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Evo X Transmission Cooler DIY Baffle, Part 2: Modifying Fender Liner
According to the excellent article Undertrays, Spoilers & Bonnet Vents air only passes through the typical heat exchanger when there is a pressure differential across it. Now I did not go through the trouble of using a Magnehelic gauge or a manometer, as prescribed in the article, to measure the actual pressure in front and in back of the transmission cooler in stock configuration, but I think it's fairly obvious that the placement is not optimal as the fender liner is in back of the unit, about 2in away--there's little space for the air to escape, or be drawn anywhere else. So, I decided to open up the driver fender liner further, in the same style as the few holes already existing. Now, since I did not measure the actual pressure difference, I cannot be sure that air would flow out through those holes, or in, so it is possible this modification could make cooling even worse, should it increase the pressure behind the cooler. However, I thought it would work, especially since there were already existing holes around that area, so here was what I did.
Here is the stock liner on the car. There are only a few holes on the inside of the wheel well. These holes are only behind the end of the side of the cooler, so would not allow much air to escape that entered the cooler through the rest of the cooler surface.
The liner was removed and holes were cut using a cylinder sanding attachment on a Dremel. The attachment is almost a perfect match in shape and size to the stock holes, so it is possible to do the work well enough that without looking closely one would not notice the modification. However, it was almost 1am, and I was getting very tired and impatient, hence the sloppy work.
Finished the modification, and remounted the liner.
Not too bad, considering by this time I was really super tired and sleepy. Note that now the entire space behind the cooler is opened up--air should escape much easier with a direct path.
Now, to put everything back together!