Cooling system upgrade

Nerdkiller

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2008
Location
Price, Utah
TDI
98 Beetle TDI
I want to install a GTD1752VRK turbo into my 1998 Vw beetle, they are telling me I need to upgrade the cooling system, but they never say what to do.

Does anyone here know what to upgrade? I am thinking the Intercooler.
 

dieseldonato

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2023
Location
Us
TDI
2001 jetta
You don't need to upgrade anything. I have an 1852 running some upgraded components, but purely because of getting them cheap and to clean up the ugly stuff under the hood.
Edit, whenever I get the time and ambition I'd rather a feint mount intercooler over the joke of a side mount. I have a God speed upgraded (thicker) intercooler and it did help, but not as much as a true front mount cooler. Stupid smic just don't get enough air flow to work properly over stock turbo levels imo. Sure it's works better, and can't blow apart like the factory plastic smic, but knowing what I know now, I would have went a different direction.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
You may (or not) want a tune to leverage the 17, but your intercooler and cooling system should good.
 

Gvr

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2022
Location
Romania
TDI
'01 Alh Golf Mk4 Wagon
I'd upgrade the intercooler and intercooler piping if I were to go with a 1752. Also, a BRM or PD130/150 intake to top things off..
 

ecala001

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Location
California
TDI
03 golf
I have a gtd1756vrk and recently installed cx racings fmic and it helped out a lot compared to my larger smic . I have 2.25 piping as well
 

gforce1108

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2006
Location
Newburgh, NY
TDI
04 Jetta GLS BEW, 14 Audi A7 V6 TDI, 13 Porsche Cayenne V6 TDI
I saw 100F over ambient intake temps on a 90+ degree day after going 17/22 with my custom RC3. FMIC brought that to around 20F. No cooling issues - if anything it runs too cool.
 

dieseldonato

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2023
Location
Us
TDI
2001 jetta
There's no such thing as too cool. Colder air is denser, more fuel can be added more power can be had. Been to lots of truck and tractor pulls, pretty common for water to air aftercoolers to be packed with ice to get the air as cold as possible as quick as possible. Depending on regulations well use water injection as well, methanol would be better, but no one allows it.
 
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gforce1108

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2006
Location
Newburgh, NY
TDI
04 Jetta GLS BEW, 14 Audi A7 V6 TDI, 13 Porsche Cayenne V6 TDI
There's no such thing as too cool. Colder air is denser, more fuel can be added more power can be had. Been to lots of truck and tractor pulls, pretty common for water to air aftercoolers to be packed with ice to get the air as cold as possible as quick as possible. Depending on regulations well use water injection as well, methanol would be better, but no one allows it.
Too cool on the cooling (antifreeze) system... ECU adds fuel until hot. Intake system is happier cooler. These tend to get the best MPG with a slightly higher thermostat as well. I get intermittent P0032 check engine lights for the cooling system being too cool (common PD thing, especially with EGR cooler deleted).
 

dieseldonato

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2023
Location
Us
TDI
2001 jetta
Interesting, first I ever heard of intake air having any major effect on engine cooling for "over" cooling. Normally it's high intake temps leading to coolant getting hotter.
 
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