air to liquid intercooler tank source?

dhanney · 06-03-09, 01:29 PM

I have an air to liquid intercooler setup on my 97. As you can see in the picture, the tank that holds the antifreeze liquid protrudes out from the frame rails by several inches. This worked fine with my previous ARB bumper but not with the tube style bumper I just bought. I don't see any other mounting options due to the triangle shaped tank and I'm not having much luck finding a website that sells a cube shape tank. Anyone know a vender or have a suggestion on where I can find a tank that will work?

Thanks. Doug

FirstToy · 06-03-09, 01:33 PM

that looks impressive. is that something you custom made?

Tapage · 06-03-09, 01:58 PM

there are seveal options in eBay.. but nothing square IIRC ... maybe just lique a more usual tank and other place to run it ..

dhanney · 06-03-09, 02:03 PM

The original owner of the truck installed this custom setup back in 98 or 99. It is a very simple set-up that uses a continuous duty marine pump that pumps the liquid through a loop. The loop is the intercooler to a small radiator (you can see it in the picture), back to the tank and up to the intercooler again. The system is efficient due to the small amount of antifreeze to keep cool. The scan guage never reads more than 190-192 in the summer going over the hills in Colorado.

mkfour · 06-03-09, 02:14 PM

How about using a power steering cooler?

The Lovely Boyo · 06-03-09, 02:33 PM

The reservoir looks quite a small volume - can't you find a local metal basher who can fab you one up - ally or steel.

Alternative would be to remotely mount it somewhere else in the engine bay to get it somewhere safer (assuming it will be a little more exposed than behind your ARB)???

dhanney · 06-03-09, 02:36 PM

mkfour, thanks for the idea but I'm looking for a tank to hold the antifreeze not a cooler.

Couple more pics. The top view shows the fill neck and cap. I use a wood rod to check the antifreeze amount.

dhanney · 06-03-09, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lovely Boyo

The reservoir looks quite a small volume - can't you find a local metal basher who can fab you one up - ally or steel.

Alternative would be to remotely mount it somewhere else in the engine bay to get it somewhere safer (assuming it will be a little more exposed than behind your ARB)???

Good idea about a metal tank...I never considered that. Metal would handle the road debris better too.
I have zero room in the engine bay for this tank. The S/C and dual batteries have wiped out any available space.

Trunk Monkey · 06-03-09, 02:47 PM

What the crap have you done to my truck?!

Good to see you around Doug. What about relocating the whole thing or turning it so the hypotenuse is against the radiator support?

Nemo · 06-03-09, 02:53 PM

What is the name of the unit you have since it appears to fit nicely up there? I might want to investigate this one further. Looks good and potentially no fitment issues with the hood or the need to cut the SC in any major way... Thanks

dhanney · 06-03-09, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trunk Monkey

What the crap have you done to my truck?!

Good to see you around Doug. What about relocating the whole thing or turning it so the hypotenuse is against the radiator support?

Lovin the truck dude. I have done some major wheeling in Moab and Colorado over the last couple years. It now sits on Frankies suspension, Slee rear bumper, 315 KM2's and I just got done doing a PM HG job. Leather is next on the list.

I did measure hypotenuse the other night and it's still sticks out too far.

dhanney · 06-03-09, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo

What is the name of the unit you have since it appears to fit nicely up there? I might want to investigate this one further. Looks good and potentially no fitment issues with the hood or the need to cut the SC in any major way... Thanks

No name on the intercooler. I'm in Monument if you want to do a visual inspection of the setup. It fits perfect and it's shiny!

landtank · 06-03-09, 03:56 PM

What I ended up buying is a rad out of a Honda goldwing. I fits in front of the condenser on the other side of the tranny cooler. It's 3 rows deep and has a nice cap and overflow hose. I don't think there is any need for a tank with this setup.

Trunk Monkey · 06-03-09, 04:50 PM

I think Nemo was saying what's the name on the triangular tank, there's something printed on the plastic on top. Maybe that manufacturer makes other tanks.

Landtank brings up a possibility too, delete the tank and just circulate the coolant that's in the intercooler body and it's radiator.

FirstToy · 06-03-09, 05:27 PM

that is a really slick setup dhanney. man, sc thoughts again... hehe

Skrewball · 06-03-09, 05:55 PM

i think he needs a tank.

with my liquid cooled intercooler i know that the coolant gets really hot really quick.(with normal driving)

here are a couple of pics of what i am running(as some of you have seen before)

in this one you can see the top of the resevoir, right behind the battery. it is only about 8in deep and 3in around. i am planning on putting in a bigger one.

mine runs a similar pump and radiator.

i also recently changed the air filter location(pulled too hot of air right next to the intercooler housing)

dhanney · 06-03-09, 08:37 PM

After some more test fitting with my tube bumper, I think I can just fit the tank in the gap between the passenger wheel wheel and the headlight frame. I'll post up some pics when it's a done deal.

BTW, the name on the tank is Vortech. They did have a cooler tank on their website but it looked too big and the $300 price tag would have been rejected by the warden.

Dusty · 06-04-09, 09:13 AM

rick is right. ditch the tank. that marine pump probably empties that tank in 15 seconds. the only benifit of a tank is that once the truck starts boosting there is a short supply of cool water in the tank to circulate through the intercooler. once that cool water is gone from the tank and runs through the exchanger the tank isn't doing anything save slightly cooling the water. if the pump runs continually then the tank is almost useless as there is reserve of cool water. This 80 isn't used as a race truck. boost is probably desired on a sustained basis-like climbing that pass. better to use a larger heat exchanger than to mess with the tank

dhanney · 06-04-09, 10:37 AM

Rick, I found a 1983 Goldwing radiator on Ebay. Does yours look like this? Can you be so kind to shoot a picture?

Thanks all for the suggestions! Doug

Grench · 06-04-09, 11:26 AM

You need a tank. You're putting on a tube bumper.

Cap the tube. Drill it, tap it. Put on an inlet and an outlet port. Tube = tank.