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FMIC / Legacy Radiator Setup


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Very sweet bit of kit, mate

Couple questions,

the rad expansion tank, is it plumbed into where

the heater hoses normally connect?

(outlet/inlet?) Kind of hard to see.

What vehicle is it from?

grand idea that, BTW

 

and how do you get the hood closed?

Clearance looks a bit tight.

Thanks for posting the picts

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hey skip

the rad expansion tank, is it plumbed into where the heater hoses normally connect?

the tank has three outlets, one on the top fron comes from the top of the radiator, the one on bottom front goes back to the left hand heater inlet hose, and then at the back, there is a hose off the cap which goes to the overflow tank, which sits by the battery (with the red cap). The radiator is from a Legacy GT, not the RS. You need to do a bit of cutting at the front to make it fit (the lower radiator supports then need to be made up). This set up had dramatically reduced the temp of the engine, but it is yet to be tested properly, won't be til the first event in April 23rdish, a 200km Tarmac Rally in New Plymouth, here in New Zealand.

 

and how do you get the hood closed?

the hood has a buldge in it, only small, but one for each pipe. it is a little tight, and I have yet to get them right, but it fits a peach. The IC is from a Mazda 323 BMFR (the 1600cc 1987 model). The fan runs behind (on the radiator) and at idle, after the car has warmed up, the inlet pipe is hot, and the exit (to the inlet manifold) pipe is cold, so it works great.

 

simon

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That's the trickest IC install on a RX I've seen so far. Larger radiator and IC out in front...that's about as cool as you can get without major frontal reconstruction. I like the fact that the IC isn't on top, not just for functionality but also because it's not in the way if you need to swap engines in a hurry.

The expansion tank looks a lot like ones I've seen in Porsche 924s and Audis. Nice work and good luck at the races!

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thanks mike,

 

was going to go the WRX intercooler track, but I looked at one that had done a top mount with the Mazda IC, and thought to myself it would fit perfectly. Best thing is, it doesn't need a mount for the IC, as the boonet holds the pipes in place, all you need it a tie to the bumber to stop the backward movement, and presto, it is in. Took about 2hrs tops, the pipes were 15$ from Pitstop, the blow-off valve free, the IC $25 from wrecker, a bit of welding, and, some bumps in the bonnet, some filler, and bit of paint and presto, very low intake temps.

 

The expansion tank is from a Mercedes, my fater distributes new Merc parts, and it fitted without a problem.

 

PS, the hardest part was making up the new lower radiator pipe which comes from the water pump.

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That is great stuff!

 

Also, i notice that there are no cam belt covers...and its a RALLY car. Great stuff. Got any kinds of special sheilds in place to protect thos belts, or is it all just factory stuff that was originally there?

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