Intercooler vent -a slight variation :)

MC Bodge · 06-05-2006, 19:22

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 · 06-05-2006, 19:34

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

MC Bodge · 06-05-2006, 19:39

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 · 06-05-2006, 19:43

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 · 06-05-2006, 19:48

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 · 07-05-2006, 08:44

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 · 07-05-2006, 22:16

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

ric04vrs · 07-05-2006, 23:00

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 · 07-05-2006, 23:04

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 · 09-05-2006, 09:20

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 · 09-05-2006, 16:21

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 · 09-05-2006, 16:28

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 · 09-05-2006, 16:32

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 · 09-05-2006, 16:36

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

Nigel26 · 09-05-2006, 16:40

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...

06-05-2006, 19:22	#1
MC Bodge Briskodian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: North West England Posts: 899 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) 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 __________________ Mk1 Octavia vRS. The thinking man's Hot Hatch. PS. Give Cyclists Room! We're quite vulnerable. If I can slap your window, you're too close

06-05-2006, 19:34	#2
roblatus Briskodian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Beverley, East Yorkshire Posts: 1,009 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) I am thinking of doing this mod myself. Does it give any noticable benefits? __________________ 1998 Mazda Roadster 1.8 RS Spec. spending a lot of time sideways

06-05-2006, 19:39	#3
MC Bodge Briskodian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: North West England Posts: 899 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) 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? __________________ Mk1 Octavia vRS. The thinking man's Hot Hatch. PS. Give Cyclists Room! We're quite vulnerable. If I can slap your window, you're too close

06-05-2006, 19:43	#4
devonutopia Mongreller Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Ooo-ar, Oi be from Devonshire Posts: 29,117 Thanks: 60 Thanked 280 Times in 226 Posts	Re: Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) 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. __________________ Jason - Mongrel owner! WOOOOF! Grrrrr Custom Fabia Bonnet Lifter Kits - £45! Click Me. See the mongrel's 260bhp Dyno Video!

06-05-2006, 19:48	#5
MC Bodge Briskodian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: North West England Posts: 899 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) 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. __________________ Mk1 Octavia vRS. The thinking man's Hot Hatch. PS. Give Cyclists Room! We're quite vulnerable. If I can slap your window, you're too close Last edited by MC Bodge; 06-05-2006 at 19:51.

07-05-2006, 08:44	#6
WW_VRS Escorted Estate Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Oxfordshire/Berkshire Posts: 9,719 Thanks: 44 Thanked 67 Times in 58 Posts	Re: Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) 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 __________________ WW --->> Project Journal (pic links in first post there)

07-05-2006, 22:16	#7
SimonJ Briskodian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernow Posts: 515 Thanks: 3 Thanked 40 Times in 36 Posts	Re: Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) Does anyone know if a Mk4 R32 wheel arch liner would fit a 2001 Octavia without too much trimming? __________________ 2001 Octavia 4X4 turbo Estate 1988 LAND ROVER 110 V8 County - Slow, but got in the way nicely! 1986 ROVER SD1 3500 Vitesse twin plenum - SOLD 1981 ROVER SD1 V8-S -

07-05-2006, 23:00	#8
ric04vrs I parked up 1st Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: not near enough to the Ring Posts: 6,026 Thanks: 28 Thanked 169 Times in 167 Posts	Re: Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) 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 __________________ not so bored now

07-05-2006, 23:04	#9
MC Bodge Briskodian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: North West England Posts: 899 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) 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. __________________ Mk1 Octavia vRS. The thinking man's Hot Hatch. PS. Give Cyclists Room! We're quite vulnerable. If I can slap your window, you're too close

09-05-2006, 09:20	#10
MC Bodge Briskodian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: North West England Posts: 899 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) 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. __________________ Mk1 Octavia vRS. The thinking man's Hot Hatch. PS. Give Cyclists Room! We're quite vulnerable. If I can slap your window, you're too close

09-05-2006, 16:21	#11
Nigel26 Briskodian Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Walsall, West Midlands Posts: 2,298 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) 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. __________________ Sea Grey Mondeo Titanium X

09-05-2006, 16:28	#12
MC Bodge Briskodian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: North West England Posts: 899 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) 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! __________________ Mk1 Octavia vRS. The thinking man's Hot Hatch. PS. Give Cyclists Room! We're quite vulnerable. If I can slap your window, you're too close Last edited by MC Bodge; 09-05-2006 at 16:32.

09-05-2006, 16:32	#13
Nigel26 Briskodian Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Walsall, West Midlands Posts: 2,298 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) 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. __________________ Sea Grey Mondeo Titanium X

09-05-2006, 16:36	#14
MC Bodge Briskodian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: North West England Posts: 899 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) ah, ok. It is a bit neater on the inside though. Do it this evening! __________________ Mk1 Octavia vRS. The thinking man's Hot Hatch. PS. Give Cyclists Room! We're quite vulnerable. If I can slap your window, you're too close

09-05-2006, 16:40	#15
Nigel26 Briskodian Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Walsall, West Midlands Posts: 2,298 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Intercooler vent -a slight variation :) 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... __________________ Sea Grey Mondeo Titanium X

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