper for sure, which IIRC was the idea behind the original 'pikey' mod

It's when you're booting it through the gears (standard map) - when it's about 25 degress it usually starts heatsoaking a fair bit in 4th. With remap it would probably start earlier due to higher boost = temperature, so every little helps for that

[SimonJ]

Does anyone know if a Mk4 R32 wheel arch liner would fit a 2001 Octavia without too much trimming?

[ric04vrs]

done mine on my fab VRS at no cost , with a sharp knife cut slots horizontally at 20mm intervals up the liner then with a hot air gun and screw driver procede to warm slots at the same time folding the top edge out and the lower edge in by pushing screwy through the slots ,haven't noticed any difference yet though

[MC Bodge]

It's certainly had no adverse effects and the engine pulls to the red line.

I'm not sure if it should have this effect, but fuel consumption was an impressive 35.5 mpg on the way to mid-wales and 38.9 mpg on the way back today. Driven 'moderately' briskly with a few full-bore overtakes.

[MC Bodge]

In yesterday's drizzle, the car seemed to be driving as it does on a frosty morning. ie. FIERCE!

I can only assume this to be due to an improvement in heat transfer from the increased air (and moisture) flow across the intercooler.

[Nigel26]

have a vent from B&Q thats been in the boot for months... i will get round to fitting it soon...

true though, as above, why spend money at dealers when a fiver down B&Q can do the same job with less hassle. i have been entertaining fitting mine withough taking the liner off the car... using rivets to secure the vent should be good enough.

[MC Bodge]

Why? the liner takes about 2 minutes to remove. It's not the entire wheelarch. Self-tapping screws did the job for me and can be removed easily.

Do it man!

[Nigel26]

just cause more than anything i'm lazy

rivets arent going to be a problem for me, my dad and brother work for a company that makes them so supply and fitting will be a piece o cake.

the vent i have isnt the same as yours though. its from the extractors / air brick covers section, its a thin galvanized steel so fitting to the outside will be fine.

[MC Bodge]

ah, ok. It is a bit neater on the inside though. Do it this evening!

[Nigel26]

HA... with a 14 week old daughter to entertain in the evenings when i get home from work modifying the car has to wait until the weekend or weeks holiday when i can get over to my parents house to use my dads garage and tools...

i'll post pics when its all done...