Bongo Fury

Moved my number plate
Auto gear box small rad cooler and stainless hoses ( just see it mounted in front )
New spot lights
Black wire mesh in front opening to protect rads

Looks cool I think
Shame some idiot smashed me front bumper up and paint is peeling awhile back

This has dropped the every day running temp by 2c
Not much difference on hills tho we caravan on back
Still have to use the scavenger fan switch on occasions

Interesting post Gasy. Have you fitted an extra cooling rad to cool the gearbox/ATF or it just that moving the number plate has improved airflow?

Yes I have fitted a small cooling rad to the auto box
But the temp difference was noticeable when I moved the number plate
Before fitting the extra cooling rad
So by moving the number plate you do get a temp drop of a couple of degree c
Fitting the cooling rad didn't alrer engine head temp

Have also fitted air bags to the rear springs
Wow
Now that's the best£100 I've ever spent on a vehicle
and a easy fit
1 hour each side no tools required apart from a trolley jack and a pair of pliers

Look how much more air can get into the rads with the number plate moved
Does any one know what size plates they have on in Japan

I have cut some of the plastic away where the plate used to be to clean up the look aswell

That's a lot more rad space for sure.

Thanks Gasy. Very interesting post indeed. I suppose over-ride switch for rad fans would be an ideal thing to do. I wonder if a numberplate with lots of perforations would be street legal - now there's an idea.

Was the extra rad easy/cheap to fit and did you DIY it?

Yes extra rad 13 row kit with hoses £60 from China
Easy to fit ( had to get 2 right angle brackets )
Only 1 original hose from auto box to original front rad needs to be cut
Just behind existing front rad

Can be reconnected no probs with 1 jubilee clip if all goes wrong ( bypassing the extra new rad )
You just find the auto box return hose from the front rad
Cut it and put it to the new rad hose
And connect the other new rad hose to the other bit of the cut hose left onto the metal pipe that runs under van back to auto box
1 hr job
It's best to remove front bumper to get drill in for fixing brackets
But with number plate moved it could be done with bumper in place
But front bumper is easy to get off and I needed to straighten me brackets after some idiot reversed into mine a year or so back
And easier to fix new spot lights

Another pic of auto gear box cooling rad
And the boy racer hoses
I put a black mesh behind the opening for protection

And is it AFT fluid that flows through the rad so no system refill/rebleed necessary?

Yes atf fluid, Dex 111
The bottom part of the existing water rad is for cooling the auto box fluid
Just need to top up after fitting as you have increased the volume with the new rad

When I get chance I will clip my temp testers on and see how much it has dropped the auto box fluid temp by
But been very bizy
I did it for my caravan towing
As RECOMENDED on here by member alcat.......... ( something like that is his name )

Probably Alacrity, Forum Member and auto box expert.

Top chap.

That's him yes
I had seen he had RECOMENDED it a few times
So for £60 I thought I'd go for it
Very easy to do aswell

Gasy wrote:That's him yes
I had seen he had RECOMENDED it a few times
So for £60 I thought I'd go for it
Very easy to do aswell

Very good investment i reckon.

If any one else is going for it
And buying a rad with hoses / fittings included
Try to go for AN8 hoses and fittings
Mine was AN10 which is bigger than existing hoses