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APR Intercooler installed -but what is this?

Bcon

Ready to race!



I installed a APR intercooler today, and came across the item circled in the attached image. This thing was clipped into the radiator fins and had a small probe sticking out from the bottom that stuck into the fins.

As interesting as it was, the problem was that with it in place it wouldn't allow the APR intercooler to seat back against the radiator properly. So, it got pulled out of the radiator and it's now zip tied to the horn bracket for safe keeping.

Ideas? My VW tech friend has an opinion, but he wasn't sure. The way it was latched on there it looked like some type of electronic leach. :)
 

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Bcon

Ready to race!
Thermostat for coolant, no?

It could be some type of temperature probe, but it's an odd shape for that. It's not the coolant temp sensor.
 

Gti For Me

Go Kart Champion
Direct Ozone Reduction Catalyst Temperature Sensor///// Radiator Identification Sensor.
 

Bcon

Ready to race!
Direct Ozone Reduction Catalyst Temperature Sensor///// Radiator Identification Sensor.

That's what my friend thought. Something that was required to get the overall vehicle emissions certified.

I wonder if not having this attached to the radiator is going to throw a code. I guess I'll find out.

Like I said, it had to be removed from the radiator for the APR intercooler to fit, there wasn't enough clearance between the radiator and the intercooler for it to stay there.
 
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Bcon

Ready to race!
Update - CEL triggered after about 100 miles - code P2568.

My understanding is now that the radiator has an ozone reducing catalyst coating that converts ozone back to oxygen when air passess over it. Manufacturers get an emissions credit for this, but as part of that the system has to be tamper evident. So, the sensor I removed from the fins and relocated is there to indicate if the system has been tampered with, and it triggers a CEL.

What I don't know yet is if it works by only checking operating temperature of the radiator, or if it actually senses it's been removed by breaking some type of contact.

My first step will be to space the radiator back from the intercooler a bit and put the sensor back in place. I'll then clear the code and see if it comes back.

If that doesn't work, and if this sensor is meant to trigger a CEL if it's been pulled out of the radiator at any point, I think the only fix for the CEL/code is to replace the radiator with a new one that has the sensor installed. VW lists two radiators for my car, a SULEV version and a non-SULEV version. I assume the SULEV version is the one with the sensor.
 
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Gti For Me

Go Kart Champion
2012 and up vehical's CBFA and CCTA
 

Bcon

Ready to race!
Any update? Can u just put it on the other side of the radiator?

You'd have to remove some radiator fins to put it somewhere else.

I'll post after I try to put it back. It might be a week or two before I get time to to take things apart again.
 

mdhollis

Go Kart Champion
That's crazy. There are soooo many pain in the ass stupid emissions sensors it's ridiculous.

Can you put it on the other side of the radiator? Will it reach?
 

Bcon

Ready to race!
That's crazy. There are soooo many pain in the ass stupid emissions sensors it's ridiculous.

Can you put it on the other side of the radiator? Will it reach?

I agree. This one's really pushing the nanny state stuff. I mean c'mon beaurocrats.

It will reach the other side, but like I said there's a section of cooling fins removed from where it goes. To move it somewhere else, I'd have to remove more cooling fins somewhere, then find a way to secure it.

My first try will be to put it back where it came from, then space the radiator back from the inter cooler a bit with some spacers and longer bolts to provide enough clearance.

I'm not optimistic that putting it back in place will prevent the CEL. From what I've been able to find, it might be made so that just removing it from the radiator destroys it (tamper evident system). I'm keeping my fingers crossed that works only by monitoring temperature though.
 

Bcon

Ready to race!
Could you install a Golf R IC and have plenty of clearance to not have this issue?

Well, I have the APR intercooler. I'd rather just replace the $200 radiator than switch intercoolers. :D

I have no idea if the other intercoolers have more clearance.

I do want to be clear here, this is NOT an issue with APR. The fix is probably as easy as NOT removing the sensor (like I did), but instead just spacing the radiator back a bit.

APR designed their intercooler to take advantage of all the available space. It looks like VW then added something on recent models that interferes slightly. If I had it to do over, I would have definitely gone the spacer route to start with. But I was silly and pulled the stupid sensor out of the radiator.
 
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