When everything is in good working order, the 80s standard cooling system is actually very good. But standard is a word that no longer computes with me or my Cruiser. And with a high powered turbo engine, big auto and extra trans coolers up front, she can get a bit warm on hot days with the AC hammering (up to 103degC on the WatchDog gauge) and the going is slow off road. With the AC off, temps sit around mid to high 90's. In the winter, cooling isn't an issue regardless of circumstances, with or without the AC on.
I use to run 2 x 12in thermo fans fitted to the front of the trans and intercooler radiators, but they seemed to do stuff all. So I upgraded to a 16in fan and on hot days with the AC on, the extra cooling from the fan does a decent job controlling engine temps in all but the hardest of low range driving. So with the idea a little more insurance is always a good thing, it was time get creative.
Cue the misting kit. I'd read a bit about them, seen different setups and scoped out my own rig to see what would fit and where. There were 3 main components needed:
1) Water tank
2) Water pump
3) Sprayer jets
So, armed with a length of 100mm PVC and a few bends, it was time to get building.
The tank sits between the slider and underside of the floor on the drivers side. I fitted the pickup at the rear so the pump could scavenge all the water even when low while heading up hill, where I'd need it the most. Total capacity is bang on 10L
How to fill it was another issue to overcome without being a s***-fight all the time. Using a combo of bends, it turns up at the back of the front inner guard and is capped with a screw on lid. It's secured to the sidesteps in two places with 4 stainless steel cable ties and a third spot, shown here, with two screws into M6 riv nuts. Make sure you get a lid with a rubber gasket inside for a water tight seal.
A water pump is mounted in the engine bay. Garden hose connects the tank to the pump, with garden hose out the other side before being reduced, using a combo of brass fittings, to fit the 4mm plastic irrigation line used on drip feed systems etc. The pump is activated via a switch on the dash. Nothing fancy for now.
Removing the support panel in front of the rad, the 4mm line is secured to wiring harness underneath. Using a T and L bends, there are 2 sprayers about 200mm from each end of the rad that hang down about 150mm. I used brass spray jets that give a 360deg spray pattern.
RESULTS:
I've run this setup most of this summer now and it's been awesome. I have the WatchDog temp gauge set to alarm at 95deg. When I run the sprayer for 20-30sec, the temp drops back to high 80s within 1min. I was surprised how quick it works. Sometimes just 10-15sec is enough to take the edge off. The sprayer really pumps the water out so if you leave it on by accident, you'll run out of water pretty quickly, as I've done a couple of times.
Filling the tank is easy enough at home with a hose. When away in the scrub I use a 1.5L water bottle filled from my main water tank. Clean creek water will also work. Most weekends away 10L is heaps, but that can vary greatly on how hard the terrain, ambient temps and engine temps. On a 2 week trip in the VIC high country at Xmas, I filled it once after the original fill, and it was used pretty regularly.
FUTURE:
Now I'm happy it works I'll tidy everything up. At some point I'll do flow testing to work out just how long 10L lasts, and I'll wire the pump up to a relay via the WatchDog to switch on and off automatically. An adjustable time on/off relay will be best, I think.
Anyway, I hope this helps out a few of you who might get a little hot under the bonnet on occasion during hard slogging, and want a little back up plan :wink:
I use to run 2 x 12in thermo fans fitted to the front of the trans and intercooler radiators, but they seemed to do stuff all. So I upgraded to a 16in fan and on hot days with the AC on, the extra cooling from the fan does a decent job controlling engine temps in all but the hardest of low range driving. So with the idea a little more insurance is always a good thing, it was time get creative.
Cue the misting kit. I'd read a bit about them, seen different setups and scoped out my own rig to see what would fit and where. There were 3 main components needed:
1) Water tank
2) Water pump
3) Sprayer jets
So, armed with a length of 100mm PVC and a few bends, it was time to get building.
The tank sits between the slider and underside of the floor on the drivers side. I fitted the pickup at the rear so the pump could scavenge all the water even when low while heading up hill, where I'd need it the most. Total capacity is bang on 10L
How to fill it was another issue to overcome without being a s***-fight all the time. Using a combo of bends, it turns up at the back of the front inner guard and is capped with a screw on lid. It's secured to the sidesteps in two places with 4 stainless steel cable ties and a third spot, shown here, with two screws into M6 riv nuts. Make sure you get a lid with a rubber gasket inside for a water tight seal.
A water pump is mounted in the engine bay. Garden hose connects the tank to the pump, with garden hose out the other side before being reduced, using a combo of brass fittings, to fit the 4mm plastic irrigation line used on drip feed systems etc. The pump is activated via a switch on the dash. Nothing fancy for now.
Removing the support panel in front of the rad, the 4mm line is secured to wiring harness underneath. Using a T and L bends, there are 2 sprayers about 200mm from each end of the rad that hang down about 150mm. I used brass spray jets that give a 360deg spray pattern.
RESULTS:
I've run this setup most of this summer now and it's been awesome. I have the WatchDog temp gauge set to alarm at 95deg. When I run the sprayer for 20-30sec, the temp drops back to high 80s within 1min. I was surprised how quick it works. Sometimes just 10-15sec is enough to take the edge off. The sprayer really pumps the water out so if you leave it on by accident, you'll run out of water pretty quickly, as I've done a couple of times.
Filling the tank is easy enough at home with a hose. When away in the scrub I use a 1.5L water bottle filled from my main water tank. Clean creek water will also work. Most weekends away 10L is heaps, but that can vary greatly on how hard the terrain, ambient temps and engine temps. On a 2 week trip in the VIC high country at Xmas, I filled it once after the original fill, and it was used pretty regularly.
FUTURE:
Now I'm happy it works I'll tidy everything up. At some point I'll do flow testing to work out just how long 10L lasts, and I'll wire the pump up to a relay via the WatchDog to switch on and off automatically. An adjustable time on/off relay will be best, I think.
Anyway, I hope this helps out a few of you who might get a little hot under the bonnet on occasion during hard slogging, and want a little back up plan :wink:
