Jaraxle
20+ Year Contributor
- 104
- 4
- Mar 8, 2003
-
Troy,
New York
I saw the thread on the e-bay intercoolers, and decided to start this one; with what I did and why. I needed to upgrade my intercooler, and was on a budget at the time. I simply decided that I would calculate the internal cooling capacity, and divide by price. Bar and plate intercoolers get a 30% (I think that was right) boost in capacity over tube & fin. With the formula set, I plugged in every intercooler I could find, including shipping. The winner was a street imports 18x9x2 bar and plate intercooler. I wanted to keep the rigid fiberglass-whatever it (itch itch) is beam behind the bumper, and possibly the fog lights too. My car is for road/race, and weight is important. Heat soaking on the line, etc was not a concern since I don't do 1/4 racing. So those awesome monster intercoolers I see on these threads where not necessary. Based on my calculations it appeared that for 300-400hp this intercooler could do the job. Since then, I see that streetimports has lowered the price, and made a 350hp statement here:
http://www.streetimports.com/product_details.asp?id=360
The install went pretty smooth....as long as you own a sawzall. I had to cut a hole in the end of the fiberglass support beam as shown. I used some thick L aluminum to make a bracket that bolted to the pre-drilled and tapped intercooler holes. Washers make sure to spread the load at that fiberglass mount points. I used some 3-ply silicone intercooler piping to make a cross-over INSIDE the bumper beam as shown. The U-bend on the drivers side, is an uncut peice that I bought from www.vrsexhaust.com It is uncut and untouched. All attempts at welding that stuff were in vain, but I didn't need to in the end anyhow. The IN side of the intercooler has a U pipe from www.summitracing.com I think it is a hooker header 2.25" mild-steel bend. Since the pictures all clamps have been replaced with t-bolt clamps from e-bay. Do youself a favor, and just buy them up front !
The bend coming out of the bumper, and then up to the factory piping location, is just carfully cut spare 2.25 tubing from the hooker header piping. The intercooler connections are 2.5", so a silicone reducer is used on each end to match the 2.25" piping. You'll notice in the pictures that there a two tabs that come out of the bottom of the intercooler. Since the intercooler requires the cutting/removal of the plastic "air scoop" to insure air goes into your radiator, I used some aluminum sheet metal to make a new one. It goes into the lower front bumper slit, and behind the intercooler along with those tabs. Air can then only go through the intercooler and UP into the radiator. This is very important. If no air pickup is made, then air will go through the intercooler, and DOWN under the car....skipping your radiator....bad. Sorry I don't have more pics of that. Only the starting of the sheet-metal.
Overall the cost was very low.
In summary:
1 - 18x9x2 bar/plate intercooler
2 - 4 inches or so of strong L aluminum or steel (hardware store)
3 - six bolts / washers that MATCH the intercooler threaded holes (auto-store)
4 - 4' of 3-ply silicone intercooler hose (I think it was a 4' order) (ebay)
5 - T-BOLT clamps (e-bay) (2.25), and two-2.5" t-bolt clamps
6 - One - vrsexhaust aluminum u-bend (2.25)
7 - Two - hooker header mild steel u-bends (summitracing)
8 - Two - 2.25-2.5" silicone coupler reducer (ebay)
9 - One sheet of aluminum sheet metal
10 - High-temp metal primer & paint for any mild-steel used of course
Tools:
Sawzall & blades
More blades... both metal and non-metal
Sheet metal bender
metal cutting snips
razor blade(s) (for bumper trimming)
Feel free to ask any questions.
I've been happy with it. The intercooler is mounted very rigid. No over-heating problems !
I've only done one road/race event at Watkins Glen raceway www.theglen.com and had a blast !
I was unable to keep the fog lights, but honestly I really didn't try hard. No knock @ 20psi with 16deg of timing advance.
-Jaraxle
http://www.streetimports.com/product_details.asp?id=360
The install went pretty smooth....as long as you own a sawzall. I had to cut a hole in the end of the fiberglass support beam as shown. I used some thick L aluminum to make a bracket that bolted to the pre-drilled and tapped intercooler holes. Washers make sure to spread the load at that fiberglass mount points. I used some 3-ply silicone intercooler piping to make a cross-over INSIDE the bumper beam as shown. The U-bend on the drivers side, is an uncut peice that I bought from www.vrsexhaust.com It is uncut and untouched. All attempts at welding that stuff were in vain, but I didn't need to in the end anyhow. The IN side of the intercooler has a U pipe from www.summitracing.com I think it is a hooker header 2.25" mild-steel bend. Since the pictures all clamps have been replaced with t-bolt clamps from e-bay. Do youself a favor, and just buy them up front !
The bend coming out of the bumper, and then up to the factory piping location, is just carfully cut spare 2.25 tubing from the hooker header piping. The intercooler connections are 2.5", so a silicone reducer is used on each end to match the 2.25" piping. You'll notice in the pictures that there a two tabs that come out of the bottom of the intercooler. Since the intercooler requires the cutting/removal of the plastic "air scoop" to insure air goes into your radiator, I used some aluminum sheet metal to make a new one. It goes into the lower front bumper slit, and behind the intercooler along with those tabs. Air can then only go through the intercooler and UP into the radiator. This is very important. If no air pickup is made, then air will go through the intercooler, and DOWN under the car....skipping your radiator....bad. Sorry I don't have more pics of that. Only the starting of the sheet-metal.
Overall the cost was very low.
In summary:
1 - 18x9x2 bar/plate intercooler
2 - 4 inches or so of strong L aluminum or steel (hardware store)
3 - six bolts / washers that MATCH the intercooler threaded holes (auto-store)
4 - 4' of 3-ply silicone intercooler hose (I think it was a 4' order) (ebay)
5 - T-BOLT clamps (e-bay) (2.25), and two-2.5" t-bolt clamps
6 - One - vrsexhaust aluminum u-bend (2.25)
7 - Two - hooker header mild steel u-bends (summitracing)
8 - Two - 2.25-2.5" silicone coupler reducer (ebay)
9 - One sheet of aluminum sheet metal
10 - High-temp metal primer & paint for any mild-steel used of course
Tools:
Sawzall & blades
More blades... both metal and non-metal
Sheet metal bender
metal cutting snips
razor blade(s) (for bumper trimming)
Feel free to ask any questions.
I've been happy with it. The intercooler is mounted very rigid. No over-heating problems !
I've only done one road/race event at Watkins Glen raceway www.theglen.com and had a blast !
I was unable to keep the fog lights, but honestly I really didn't try hard. No knock @ 20psi with 16deg of timing advance.
-Jaraxle
