Fuel cooler???

savage1987 · #1 25-05-2008, 04:15 PM

Hey guys, I have a little fluid cooler (about 15cm x 30cm) that is a solid alloy plate with vanes (cooling fins) along the top of it. It came out from under a diesel ute (rodeo or hilux or similar, can't remember) near the gearbox where it was used as a fuel cooler. I have seen a few of these at work now, and I was wondering if there was any merit in a fuel cooler and why they'd be fitted from factory?? Is it just a diesel thing?

Anyway, if there's no point in using it as a fuel cooler (which I'm assuming there isn't) then I'll use it to cool one of the fluids in my VN. Possibly trans fluid (mounting it to the floorpan underneath near the gearbox there) if I can find some lines to run there... the other thing I could use it for is power steering fluid, just not sure where to mount it. Just seems like a fun little project to find a way to use it

Any suggestions??

Sam

andyman · #2 25-05-2008, 07:34 PM

ive noticed most crdi diesels have fuel coolers on the return lines, must be more efficient, must keep the tank fuel cooler

savage1987 · #3 25-05-2008, 07:52 PM

Thinking at the moment I'll try to mount it pretty much where it was in the ute, up near the transmission, and plumb it in to the line going to the factory cooler. I'll be adding PS and trans coolers later on in front of the radiator anyway, I'm just doing this for a bit of fun

vncruzr · #4 25-05-2008, 08:54 PM

just a bit of crap trivia i know but from memory jaguar run their fuel line round the air con condenser to cool the fuel.

Peanuts Inc. · #5 25-05-2008, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyman

ive noticed most crdi diesels have fuel coolers on the return lines, must be more efficient, must keep the tank fuel cooler

thats cos when diesel is at 1400-1600 PSI it tends to get a little warm from friction

savage1987 · #6 25-05-2008, 10:13 PM

lol is that how much pressure they run?? surely not! :s

chuckie · #7 26-05-2008, 03:31 PM

G`day savage you may find no difference at all as we have played with hooking it up to the air con & found no change fuel temp was down to 10deg`s,the system is still on car but it`s no different at all same km`s per tank all air fuel same,good luck ,cheer`s chuckie

savage1987 · #8 27-05-2008, 12:29 AM

thanks mate, was actually wondering about that. Looks like it's destined to be a small pre-transmission-cooler cooler

Picked up a power steering cooler today as well, just a little one, I'll be looking for a way to mount it in front of the radiator this weekend as it's from a different car altogether.

Sam

immortality · #9 27-05-2008, 06:18 AM

there must be some merit in cooling fuel. i have seen various setups although most consist of some sort of cool can a with copper tubing coil inside where the fuel runs through. the coolcan is filled with ice before a pass down the strip. flexilite also sell coolers designed for fuel although they look exactly the same as there trans/oil coolers

i should note that these coolcan fuel coolers were on carby fed cars with a non-return fuel system, modern efi systems with return fuel systems are better because you keep a constant cool supply of fuel from the tank running through the injector rail

savage1987 · #10 28-05-2008, 02:09 AM

Well I have 2 of these little coolers now, I'll be looking for somewhere to mount them this weekend. Hopefully I can run them in series before the factory transmission cooler in the radiator.

I also picked up a power steering cooler that I'll be looking to mount as well, I'll worry about plumbing them all into the system later on

Sam

immortality · #11 28-05-2008, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savage1987

Well I have 2 of these little coolers now, I'll be looking for somewhere to mount them this weekend. Hopefully I can run them in series before the factory transmission cooler in the radiator.

I also picked up a power steering cooler that I'll be looking to mount as well, I'll worry about plumbing them all into the system later on

Sam

i'd put them after the factory cooler

naf33n · #12 28-05-2008, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by immortality

i should note that these coolcan fuel coolers were on carby fed cars with a non-return fuel system, modern efi systems with return fuel systems are better because you keep a constant cool supply of fuel from the tank running through the injector rail

its actually the opposite. carby cars nead there fuel warmer, hence why alot of them have there inatke runners mounted close to the exhaust(think holden inline six etc). if it was cold the fuel collects up on the inside of the manifold(looks silmilar to condensation building up) which means the fuel is in droplet instead of a fine mist, but because the intake runners are "heated" fuel does not build up on the walls..

and as for EFI cars, fuel tanks can get very warm (up to 70 degrees is not uncommon) due to the fuel been heated up at the engine and returning to the fuel tank.

got that info from my fuel systems tafe book.

as for the fuel cooler, as Peanuts Inc.said is cause of the high pressure diesals run

savage1987 · #13 29-05-2008, 01:43 AM

immortality, any reason in particular? I just thought if I can dump some heat early on in the piping it'd be good, also I'd imagine it's sort of warm near the gearbox there a lot of the time (if they end up there). Then again, I barely know the first thing about oil coolers!

naf33n, thanks for clearing that up