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Hufflepuff



Member Since: 25 Oct 2014
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 723

England 2005 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Tonga Green
How is the Intercooler on a Td5 removed?
End of a bank holiday weekend and my car is predicatbly still in pieces Big Cry

I've been trying to fit an Alive uprated intercooler - but I've got stuck trying to remove the old one!

I removed the slam panel as I was instructed, to leave me with:


Click image to enlarge



I've also removed the left hand side intercooler hose, and the right hand side bar the one actually attached to the intercooler, which has the jubilee clip pointing right into the wing as you guys pointed out would be the case. I'm hoping I can leave it attached to the intercooler and pull it though gently, at least until I can get better access.

But I'm utterly baffled by how the intercooler is attached to the radiator. It seems to have two lugs, one which goes up, and one which goes down, as circled here:


Click image to enlarge


How on earth to you remove it then? Its like it has to slide up and down simultaneously! I'm clearly missing something. For better reference, here is the replacement intercooler with the lugs clearly visible (upside down):


Click image to enlarge



The Haynes manual just states to remove the radiator and disassemble off the vehicle - but even then I don't understand how they separate, its like one of those impossible puzzle things you get in a cracker.

I think I'm probably going to have to attach everything again and take it down the local 4x4 specialist, unless anyone has any tips which would help me? Thanks in advance if you do!

Chris.
Post #426192 25th May 2015 7:10pm
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jonny2tanx



Member Since: 06 Jul 2014
Location: Harpenden, Herts
Posts: 156

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Alveston Red
Not sure about car with air con but this weekend when I replaced the crankshaft pulley and radiator I had to unbolt the 2 brackets either side of the radiator, the one that hold the bonnet stay on the drivers side and I think, the clip on the passenger side. You may be able to just undo one of the small bolts and swing it up out of the way, but the bonnet cable on the drivers side one may get in the way. (You have already removed the 2 front bolts on either side to remove the slam panel. You can either remove the bonnet or fasten it back against the screen as the bonnet will have no support.

If it's too much like hard work, I'll be kind enough to take the intercooler of your hands for a reasonable sum Wink
Post #426204 25th May 2015 7:37pm
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Hufflepuff



Member Since: 25 Oct 2014
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 723

England 2005 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Tonga Green
Ahhh the brackets are removable too? Just been reading Alive's instructions (http://alivetuning.com/docs/Defender%20Td5%20Intercooler.pdf) which seem to imply the same thing. I shall go out in the morning with renewed enthusiasm, thanks Jonny.
Post #426225 25th May 2015 8:35pm
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jonny2tanx



Member Since: 06 Jul 2014
Location: Harpenden, Herts
Posts: 156

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Alveston Red
Good luck. I'm not sure how the air con condenser fits, and whether that is part of the radiator and intercooler pack. The Alive instructions do specify they (the instructions) are for cars without air con. I hope the air con pipes don't get in the way. I reckon you may have problems with the intercooler jubilee clip if it faces the wing as I don't think there will be space to pull the hose through - the intercooler needs to come forward as it is as the stubs fit in cut outs in the side of the radiator either side. You may need to consider moving the rad backwards a bit if possible without draining and undoing the hoses - you'd need to lift it off the bottom mounts about 40mm or so unless it will lean backwards. Maybe that will give you access to the clip and enough room to move the intercooler forward to clear the rad? Otherwise it could be a rad/intercooler out job if that can be done without disturbing the air con pipes?
Post #426243 25th May 2015 10:04pm
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Hufflepuff



Member Since: 25 Oct 2014
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 723

England 2005 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Tonga Green
Thankfully the air con radiator is a separate unit mounted on an A-frame at the front - with a good inch of clearance to the intercooler. You might be right about the last remaining juby-clip, my longest 6mm spanner is still about an inch short of reach, but perhaps it will pull far enough forwards to reach.
Post #426252 25th May 2015 10:44pm
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jonny2tanx



Member Since: 06 Jul 2014
Location: Harpenden, Herts
Posts: 156

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Alveston Red
Good luck with it Thumbs Up
Post #426265 25th May 2015 11:37pm
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jonny2tanx



Member Since: 06 Jul 2014
Location: Harpenden, Herts
Posts: 156

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Alveston Red
So how did you get on?
Post #426516 26th May 2015 9:16pm
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Hufflepuff



Member Since: 25 Oct 2014
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 723

England 2005 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Tonga Green
Right, success at the cost of the skin on my knuckles and yet another full day out on the drive...


With Jonny's information about removing the mountain plate, I was able to get the old intercooler out.

The four studs needed extracting from the front (2 on each plate):

Click image to enlarge


... and then remove the two rear bolts on each plate:

Click image to enlarge



allowing the old intercooler to be gently removed from frame. We can then compare the old to the new - interestingly the new one is not much thicker (if any), but considerably taller.


Click image to enlarge



Click image to enlarge



As the Haynes manual then says "refitting is the reverse of removal". Well at least as far as putting the new intercooler in place it was:


Click image to enlarge



Lots of the guides talk about removing some of the plastic trim/fins around the radiator. I did not see what I needed to cut - I couldn't see anything which was obstructing the intercooler from fitting - did the radiators change in the 2002 Td5 refresh?


Well then we got to the meat and two veg of the operation. I thought removing the pipe on the (vehicle) left hand side had been difficult - but it was NOTHING compared to trying to fit the new one. The air was blue with swearing.... Air con pipes make getting your hand close to the intercooler impossible.


After *MANY* hours, I did manage it, but I shall never do this job again - a job for the professionals next time.


Click image to enlarge




Click image to enlarge



Went for a spin, seems to hold together so a job done. Turbo lag seems a little worse now (I suppose that's to be expected given the bigger volume of air), but it seems to pull a little harder when the boost does kick in. Wanted to do the EGR at the same time but ran out of daylight, so that's for another day.

Exhaust next, then remap time Smile
Post #426525 26th May 2015 9:32pm
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jonny2tanx



Member Since: 06 Jul 2014
Location: Harpenden, Herts
Posts: 156

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Alveston Red
Congratulations on your achievement. It'll be far easier next time Wink
Post #426545 26th May 2015 10:22pm
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rustandoil



Member Since: 08 Sep 2012
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 664

England 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS DCPU Bonatti Grey
I've done this job twice Rolling Eyes best described as fiddley and time consuming, I am very surprised you didn't need to trim the two plastic lugs off the radiator Confused

You now need a re-map to make the best of your new intercooler Very Happy
Post #426573 27th May 2015 7:00am
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Hufflepuff



Member Since: 25 Oct 2014
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 723

England 2005 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Tonga Green
I'm concerned about the same thing Eddie. Do you know if it would be really obvious and impossible to fit without trimming them, assuming that they were present?

I wonder if the air-con vehicle radiators didn't have the lugs on? I did look for something to trim (I was expecting it), but couldn't see anything which would be in the way Confused
Post #426616 27th May 2015 12:08pm
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munch90



Member Since: 26 Oct 2013
Location: guildford
Posts: 3558

England 
I needed to trim the lugs on a tdci , also a a/c pipe was a bit too close just slight bend out of the way
Post #426617 27th May 2015 12:11pm
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rustandoil



Member Since: 08 Sep 2012
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 664

England 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS DCPU Bonatti Grey
I certainly had to trim the two lugs on the radiator to fit my Allisport intercooler to my 2005 air-con 110, I don't know if the Alive intercooler has a slightly different method of mounting? there isn't much space though........

The Alive PDF instructions show the the lugs need to be cut Confused
Post #426630 27th May 2015 1:11pm
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K9F



Member Since: 12 Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 9610

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
Same brand of intercooler, same issues which is somewhat reassuring. Took me 12 hours start to finish to fit. Most difficult was the fitting of the silicone unions at the ends of the stainless pipes. It will compliment your intended remap perfectly and then you should notice a difference.

Thumbs Up

Pictures have long gone but they were very similar from my Puma. Can remember it took my hands about a week to heal!

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic13612.html?highlight=claret If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!

Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!!
Post #426639 27th May 2015 2:12pm
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Hufflepuff



Member Since: 25 Oct 2014
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 723

England 2005 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Tonga Green
I wonder why I didn't notice/need to trim the radiator lugs, I'm quite concerned I missed something now! I did look for them but just couldn't see where they were on the radiator. I'm pretty sure that it is the original radiator, as the stupid house clamps would have been near impossible to do up with the wing in the way. hmm...

And K9F yes my hands (well right hand one) are a right mess today. As well as all the raw skin, I somehow ended up with a 3" bruise just above the wrist, no idea how I did that, must have been in one of the many moments of rage during fitting Whistle
Post #426754 27th May 2015 10:47pm
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