Step 7 ? Mounting the Intercooler Radiator and Hoses:
Note: This step will require you to remove your radiator. If you feel you have a need to flush your cooling system now might be a real good time.
I did, using a Prestone Product, followed by a reverse flushing of the radiator and the heater core. I also replaced my Thermostat with a new Stock 195 degree F unit.
You need to mount the intercooler radiator to the front side of the V-bracket located inside the Jeeps grill.
In order to do this you have to remove the following items.
- Fan/Clutch Assembly
Radiator Overflow Bottle
Fan shroud
Radiator
DO NOT lay the fan/clutch down flat Keep it standing up. There is an oil filled viscose clutch inside that can leak oil if it is stored flat. This may cause it to malfunction when you put it back.
You will also need to remove the four bolts (two on top and two on bottom) that hold the A/C Condenser to the grill if your Jeep has A/C.
DO NOT disconnect the A/C lines from the condenser. This is not necessary. You will be able to slide the condenser out of the way enough to get to the v-bracket inside the grill.
You should now have access to the V-bracket in the grill. Remove the three bolts that hold it in place and put it on your shop bench. You will be mounting the intercooler radiator to the front side of this V-bracket.
WARNING!!!! This is Vital!!! Please read this carefully and learn from my mistake!
You are going to want to mount the intercooler as high up the V-bracket as possible, especially if you have a winch installed on your Jeep.
Be aware, there is a limit as to how high you can go.
If you exceed this limit you will find that when you close your hood, the hood safety latch will hit the intercooler radiator.
(Read this; Best case, you will end up taking it all apart and doing this work over a second time, Worst Case you will damage the intercooler radiator.)
Look at the V-Bracket. See the hole in the end of each leg? Make sure you
mount the intercooler radiator at least 3.5-inches below the centerline of these holes.
If you go any higher the hood latch will hit!
End of warning!!!!!
OK, you should have the V-Bracket on your bench now. If you need to clean it up and mount some masking tape down each leg like this.
Use the tape to mark the location of the top of the intercooler radiator.
Do you see that 2x4 to the right? It is exactly 3.5 inches wide. If you lay it even with the centerline of the V-bracket holes you can mark the location of the radiator on the tape as I did.
Then all you need to do is drill four holes in the V-bracket to be used to mount the radiator using the supplied ties.
Let me save you a phone call. When you look at the intercooler radiator you will see the input and exhaust ports are not centered.
It does not matter which way you mount this, just as long as the hose ports are pointing toward the driver side of the Jeep.
Whichever port ends up on the top will be the intercooler radiator ?inlet? coming from the intercooler, and the port on the bottom will be the ?outlet? going to the intercooler pump.
Break open the package that contains the radiator mounting zip ties and push one zip tie through each drilled hole from the back
Then slide a protective pad over each tie from the front. These pads protect the intercooler radiator from contacting the V-Bracket
Next you want to work the zip ties through the intercooler radiator. Don?t force things. They will slide in nicely, without damaging anything with just a little pressure.
Now slip a zip tie locking grommet over each zip tie. Push these down as far as you can until the radiator is held firmly in place