Intercooler install help - what can I remove? PIC attached

[1990CherryTSI]

It's a customer intercooler more or less (the two ATI procharger's I bought welded together) so there is no "install document" that came with it

1. Is that metal tube necessary? It looks like it runs the power steering? Can you just route that line that comes through the firewall up to the pump instead of having it wrap in front of the radiator?

2. How necessary is that support there? I know it holds a clip hole for that front bracket between the lights but I'm not to concerned with it clipping in there so can I remove it or will it cause some structural integrity issues?

3. What is that? I have a manual and can't figure it out. I'm not sure what it runs to.

4. Part of 1., can this just be routed back up to the pump?

What is that small little "mini radiator" in front of the AC compressor side of the radiator? I didn't number it but it's like a mini radiator.

Did you guys mainly just cut into the bumper/support and fit it in front of all that? Or did you guys remove all the stuff I'm looking to remove? Thanks for all the help!!!

 

[DSMJim]

Originally posted by 1990CherryTSI

1. Is that metal tube necessary? It looks like it runs the power steering? Can you just route that line that comes through the firewall up to the pump instead of having it wrap in front of the radiator?

Yes it's part of the power steeting system (a cooler I believe) and you can not remove it You can, however, move it around and extend the lines to move it farther away or around. I put it behind the bracket your calling #2.

2. How necessary is that support there? I know it holds a clip hole for that front bracket between the lights but I'm not to concerned with it clipping in there so can I remove it or will it cause some structural integrity issues?

I would not remove it, you can use it to hold back the power steering lines as I suggested above. It will not be in the way of the FMIC at all.

3. What is that? I have a manual and can't figure it out. I'm not sure what it runs to.

It looks to me like an aftermarket oil cooler and those are the lines

4. Part of 1., can this just be routed back up to the pump?

It is routed back up to the pump now. Just tuck it behind the bracket.

What is that small little "mini radiator" in front of the AC compressor side of the radiator? I didn't number it but it's like a mini radiator.

Read #3 looks like an oil cooler and those are the lines

Did you guys mainly just cut into the bumper/support and fit it in front of all that? Or did you guys remove all the stuff I'm looking to remove? Thanks for all the help!!!

I cut the bottom of the bumper out so the cooler would slide up inside of it and be flush with the flat part at the front. You still have the bumper support and make lots of room for the cooler. You can see my power steering lines moved close to the fram of the car and I put them behind that support. I just unscrewed the support and tucked them back up there and zip tied em up.

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[1990CherryTSI]

it looks like it's been there since the car was made. The holes for it etc are all lined up and brackets all look made to be there. I guess if it is an oil cooler than it's a good thing so I'll let it hang there. So the best bet is to leave everything, and just cut the bumper so it fits forward, except the power steering cooling line and just throw that back behind the front support piece. Thanks!

 

[DSMJim]

Originally posted by 1990CherryTSI
it looks like it's been there since the car was made. The holes for it etc are all lined up and brackets all look made to be there. I guess if it is an oil cooler than it's a good thing so I'll let it hang there. So the best bet is to leave everything, and just cut the bumper so it fits forward, except the power steering cooling line and just throw that back behind the front support piece. Thanks!

Yep, there is lots of room in the front of a DSM for a large intercooler. Once you get the bumper off and look at the support you will see what I mean. Just cut the under side so you can slide a cooler up in there, and presto you now have 30"L x 12"H x 4"D to work with. Just for reference my cooler is 28 x 8 x 3.5 and it fits snug-as-a-bug-in-a-rug.

 

[kpt4321]

That car is a 1990. That is the factory air to oil cooler that EVERY SINGLE 1990 turbo DSM came with.

You can't remove that support, you also need it for the hood latch.

You can get rid of the power steering cooler, but I wouldn't suggest it.

 

[1990CherryTSI]

and shorter metal tubing for it? think that would hurt the pwr steering system?

 

[dsmturboawd]

i moved the ps cooling line behind bar "2". no problems.

you can remove it and be fine from what ive been told.

 

[spoolinawddsm]

Originally posted by kpt4321
That car is a 1990. That is the factory air to oil cooler that EVERY SINGLE 1990 turbo DSM came with.

You can't remove that support, you also need it for the hood latch.

You can get rid of the power steering cooler, but I wouldn't suggest it.

you can remove the support and the hood latch will still work.

 

[nine5raptor]

What size is your intercooler? I'm running an ATI 2-core.