Aftermarket intercooler + cooling stack redo

flash7210 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 16, 2019 8:18 pm

Installed aftermarket eBay special intercooler.
Installed new AC condenser for a gasser model that is AC only.
Installed Hayden transmission cooler mounted in the grille.

PZKW108 · **Joined:** Sun Apr 06, 2014 5:23 pm **Posts:** 461

Nice job !!!

How the aftermarket cooler compare volume wise vs the OEM ?

flash7210 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 16, 2019 9:39 pm

The intercooler I installed has a core size 17 x 9 x 2.5 inches.
Not sure how that compares to the factory intercooler.

My66dodge · **Posted:** Mon Dec 16, 2019 10:29 pm

Looks good, nice work, just a heads up since the ac is behind the intercooler it won’t work well because of the heat loss from the intercooler, though the engine will be happy

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flash7210 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 16, 2019 10:39 pm

My66dodge wrote:

Looks good, nice work, just a heads up since the ac is behind the intercooler it won’t work well because of the heat loss from the intercooler, though the engine will be happy

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Yup. Thought about that.
So here’s the theory...

The condenser I installed is overall larger than the factory one because it doesn’t have to share space with the transmission cooler. Therefore it has more surface area and should operate more efficiently.
But...
The trans cooler is now in the grille, in front of the intercooler. So it’s a trade off.

My66dodge · **Posted:** Tue Dec 17, 2019 9:12 am

The one way around it would be to use a water to air intercooler and you can use a smaller heat exchanger up front and reduce the size of the intercooler and condenser. When the functional scoop hood I am working with the guys in Florida on, I am using the scoop to feed the heat exchanger for the water air intercooler so that heat load is not on the ac or radiator so they will work better. Frozenboost.com has water to air intercooler parts.

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Mountainman · **Posted:** Tue Dec 17, 2019 9:29 am

Very nice! I'm tired of the factory units that always leaks. Did you have to build brackets? If you could post the link for the cooler and anything else you used that would be much appreciated!
Can we, and did you use the samco boost hoses in part or whole?

I like this install best because my main problem currently is keeping the transmission cool while creeping up long offroad grades, and you solved that problem, although I have a bigger aftermarket cooler. I looked at other locations for the transmission cooler, but it would get a branch or rock eventually, gotta be behind the grill.

Searching for stock IC dimensions for comparison...

flash7210 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 17, 2019 9:50 am

My66dodge wrote:

The one way around it would be to use a water to air intercooler and you can use a smaller heat exchanger up front and reduce the size of the intercooler and condenser. When the functional scoop hood I am working with the guys in Florida on, I am using the scoop to feed the heat exchanger for the water air intercooler so that heat load is not on the ac or radiator so they will work better. Frozenboost.com has water to air intercooler parts.

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I looked into the liquid to air intercoolers and the problem is the physical size of the intercooler.
A box type could be placed on top of the engine but then you’d need to cut a hole in the hood and there’d be an awkward 180 deg turn to get into the engine intake.
A barrel type could possibly fit in the space between engine and radiator but then the engine fan would have to go away.
Maybe behind/below the bumper but spaces are tight everywhere.

flash7210 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 17, 2019 11:35 am

Mountainman wrote:

Very nice! I'm tired of the factory units that always leaks. Did you have to build brackets? If you could post the link for the cooler and anything else you used that would be much appreciated!
Can we, and did you use the samco boost hoses in part or whole?

I like this install best because my main problem currently is keeping the transmission cool while creeping up long offroad grades, and you solved that problem, although I have a bigger aftermarket cooler. I looked at other locations for the transmission cooler, but it would get a branch or rock eventually, gotta be behind the grill.

Searching for stock IC dimensions for comparison...

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F173725516618

All mounting hardware came from Home Depot.
Brackets were cut, bent, drilled, bent again, and screwed/bolted in place.

Not sure how well all the coolers will work. Will see come summer.
Is my Hayden 678 trans cooler too small? Maybe.
Will I have to go bigger?
I’m considering modifying the grille so I can fit a small pusher fan over the cooler.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Tue Dec 17, 2019 2:20 pm

Thanks flash! Your cooler is fine, probably better than stock one because it's not behind the bumper any longer! I only have trouble with the stock unit when I can keep the speeds over 20mph or so on steep dirt roads that go up for miles. Probably takes 2 miles for it to get to hot, but where I go the jeep has to climb for 10+ miles.

WolverineFW · **Posted:** Tue Dec 17, 2019 9:42 pm

Are you in 4 Low when the transmission gets hot?

Mountainman wrote:

Thanks flash! Your cooler is fine, probably better than stock one because it's not behind the bumper any longer! I only have trouble with the stock unit when I can keep the speeds over 20mph or so on steep dirt roads that go up for miles. Probably takes 2 miles for it to get to hot, but where I go the jeep has to climb for 10+ miles.

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Mountainman · **Posted:** Wed Dec 18, 2019 1:39 am

WolverineFW wrote:

Are you in 4 Low when the transmission gets hot?

Mountainman wrote:

Thanks flash! Your cooler is fine, probably better than stock one because it's not behind the bumper any longer! I only have trouble with the stock unit when I can keep the speeds over 20mph or so on steep dirt roads that go up for miles. Probably takes 2 miles for it to get to hot, but where I go the jeep has to climb for 10+ miles.

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I have tried that, but no luck. Just follow google earth from Featherville to Atlanta Idaho. If I had the OEM fan tons of air I'd probably be fine, but the electric not so much. If my new cooler doesn't do the trick next summer I'll put a mechanical back on for the summer, but what drove me crazy about them was multiple Hayden HD's bad right out of the box. Maybe the GM one WW came up with is more reliable. Or maybe I'll go fixed flex fan.

flash7210 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 23, 2019 6:02 pm

Got a good test drive in this afternoon.

Conditions:
Cloudy, 68-70 F ambient temperature
No thermostat, gutted housing (to help flush oil out of cooling system)
No cooling fans (to bring temperature up because no thermostat)

Intake air temperature:
84 F while cruising at 55 mph
89 F while stopping and idling

Transmission temp:
115 F while cruising at 55
140 F, stopped and idling

Coolant temp:
160 F at 55
170 F when idling

flash7210 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:03 pm

Update.

Finally got the AC working and now for some warm weather testing.
Today’s drive home from work was clear, sunny, and about 90F.

Engine coolant temp 195-199F
Intake Air Temp 112-117F
Trans temp 135-150F
AC vent temp 45F

Everything seems to be working quite well.

The intercooler seems to be performing a bit better than the factory original. But the biggest improvement is that now having the AC on doesn’t create a 20 degree increase in IAT.

Aftermarket intercooler + cooling stack redo

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