Protect intercooler / condenser

12547 Views 17 Replies 7 Participants Last post by RedCivicTouringMA, Jan 3, 2016

hunter44102

Discussion Starter · Dec 27, 2015

The bottom opening for turbo intercooler and condenser is wide open to stone chips, rocks, tar and other debris that can fly in there with highway driving.

would it be a good idea to tie wrap some gutter guard in front of it? there should still be airflow but would block larger rocks from doing damage.

I know my 2006 civic condenser looked like Swiss cheese from 170k miles. it caused the AC to leak out and many people had issues with it.

see attached - I would just cut into two strips, one for top, and one for bottom and use black tie wraps to secure it

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RedCivicTouringMA

· #2 · Dec 27, 2015

hunter44102 said:
The bottom opening for turbo intercooler and condenser is wide open to stone chips, rocks, tar and other debris that can fly in there with highway driving.

would it be a good idea to tie wrap some gutter guard in front of it? there should still be airflow but would block larger rocks from doing damage.

I know my 2006 civic condenser looked like Swiss cheese from 170k miles. it caused the AC to leak out and many people had issues with it.

see attached - I would just cut into two strips, one for top, and one for bottom and use black tie wraps to secure it

What I read in another forum about this, is leave it alone, it needs as much air as possible

hunter44102

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 27, 2015

If it can handle 117 degree Arizona, I will take my chances and maybe just use it from November thru April in north east.

5TAR

· #4 · Dec 27, 2015

hunter44102 said:
If it can handle 117 degree Arizona, I will take my chances and maybe just use it from November thru April in north east.

I bet it will, these things are built to last with the mass market and i'm sure they did hot weather testing to ensure it will hold up.

2slo4u

· #5 · Dec 29, 2015

Just because it's 117 degrees outside doesn't mean it's 117 when the car is moving. the intercooler needs airflow to help cool the air coming from the turbo exhaust side. the air coming from the exhaust is hotter than 117 degrees anyway so even a 117 degree wind cooling the intercooler will help. the colder the better.

hunter44102

Discussion Starter · #6 · Dec 29, 2015

with 10% density, the mesh should allow 90% of air flow.

liquid squid

· #7 · Dec 29, 2015

do it if you feel its necessary...

RedCivicTouringMA

· #8 · Dec 29, 2015

If you put that in, and something happens to the engine or the intercooler, they'll blame your mod and not cover it under warranty

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liquid squid

· #9 · Dec 29, 2015

RedCivicTouringMA said:
If you put that in, and something happens to the engine or the intercooler, they'll blame your mod and not cover it under warranty

you could always cut it off before bringing it in

hunter44102

Discussion Starter · #10 · Dec 29, 2015 (Edited)

Am I wrong to say the intercooler only gets hot (and needs the most cooling) when you are really using the turbo (accelerating)? If thats the case I won't have much issue because most of the time I am a hypermiler trying to avoid any heavy acceleration. I only need it when entering the freeway.

Note: by not doing this protection grille, you will eventually have airflow restriction anyways from all the bent pins from rock damage. Will need to straighten the fins periodically

Smartie

· #11 · Dec 29, 2015

If you're speaking from experience I say go for it. If in your experience the condenser has been too abused for your liking, protect it. There's absolutely no shot that a small piece of mesh is going to be the source of things over heating. No shot sorry, this isn't a race car.

2slo4u

· #12 · Dec 30, 2015

hunter44102 said:
Am I wrong to say the intercooler only gets hot (and needs the most cooling) when you are really using the turbo (accelerating)? If thats the case I won't have much issue because most of the time I am a hypermiler trying to avoid any heavy acceleration. I only need it when entering the freeway.

Note: by not doing this protection grille, you will eventually have airflow restriction anyways from all the bent pins from rock damage. Will need to straighten the fins periodically

The fins do not have anything to do with the airflow, the fins help spread the heat allowing it to cool down sort of like the radiator. The horizontal bars is where the air will flow through and the fins will allow the hot air to escape through them.

Am I the only owner who has been racing the civic around?

hunter44102

Discussion Starter · #13 · Dec 30, 2015

I think many of us are waiting to get past the 600 mile break in period listed in the manual. I'm not there yet

Reactions: 1

10thGenCivic

· #14 · Jan 2, 2016

Protection is important for the intercooler. Nobody wants to have everything torn apart to replace an expensive intercooler that is not easy to get to. Come to think of it I would even consider a metal custom framed window screen to avoid all the small rocks from smashing the fins.

hunter44102

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 3, 2016

2

Attached are pictures. I had to remove the license plate holder, which ironically blocks a good portion of the top opening for intercooler! I may have to re-mount it higher.

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RedCivicTouringMA

· #16 · Jan 3, 2016

10thGenCivic said:
Protection is important for the intercooler. Nobody wants to have everything torn apart to replace an expensive intercooler that is not easy to get to. Come to think of it I would even consider a metal custom framed window screen to avoid all the small rocks from smashing the fins.

I'd like to think if this were truly an issue, Honda would have dealt with it?

hunter44102

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 3, 2016

You are probably right..Honda designs for normal driving conditions, but I drive through construction zones all the time. Unfortunately I can't change my commute right now

However, MANY people had problems with their condensers leaking in Gen 8 Civics from rock damage. It usually doesn't show itself until well past the 36k mile warranty. I would say it happens after about 90K miles for us commuters in the rust belt where there is always road repair, gravel, rocks.

RedCivicTouringMA

· #18 · Jan 3, 2016

hunter44102 said:
You are probably right..Honda designs for normal driving conditions, but I drive through construction zones all the time. Unfortunately I can't change my commute right now

However, MANY people had problems with their condensers leaking in Gen 8 Civics from rock damage. It usually doesn't show itself until well past the 36k mile warranty. I would say it happens after about 90K miles for us commuters in the rust belt where there is always road repair, gravel, rocks.

Perhaps for extreme conditions like yours yes

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