Radiator/Intercooler Options?

13diamonds

Active member
Does anyone have a list of radiator/inter-cooler options available?

The Puma setup I am using is working great but I had to up-size my electric fan and will be making a shroud eventually. My temps when doing 70mph are around 200F with the ambient temp here in New Mexico in the 90s. This is using a 1.4 transfer case with an AX15 so my RPMs are very high. When actually cruising around town in lower RPMs, temperatures are around 180ish to 190ish at most. I also have AC installed so that is in front of the inter-cooler.

Looking to see if there are cleaner installations without routing the lower radiator hose across the engine bay.

Has anyone considered modifying and shrouding an Aluminum TD5 setup?

Below are some pics I found of other peoples installs.

Resized_20180521_205136.jpegimage_188.jpg
 

jymmiejamz

Founding Member
Callsign: KN4JHI
That looks like a pretty big radiator for a diesel. What temp thermostat are you running? If it is a 190F thermostat, I wouldn't really be concerned at 200F unless Cummins says that's too hot.
 

rocky

NAS-ROW Addict
The lack of a shroud from the grill to the radiator and around the fan isn't helping your cooling needs one bit. At the very least build a shroud from the grill to the radiator as the first stage. so the air is forced through the radiator rather than escaping. Assume you have an AC condenser as well.
 

13diamonds

Active member
That looks like a pretty big radiator for a diesel. What temp thermostat are you running? If it is a 190F thermostat, I wouldn't really be concerned at 200F unless Cummins says that's too hot.

This is the info from the install manual
Cooling System Specifications

Coolant capacity.........................................................................................................................................6 liters [1.6 gal]
Standard modulating thermostat - range............................................................................82C° to 95C° [180C° to 203°F]
Maximum allowed water outlet temperature.................................................................................................107°C [225°F]
Minimum recommended operating temperature............................................................................................ 71°C [160°F]
Minimum recommended pressure cap...................................................................................................... 100 kpa [15 psi
 

13diamonds

Active member
The lack of a shroud from the grill to the radiator and around the fan isn't helping your cooling needs one bit. At the very least build a shroud from the grill to the radiator as the first stage. so the air is forced through the radiator rather than escaping. Assume you have an AC condenser as well.


Yeah that's what i figured. Was looking at it all yesterday and with the condenser fan running, All the air is just blowing around the radiator.
 

Uncle Douglas

Well-known member
Callsign: delete
Does anyone have a list of radiator/inter-cooler options available?

The Puma setup I am using is working great but I had to up-size my electric fan and will be making a shroud eventually. My temps when doing 70mph are around 200F with the ambient temp here in New Mexico in the 90s. This is using a 1.4 transfer case with an AX15 so my RPMs are very high. When actually cruising around town in lower RPMs, temperatures are around 180ish to 190ish at most. I also have AC installed so that is in front of the inter-cooler.

Looking to see if there are cleaner installations without routing the lower radiator hose across the engine bay.

Has anyone considered modifying and shrouding an Aluminum TD5 setup?

Below are some pics I found of other peoples installs.

View attachment 9226View attachment 9225
The first of those two pictures is a truck we built. We have the radiator intercooler custom made for us. They mount like the puma type you are using directly into the front crossmember and utilize td5 upper mounts. The inlets and outlets were spec'd out to match the engine so the upper and lower radiator necks are different sizes etc.
Never seen one get up to 200 degrees but havent dealt with an a/c condensor yet.
You are also turning much higher rpm than the ones we have done. We've been using 1.2 tcases. The one you pictured is a 6 spd automatic which is why the engine is so far forward and mounted high to clear a lhd steering box.
 
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13diamonds

Active member
The first of those two pictures is a truck we built. We have the radiator intercooler custom made for us. They mount like the puma type you are using directly into the front crossmember and utilize td5 upper mounts. The inlets and outlets were spec'd out to match the engine so the upper and lower radiator necks are different sizes etc.
Never seen one get up to 200 degrees but havent dealt with an a/c condensor yet.
You are also turning much higher rpm than the ones we have done. We've been using 1.2 tcases. The one you pictured is a 6 spd automatic which is why the engine is so far forward and mounted high to clear a lhd steering box.


Thanks for the advice everyone. Going to get right on the shrouding and will give an update after. Its very obvious but something I overlooked.

Uncle Douglas I will send a PM about your setup.
 

jymmiejamz

Founding Member
Callsign: KN4JHI
Based on the specs from Cummins, it sounds like you have it running at the perfect temp.
 

Uncle Douglas

Well-known member
Callsign: delete
Based on the specs from Cummins, it sounds like you have it running at the perfect temp.
Agreed, like most modern diesels, the ecu asks for cooling when it wants it.
As long as your fan isn't running a lot, the system works.
Ran into a fellow from Texas @ Ouray with an r2.8 in a Classic and he was having both cooling and 6L80e issues.
 

rocky

NAS-ROW Addict
Agreed, like most modern diesels, the ecu asks for cooling when it wants it.
As long as your fan isn't running a lot, the system works.
Ran into a fellow from Texas @ Ouray with an r2.8 in a Classic and he was having both cooling and 6L80e issues.

That guy should get the derail (?)cooler complete with its own cooling fan. Quite where he'll be able to show horn it in is another question.
 

Uncle Douglas

Well-known member
Callsign: delete
We expect to have our radiator intercooler package for the defender 2.8 application available for sale to diyers in the next couple mos. In way of performance, when the fan comes on the coolant temp drops several degrees per second.
 

Norton

Well-known member
We expect to have our radiator intercooler package for the defender 2.8 application available for sale to diyers in the next couple mos. In way of performance, when the fan comes on the coolant temp drops several degrees per second.

any updates on this? Thinking hard on a 2.8
 

Uncle Douglas

Well-known member
Callsign: delete
@ present only ordering 5 of ea @ a time for our customer installs.
Minimum for a price break, but ties up a huge amount of capital. If you wish to be involved in our next order get in touch.
 

13diamonds

Active member
Never gave an update but the Puma cooling package worked well and never had a problem with over heating once I put the largest fan I could and ensured intake was pulling cool air into turbo. I took it offroad quite a bit and running through the dirt roads here in New Mexico just beating the hell out of it and the drive train never let me down. However there are many company's out there that make specific kits that are even better fit and for R2.8 conversions. See Uncle Doug for more info
 
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Uncle Douglas

Well-known member
Callsign: delete
Interesting, we had Andrew make those to our specs. He assured us he'd not sell our design to others.
 

13diamonds

Active member
Interesting, we had Andrew make those to our specs. He assured us he'd not sell our design to others.

Apologies Doug I did not mean I bought one from them just saw you mention them in earlier threads. I am still using the Puma Setup and don't see myself changing it anytime soon. I was just throwing out companies i have seen mentioned having a setup for cooling available. During my research I compiled a bit but there are tons of options out there for cooling options for those who want to do this conversion. It seriously is very easy to piece together or buy kits to do this conversion nowadays. If anyone else reads this please reconsider transmission options for torque and hp if you plan to tune or build this engine. Many shops have developed better tunes upto 400ft/lbs torque on stock internals and upto 500HP plus and 700ft/lbs torque with upgraded internals if you ever choose to increase it for offroad use. I will however be sticking with stock tune for guaranteed reliability from Cummins in the meantime also.
 

donb

Well-known member
Apologies Doug I did not mean I bought one from them just saw you mention them in earlier threads. I am still using the Puma Setup and don't see myself changing it anytime soon. I was just throwing out companies i have seen mentioned having a setup for cooling available. During my research I compiled a bit but there are tons of options out there for cooling options for those who want to do this conversion. It seriously is very easy to piece together or buy kits to do this conversion nowadays. If anyone else reads this please reconsider transmission options for torque and hp if you plan to tune or build this engine. Many shops have developed better tunes upto 400ft/lbs torque on stock internals and upto 500HP plus and 700ft/lbs torque with upgraded internals if you ever choose to increase it for offroad use. I will however be sticking with stock tune for guaranteed reliability from Cummins in the meantime also.

Damn. Pretty big increase in numbers even with just a tune. Upgraded internals is close to the 6.7 and 6.6 numbers!
 

13diamonds

Active member
Damn. Pretty big increase in numbers even with just a tune. Upgraded internals is close to the 6.7 and 6.6 numbers!
I was very surprised to hear that when talking to them but nowadays in a lot of the car communities I see them pushing the boundaries of four cylinders diesel and gas. I am unsure why a lot of these places don't advertise more but it is probably because of how hard the EPA comes down on diesel tuning. I regret the AX15 a little now that i used just because i don't think it can take much more torque than what the stock engine produces if I ever decide to go full build on the defender. I have other trucks and cars to scratch the itch when I want to go faster so its ok for now.

Hope this forum can have more discussion eventually.The cruise control is already figured out but never see anyone post about it either. It is a simple drive by wire cruise control setup that will work.

2014-03-29 7809.JPG
 
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