My setup consists of a Glind heat exchanger mounted to the intercooler rack under the bonnet. This is a very simple but effective way of mounting that takes no time at all (if you have the luxury of the rack). The unit doesn't fowl the bonnet and is securely mounted using 2 small self tapping screws into the parallel bars of the rack. The inlet is on the bullbar and goes through food grade hose and an irrigation filter to a barbed bulkhead fitting underneath the drivers seat. The Flojet pump is mounted inside the cabin under the drivers seat to keep it away from water, dust and heat (I have already had one pump fail when mounted under the bonnet). The outlet goes through another barbed bulkhead fitting and finishes at the heat exchanger. The shower outlet on the heat exchanger is capped when not in use to stop foreign matter from entering. I use a short piece of wood between the drivers seat and accelerator pedal to get the revs to around 1000-1100 rpm and then set the heater controls to around three quarters heat (fan off).

Michael's Shower Tip.

Over time, the copper in the heat Exchange will tarnish and become covered in a layer of deposits. For the best heat transfer, the copper tubing needs to be as clean as possible. The water in the fresh water side is evaporated out from near boiling water from the engines cooling system passing through the heat exchanger, leaving the inside of the tube exposed to the atmosphere for the 99% of time when it is not in use. If you have your heat exchanger removed for any reason, you can circulate Citric Acid through the engine side as well as the freshwater side to remove any build up (it is important to have both sides clean). A solution of 100 grams of Citric Acid per litre of warm water circulated for an hour or two will remove any build-up and leave bright copper for maximum thermal absorption. Citric acid is very passive and will not attack copper, soft solder or silver solder and in the case of Glind and Piranha, will not attack the Glassfilled Nylon 66. There are many other acids that will clean at a much quicker rate but most are aggressive and not recommended. Citric Acid is a natural, mild acid  obtained from citrus fruits and is used in many foods and drinks and can be purchased from Supermarkets in 75 gram containers for around $1.60 each.

Dave's Twine Setup

Dave's old setup on his 4.2 TD had the exchanger mounted on existing studs on the firewall along with threaded inserts. He was also able to keep the existing heater hoses with this setup. The pump is located onto an existing bracket near the vacuum tanks. Care needs to be taken to make sure it misses the bonnet.

Dave now has a new 4.2 TDI where he has used the same components but with the intercooler and associated plumbing, there is a lot less room. A custom made bracket had to be fabricated from stainless steel which secured the heat exchanger using heavy duty clamps. The bracket is bolted directly to existing holes where the heat shield off the exhaust manifold is attached. A short length of heater hose was used with the original hoses left in place in case a failure occurred down the track (it is only a 5 min job to get going again and bypass the exchanger). This configuration also allows easy access to the Tappets for adjustment. Locating the pump requires some moving of parts to allow some room to install. The finished product showing the location of the isolator as well. The 4.2 TDI comes with cruise as standard and Dave had to relocate the unit down approx 50mm to give some room for the isolator. This was achieved using threaded inserts and OEM bolts to keep the finish looking standard.

Roly's Twine Setup

Roly has mounted his Twine heat exchanger to the underside of the Intercooler brackets on his 4.2 TDI Ute. Water in and out connections are situated next to the air filter and enables easy access. Shurflo pressure pump is mounted passengers side rear of the engine bay and has hot water pipe running around firewall to exchanger. A heater tap is fitted to the coolant line under the bonnet so you can control the water temp from the shower rather than the standard install (you put the dash heater to hot and then use the under bonnet tap to control water temperature). No cutting of factory hoses was necessary during the install, so by undoing the hose clamps, the entire shower system can be bypassed and returned to factory in the event of a problem. Roly has also had the great idea of using springs on any hoses that have a tight curve to prevent hose kink.

Andy's Piranha Setup

Andy's setup consists of a Piranha Power Shower which he has mounted on the passenger side of the engine bay near the fire wall of his 3.0 litre Patrol. He made up a bracket that picks up existing bolts (hates drilling holes in his car) and also utilises a large hose clamp around the heat exchanger for added strength. The heat exchanger is mounted fairly low, almost on the inside of the guard (as can be seen by the photo's). There is a vertical plate behind the second battery (as standard) which he has fitted the pump and switch to as well as a fuse holder for the second battery. Brass fittings have been used as well as they are more durable and less likely to become threaded when done up tight. He is yet to put an extension on the hoses to bring them within easier reach of the grubby operator. Andy connects the shower rose hook to a small bit of pipe which he slips over the UHF antenna mounted to the bullbar when having a shower.

Michael's Custom Made Shower Setup

Fitted to his 2003 model 4.2 TDI, Michael's heat exchanger is an all copper, custom made unit which is 600mm long and mounted on the bash plate between the chassis rails behind his Nissan winch bar. It is set up in parallel with the heater matrix by using some fittings off a Falcon. This enable him to keep all the hoses standard and not have to cut them. The shower hoses are connected with quick connect brass fittings and can be connected without opening the bonnet. He uses a submersible pump which is dropped into a bucket or similar reservoir when a shower is needed. The beauty of this setup is that Michael's wife also has the same heat exchanger setup in her car so all that is needed is to transfer the the hand held shower rose and pump from vehicle to vehicle.

Graeme's McPauls Setup

Installed on his 4.5 Petrol GU, Graeme's heat exchanger is branded a McPauls which is now owned by Piranha. Its attached to the middle of the firewall by two aluminium brackets and a couple of zip ties for extra stability. The original heater hoses are still utilised but remain uncut with only a quick changeover on one when a shower is needed. The coolant in hose is always attached however the coolant out is just disconnected and a small piece of heater hose used for showers. A Flojet pump is screwed to where a box filter normally sits on the passenger side rear of the engine bay (its been relocated to the side). Airline hoses and connectors for the water in and shower out are used and route their way to the front of the vehicle where the shower hose, inlet hose and filter can be attached. The on/off switch for the pump is also located here within easy reach just behind the grille. Graeme's setup is still a work in progress at the moment with some minor mods planned for later on. Because his vehicle is a Ti Patrol which has climate control, the heater and fan need to be turned on for coolant flow which makes the vehicle quite hot inside. Future plans involve putting an inline heater valve in so the temp can be adjusted without the need for the fans to be on.