ENGINE-MOUNTABLE COOLING SYSTEM

Abstract

An engine-mountable cooling system for a vehicle includes a fluid cooling component, a fan shroud and an elongate engine-mounting cross member. The fluid cooling component includes an upper portion, a lower portion and first and second opposed cooling component side portions. The fan shroud includes an engine-mounting shroud portion coupled to the lower portion of the fluid cooling component and a second shroud portion positioned at least partially above the engine-mounting shroud portion. The elongate engine-mounting cross member is spaced from and positioned above the engine-mounting shroud portion and includes a first cross member end portion coupled to the first cooling component side portion and a second cross member end portion coupled to the second cooling component side portion. The cooling system is mountable to an engine such that the engine-mounting cross member and the engine-mounting shroud portion support substantially the entire weight of the cooling system.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/319,101, filed Mar. 30, 2010, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/391,013, filed Oct. 7, 2010.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a cooling system for a vehicle, and more particularly to an engine-mountable cooling system for a truck.

BACKGROUND

Conventional truck cooling systems can include a radiator, a charge air cooler, a surge tank, a fan and various other components. A cooling system can additionally include frames, brackets, braces, strut rods, and other components that mount the various cooling system components to one another, to the chassis or to the engine. Typically, each of these components is designed either for a cooling function or for a mounting function.

SUMMARY

Described herein are embodiments of a cooling system, and components thereof, that is intended to be mounted to and structurally supported by an engine of a vehicle and operable to regulate temperatures of the engine and other parts of the vehicle.

Some exemplary embodiments of an engine-mountable cooling system for a vehicle include a fluid cooling component, a fan shroud and an elongate engine-mounting cross member. The fluid cooling component includes an upper portion, a lower portion and first and second opposed cooling component side portions. The fan shroud includes an engine-mounting shroud portion coupled to the lower portion of the fluid cooling component and a second shroud portion positioned at least partially above the engine-mounting shroud portion. The elongate engine-mounting cross member is spaced from and positioned above the engine-mounting shroud portion and includes a first cross member end portion coupled to the first cooling component side portion and a second cross member end portion coupled to the second cooling component side portion. The cooling system is mountable to an engine such that the engine-mounting cross member and the engine-mounting shroud portion support substantially the entire weight of the cooling system.

In some of these cooling system embodiments, the fluid cooling component also includes a front portion and a rear portion and the engine-mounting shroud portion includes first and second shroud end portions and an intermediate shroud base portion extending between the first and second shroud end portions. The shroud base portion spans across the rear portion of the fluid cooling component and is mountable to the engine. The first shroud end portion extends forwardly from a rear portion of the fluid cooling component and along the first cooling component side portion of the cooling system and is attached thereto. The second shroud end portion extends forwardly from a rear portion of the fluid cooling component and along the second cooling component side portion and is attached thereto.

In some embodiments of the engine-mountable cooling system, the engine-mounting shroud portion includes a neck portion comprising a first rim portion and the second shroud portion includes a second rim portion. The first and second rim portions together form an annular rim that defines a central fan shroud opening.

In some embodiments of the engine-mountable cooling system, the engine-mounting shroud portion is monolithic.

Some exemplary embodiments of a manifold for an air cooling component of a vehicle cooling system include a body that includes first and second air flow ports and defines a fluid passageway between the air flow ports. The body is adapted for coupling to a side portion of the air cooling component and the second port is in fluid communication with the air cooling component. The body also includes a first mounting portion extending upwardly from the body to a location above the air cooling component. The first mounting portion includes first mounting features positioned for use in mounting the manifold directly to a radiator and to an upper mounting cross member of the cooling system. The body also includes a second mounting portion extending downwardly from the body to a location below the air cooling component. The second mounting portion includes second mounting features positioned for use in mounting the manifold directly to the radiator and to a lower mounting cross member.

In some of these manifold embodiments, the first mounting features include a first aperture and a second aperture. The first aperture is adapted to receive a first fastener therethrough such that the first fastener is also received by the radiator to fasten the manifold to the radiator. The second aperture is adapted to receive a second fastener therethrough such that the second fastener is also received by the upper mounting cross member to fasten the manifold to the upper mounting cross member. The second mounting features comprise a third aperture and a fourth aperture. The third aperture is adapted to receive a third fastener therethrough such that the third fastener is also received by the radiator to fasten the manifold to the radiator. The fourth aperture is adapted to receive a fourth fastener therethrough such that the fourth fastener is also received by the lower mounting cross member to fasten the manifold to the lower mounting cross member. Some manifold embodiments are monolithic.

Some exemplary embodiments of an air cooler assembly for a cooling system for a vehicle include a radiator portion, an air cooling portion and first and second opposed manifolds. The air cooling portion includes an uppermost portion, a lowermost portion, and first and second opposed side portions. The first and second opposed manifolds each include a body fluidly coupled to a respective one of the first and second side portions of the air cooling portion, an upper mounting portion extending upwardly from the body and above the uppermost portion of the air cooling portion, and a lower mounting portion extending downwardly from the main body and below the lower-most portion of the air cooling portion. The upper and lower mounting portions of the first and second manifolds are adapted to together support substantially the entire combined weight of the air cooling portion and the radiator.

Some of these air cooler assembly embodiments also include an upper engine mounting cross member and a lower engine mounting cross member. The upper engine mounting cross member extends from side to side of the radiator. The upper mounting portions of the first and second manifolds each include a first upper mounting feature and a second upper mounting feature. The first upper mounting features are adapted for use in mounting the radiator to the upper mounting portions and the second upper mounting features are adapted for use in mounting the upper mounting portion to the upper engine-mounting cross member of the cooling system. The lower engine mounting cross member extends from side to side of the radiator. The lower mounting portions of the first and second side manifolds each include first lower mounting features and second lower mounting features. The first lower mounting features are adapted for use in mounting the radiator to the lower mounting portions and the second lower mounting features are adapted for use in mounting the lower mounting portions to a lower engine-mounting component of the cooling system. In some cases, the lower engine mounting cross member includes a portion of a fan shroud with an interior surface bounding a portion of an air flow passageway from the radiator.

Some exemplary embodiments of a surge tank for an engine-mountable cooling system for a vehicle include an internal reservoir volume for containing coolant fluid and a mounting member adapted to mount the cooling system to an engine of the vehicle such that the surge tank supports a substantial portion of the weight of the cooling system.

In some of these surge tank embodiments, the surge tank is elongated in a side to side direction when mounted in the vehicle. The surge tank includes a first side end portion, a second side end portion opposed to the first side end portion, and an intermediate portion extending between the first and second side end portions. The first and second side end portions are adapted to mount a fluid cooling component of the cooling system to the surge tank and the intermediate portion is adapted to mount the cooling system to the engine.

In some surge tank embodiments, the surge tank includes two primary components: an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper and lower portions together define the internal reservoir volume. One of the upper and lower portions is comprised primarily of a first material and the other of the upper and lower portions is comprised primarily of a second material such that the first material is substantially more rigid than the second material. In some cases, the mounting member comprises one of the upper and lower portions.

Some exemplary embodiments of an engine-mounted cooling system for a vehicle include a charge air cooler, a radiator, an upper engine-mounting member and a lower engine-mounting member. The charge air cooler includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The radiator is mounted to the charge air cooler. The upper engine-mounting member is attached to an upper portion of the charge air cooler. The lower engine-mounting member is attached to a lower portion of the charge air cooler. The upper and lower engine-mounting members couple the integrated cooling system to an engine and support at least the majority of the entire weight of the cooling system.

In some of these cooling system embodiments, the charge air cooler includes a first side manifold and a second side manifold and the upper engine-mounting member is attached to both the first and second side manifolds. In some cooling system embodiments, the charge air cooler includes a first side manifold and a second side manifold and the lower engine-mounting member is attached to both the first and second side manifolds. In some cooling system embodiments, the charge air cooler includes a first side manifold and a second side manifold and the lower engine-mounting member is attached to both the left side manifold and the right side manifold. In some cooling system embodiments, the upper engine-mounting member comprises a portion of a surge tank. In some cooling system embodiments, the lower engine-mounting member comprises a portion of a fan shroud. In some cooling system embodiments, the charge air cooler includes a first side manifold and a second side manifold and the lower engine-mounting member is attached to both the first and second side manifolds.

The inventive features include all novel and non-obvious features disclosed herein both alone and in novel and non-obvious sub-combinations with other elements. In this disclosure, it is to be understood that the terms “a”, “an” and “at least one” encompass one or more of the specified elements. That is, if two of a particular element are present, one of these elements is also present and thus “an” element is present. The phrase “and/or” means “and”, “or” and both “and” and “or”.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of an integrated cooling system, according to one embodiment, including a radiator, a charge air cooler, a fan, a lower fan shroud, a surge tank and engine mounting brackets.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the charge air cooler of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of one embodiment of the lower fan shroud of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of an exemplary upper cross member of another embodiment of an integrated cooling system.

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of one embodiment of the surge tank of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIG. 1, an integrated cooling system 2 is shown. The cooling system 2 can be for a vehicle, such as a truck, and more specifically for a vehicle engine. The cooling system 2 can be operable to dissipate heat and/or otherwise regulate temperatures of the engine and other parts of the vehicle. The cooling system 2 is primarily intended to be mounted to and structurally supported by an engine.

The integrated cooling system 2 can comprise a plurality of individual components integrated into one system. For example, the cooling system 2 can comprise a radiator 4, a fan 6, an air cooling sub-system 7 comprising central cooling portion 40 and first and second side manifolds 8 and 10, a lower fan shroud 50, an upper fan shroud 14, a surge tank 16, as well as other components. Many of these components can serve two or more functions, such as conducting fluids and serving as weight-bearing mounting members.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of air cooling sub-system 7 of the integrated cooling system 2. In one embodiment, the air cooling sub-system 7 can comprise a charge air cooler for cooling gas from a supercharger (not shown). First and second side manifold components, such as left side manifold 8 and right side manifold 10 (as used herein, left, right, front and rear are from the perspective of a driver of a vehicle equipped with the cooling system 2), can be coupled to opposite sides of a central, primary air cooling component 40 positioned in front of the radiator 4. The side manifolds 8, 10 can be fluidly coupled to the central component 40 and can serve as both structural supports for the central component and as fluid conduits for conducting fluids through the central component.

The left side manifold 8 can comprise an at least partially hollow body 22 having a side portion 24 for coupling the body to a side portion 18 of the central component 40. An upper mounting portion 26 is shown extending upwardly from the body 22 and extending above the top of the central component 40. The upper mounting portion 26 can comprise mounting features, such as apertures 28 and 30, for coupling the left side manifold 8 to other components, such as to the radiator 4 and/or a surge tank 16 (see FIG. 1). In the embodiment shown, a fastener can pass through the aperture 30 of the side component 8 and an aperture 120 of the radiator 4 (see FIG. 1) to fasten the upper portion of the left side manifold 8 to a corresponding upper left portion of the radiator.

As shown in FIG. 2, a lower mounting portion 32 is shown extending downward from the body 22 and extending below the bottom of the central component 40. The lower mounting portion 32 can comprise mounting features, such as apertures 34, 37 and/or 38, for coupling the lower portion 32 of the left side manifold 8 to other components of the cooling system 2. In the embodiment shown, a fastener can pass through aperture 34 and through aperture 122 of the radiator 4 (see FIG. 1) to fasten the lower mounting portion 32 of the left side manifold 8 to the bottom left portion of the radiator 4. In other embodiments, apertures 34 and 122 can be oriented vertically such that a fastener can be inserted upward into the bottom of the radiator 4. FIG. 1 also shows a fastener passing through aperture 52 of the lower fan shroud 50 and aperture 38 of the lower portion 32 (hidden) and another fastener passing through aperture 54 of the lower fan shroud 50 and aperture 37 of the lower portion 32 (hidden) to fasten the lower mounting portion of the left side manifold 8 to the lower fan shroud 50. The body 22 of side component 8 can also comprise an opening portion 36 (see FIG. 2) extending rearwardly from the body 22. The opening portion 36 can be coupled to a conduit (not shown) to conduct fluid into and/or out of the hollow portion within the body 22.

The right side component 10 of the sub-system 7 can be substantially similar to the left side manifold 8, but in a generally mirrored relation, and can comprise similar features for connecting the right side component to the central component 40, the radiator 4, the lower fan shroud 50 and other components of the cooling system 2. The left and right side manifolds 8, 10 can cooperate with the central component 40 to conduct fluid into one side component, through the central component, and out of the opposite side component. The central component 40 can function like a radiator to conduct heat from the fluid passing through the central component 40. In some embodiments, for example, hot gasses from a turbocharger are conducted through the central component 40, cooled, and then recirculated back through the engine systems.

The left side manifold mounting features 30, 34 along with a similar pair of mounting features of the right side manifold can together mount the radiator 4 to the manifolds 8, 10. The upper and lower mounting portions of the manifolds 8, 10 can also mount the manifolds to upper cross member 16 and lower fan shroud 50 and can thus be sufficient to support substantially the entire combined weight of the air cooling sub-system 7 and the radiator 4.

In some embodiments, the side components 8, 10 each comprise a one piece monolithic component, while in other embodiments they can comprise a plurality of subcomponents assembled together.

With reference to FIG. 3, the lower fan shroud 50 is shown. The illustrated lower fan shroud 50 can function both as a structural support member and as a fan shroud. The lower fan shroud 50 can comprise a central portion 60, a left side portion 56 and a right side portion 62. The central portion 60 can function in conjunction with other fan shroud components, such as the upper fan shroud 14, to form a full shroud around the fan 6. The fan shroud can improve the functionality of the fan 6 in drawing air through the radiator 4 and/or the central component 40 by restricting the air flow paths around the periphery of the fan. The fan shroud can comprise a central annular rim 66 that encircles the outer perimeter of the fan blades. The central portion 60 of the lower fan shroud 50 can comprise a neck portion 58 that includes a curved rim portion 64 that forms a portion of the annular rim 66. The central portion 60 can also comprise one or more upper flange portions 66 that can be attached to one or more lower flange portions 68 of the upper fan shroud 14, such as with fasteners 69. The left side portion 56 can extend forwardly around the left side of the radiator 4 and overlap the lower mounting portion 32 of the left side manifold 8. The left side portion 56 of the lower fan shroud 50 can comprise mounting features, such as apertures 52 and 54, for attaching the lower fan shroud 50 to other components of the cooling system 2. In the embodiment shown, a fastener passes through aperture 52 and aperture 38 and a second fastener passes through aperture 54 and aperture 37 to fasten the lower fan shroud 50 to the lower mounting portion 32 of the left side manifold 8. The right side portion 62 of the lower fan shroud 50 can be substantially similar to the left side portion 56 and can also include features for fastening the lower fan shroud 50 to the right side manifold 10. The lower fan shroud 50 can further comprise features for attaching it to other components, such as the radiator 4. In the embodiment shown, the lower fan shroud 50 comprises features 70 and 72 for attaching a lower mounting bracket 74 (see FIG. 1) to the structural shroud. The lower mounting bracket 74 can be a component of the engine (not shown), a component of the cooling system, or an intermediate component between the cooling system and the engine. The lower mounting bracket 74 can, for example, mount the lower fan shroud 50, and thereby the assembled cooling system 2, to the engine and/or other vehicle components. The lower fan shroud 50 can comprise a monolithic one-piece member or can comprise a plurality of subcomponents assembled together.

With reference to FIG. 4, the integrated cooling system 2 can comprise an upper cross support 80 having an intermediate portion 82, a left end portion 84 and a right end portion 85. The left end portion 84 can extent forwardly around the left side of the radiator 4 and comprise mounting features, such as aperture 86, for fastening the upper cross support 80 to the left side manifold 8. In the embodiment shown, a fastener passes through aperture 86 and aperture 28 to fasten the left side portion 84 of the upper cross support 80 to the upper mounting portion 26 of the left side manifold 8. The right side portion 85 can be substantially similar to the left side portion 84 and can comprise mounting features used to attaching the upper cross support 80 to the right side manifold 10. The upper cross support 80 can comprise mounting features 88, such as tabs or flanges, for use in attaching the upper cross support 80 to the radiator 4 and/or the upper fan shroud 14. The intermediate portion 82 can be horizontally disposed and can extend rearwardly away from the upper fan shroud 14 and can comprise mounting features, such as apertures 90, for use in attaching the upper cross member 80 to an upper mounting bracket 92 (see FIG. 1). The upper mounting bracket 92 can, for example, couple the upper cross support 80, and thereby the assembled cooling system 2, to the engine (not shown) and/or other vehicle components. The upper mounting bracket 80 can comprise a one-piece member or can comprise a plurality of subcomponents assembled together. The upper mounting bracket 92 can, for example, mount the upper cross support 80, and thereby the assembled cooling system 2, to the engine and/or other vehicle components.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 5, the upper cross support 80 can be replaced by and/or supplemented by a surge tank 16. The surge tank 16 can comprise a structural element to rigidify the upper portion of the integrated cooling system 2. The surge tank 16 can comprise features similar to the upper cross support 80, such as left and right end portions 108, 110 that extend forwardly around the radiator 4 and include mounting features, such as an aperture 112, for attaching the surge tank 16 to the left and right side manifolds 8, 10 of the charge air cooler 7. The surge tank 16 can further comprise a top portion 102 and a bottom portion 104 that can together form an at least partially hollow inner surge tank volume. One portion, such as the bottom portion 104, can comprise a reinforced member of, for example, metal, with the other portion comprising a polymeric material such as polypropylene plastic (Hostacom 1850 polypropylene is a more specific example). In other embodiments, both the top portion 12 and the bottom portion 104 can comprise a reinforced member. In other embodiments, the surge tank 16 can be formed from a single component or more than two subcomponents. The inner volume can act as an overflow tank for storing of excess coolant fluid from the cooling system 2. The surge tank 16 can include one or more inflow/outflow conduit portions, such as a conduit 106 extending from the lower portion 104. Similar to the upper cross support 80, the surge tank 16 can be horizontally disposed and can extend rearwardly from the radiator 4 and/or upper fan shroud 14 and comprise mounting features, such as apertures 114, for attaching an upper mounting bracket 92 to the surge tank, and thereby coupling the cooling system 2 to the engine and/or other vehicle components. The upper mounting bracket 92 can be a component of the engine, a component of the cooling system, or an intermediate component between the cooling system and the engine.

Many of the components of the integrated cooling system 2 can serve more than one function and thus can take the place of multiple components of a conventional vehicle cooling system. For example, the left and right side manifolds 8, 10 can replace both conventional radiator side mounting features, such as brackets, braces, and channels, and conventional fluid conducting manifolds. The lower fan shroud 50, for another example, can replace both a conventional lower fan shroud and a conventional lower structural support member. Similarly, the surge tank 16 can replace both a conventional surge tank and conventional upper strut rods with engine supports. In each example, the parts count is reduced and the complexity of the cooling system is reduced. The integrated cooling system 2 can further result in simpler and quicker assembly, reduced weight and fuel efficiency, reduced space requirements, and increased integrity and durability.

It should be noted that any portion or portions of the cooling systems described herein that can comprise exemplary attachment features or mounting features, such as apertures with fasteners passing therethrough, can alternatively or additionally comprise any other suitable attachment or mounting means known in the art, such as interlocking or interfitting features, for example.

The cooling system components can comprise metal and/or polymer materials, such as carbon fiber and/or glass fiber reinforced thermoset plastic or other fiber reinforced composite materials. These components can be formed in a conventional manner, such as by stamping, casting, and/or molding. The side manifolds 8, 10 can be comprised of cast aluminum, for example. The lower fan shroud 50 can be comprised of stamped aluminum and/or steel, for example. The upper fan shroud 14 can be comprised of polypropylene, for example. The cross member 80 can be comprised of stamped steel, for example. The surge tank 16 can be comprised of stamped steel and/or a plastic tank, for example.

In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of our invention may be applied, it should be recognized that illustrated embodiments

Having illustrated and described the principles of the invention with reference to a number of embodiments, it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that these embodiments are only examples of the invention and should not be considered a limitation on the scope of the invention. The illustrated embodiments may be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from these inventive principles. We claim all such modifications that fall within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. An engine-mountable cooling system for a vehicle, the cooling system comprising:

a fluid cooling component comprising an upper portion, a lower portion and first and second opposed cooling component side portions;

a fan shroud comprising an engine-mounting shroud portion coupled to the lower portion of the fluid cooling component and a second shroud portion positioned at least partially above the engine-mounting shroud portion; and

an elongate engine-mounting cross member spaced from and positioned above the engine-mounting shroud portion comprising a first cross member end portion coupled to the first cooling component side portion and a second cross member end portion coupled to the second cooling component side portion;

wherein the cooling system is mountable to an engine such that the engine-mounting cross member and the engine-mounting shroud portion support substantially the entire weight of the cooling system.

2. An engine-mountable cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the fluid cooling component further comprises a front portion and a rear portion and the engine-mounting shroud portion comprises first and second shroud end portions and an intermediate shroud base portion extending between the first and second shroud end portions, the shroud base portion spanning across the rear portion of the fluid cooling component and being mountable to the engine, the first shroud end portion extending forwardly from a rear portion of the fluid cooling component and along the first cooling component side portion of the cooling system and being attached thereto, the second shroud end portion extending forwardly from a rear portion of the fluid cooling component and along the second cooling component side portion and being attached thereto.

3. An engine-mountable cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the engine-mounting shroud portion comprises a neck portion comprising a first rim portion and the second shroud portion comprises a second rim portion, the first and second rim portions together comprising an annular rim that defines a central fan shroud opening.

4. A manifold for an air cooling component of a vehicle cooling system, the manifold comprising:

a body comprising first and second air flow ports and defining a fluid passageway between said air flow ports, the body being adapted for coupling to a side portion of the air cooling component with the second port being in fluid communication with the air cooling component;

the body further comprising a first mounting portion extending upwardly from the body to a location above the air cooling component, the first mounting portion comprising first mounting features positioned for use in mounting the manifold directly to a radiator and to an upper mounting cross member of the cooling system; and

the body further comprising a second mounting portion extending downwardly from the body to a location below the air cooling component, the second mounting portion comprising second mounting features positioned for use in mounting the manifold directly to the radiator and to a lower mounting cross member.

5. A manifold according to claim 4, wherein the first mounting features comprise a first aperture and a second aperture, the first aperture being adapted to receive a first fastener therethrough such that the first fastener is also received by the radiator to fasten the manifold to the radiator, the second aperture being adapted to receive a second fastener therethrough such that the second fastener is also received by the upper mounting cross member to fasten the manifold to the upper mounting cross member; and

wherein the second mounting features comprise a third aperture and a fourth aperture, the third aperture being adapted to receive a third fastener therethrough such that the third fastener is also received by the radiator to fasten the manifold to the radiator, the fourth aperture being adapted to receive a fourth fastener therethrough such that the fourth fastener is also received by the lower mounting cross member to fasten the manifold to the lower mounting cross member.

6. A manifold according to claim 4, wherein the manifold is monolithic.

7. An air cooler assembly for a cooling system for a vehicle, the air cooler assembly comprising:

a radiator portion;

an air cooling portion comprising an uppermost portion, a lowermost portion, and first and second opposed side portions; and

first and second opposed manifolds, each manifold comprising: a body fluidly coupled to a respective one of the first and second side portions of the air cooling portion; an upper mounting portion extending upwardly from the body and above the uppermost portion of the air cooling portion; and a lower mounting portion extending downwardly from the main body and below the lower-most portion of the air cooling portion;

wherein the upper and lower mounting portions of the first and second manifolds are adapted to together support substantially the entire combined weight of the air cooling portion and the radiator.

8. An air cooler assembly according to claim 7 further comprising an upper engine mounting cross member extending from side to side of the radiator, wherein the upper mounting portions of the first and second manifolds each comprise a first upper mounting feature and a second upper mounting feature, the first upper mounting features being adapted for use in mounting the radiator to the upper mounting portions, and the second upper mounting features being adapted for use in mounting the upper mounting portion to the upper engine-mounting cross member of the cooling system; and

further comprising a lower engine mounting cross member extending from side to side of the radiator, wherein the lower mounting portions of the first and second side manifolds each comprise first lower mounting features and second lower mounting features, the first lower mounting features being adapted for use in mounting the radiator to the lower mounting portions, and the second lower mounting features being adapted for use in mounting the lower mounting portions to a lower engine-mounting component of the cooling system.

9. An air cooler assembly according to claim 8, wherein the lower engine mounting cross member comprises a portion of a fan shroud with an interior surface bounding a portion of an air flow passageway from the radiator.

10. A surge tank for an engine-mountable cooling system for a vehicle, the surge tank comprising an internal reservoir volume for containing coolant fluid and a mounting member adapted to mount the cooling system to an engine of the vehicle such that the surge tank supports a substantial portion of the weight of the cooling system.

11. A surge tank according to claim 10, wherein the surge tank is elongated in a side to side direction when mounted in the vehicle and comprises a first side end portion, a second side end portion opposed to the first side end portion, and an intermediate portion extending between the first and second side end portions, the first and second side end portions being adapted to mount a fluid cooling component of the cooling system to the surge tank, the intermediate portion being adapted to mount the cooling system to the engine.

12. A surge tank according to claim 10, wherein the surge tank comprises two primary components, the two primary components being an upper portion and a lower portion that together define the internal reservoir volume, one of the upper and lower portions being comprised primarily of a first material, the other of the upper and lower portions being comprised primarily of a second material, the first material being substantially more rigid than the second material.

13. A surge tank according to claim 12, wherein the mounting member comprises said one of the upper and lower portions.

14. An engine-mounted cooling system for a vehicle, comprising:

a charge air cooler comprising an upper portion and a lower portion;

a radiator mounted to the charge air cooler;

an upper engine-mounting member attached to an upper portion of the charge air cooler; and

a lower engine-mounting member attached to a lower portion of the charge air cooler;

wherein the upper and lower engine-mounting members couple the integrated cooling system to an engine and support at least the majority of the entire weight of the cooling system.

15. An engine-mounted integrated cooling system according to claim 14, wherein the charge air cooler comprises a first side manifold and a second side manifold, and the upper engine-mounting member is attached to both the first and second side manifolds.

16. An engine-mounted integrated cooling system according to claim 15, wherein the charge air cooler comprises a first side manifold and a second side manifold, and the lower engine-mounting member is attached to both the first and second side manifolds.

17. An engine-mounted integrated cooling system according to claim 14, wherein the charge air cooler comprises a first side manifold and a second side manifold, and the lower engine-mounting member is attached to both the left side manifold and the right side manifold.

18. An engine-mounted integrated cooling system according to claim 14, wherein the upper engine-mounting member comprises a portion of a surge tank.

19. An engine-mounted integrated cooling system according to claim 14, wherein the lower engine-mounting member comprises a portion of a fan shroud.

20. An engine-mounted integrated cooling system according to claim 14, wherein the charge air cooler comprises a first side manifold and a second side manifold, and the lower engine-mounting member is attached to both the first and second side manifolds.