Intercooler upgrade started - photos
06-25-2007, 09:47 AM
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Intercooler upgrade started - photos
Took a half day off Friday and worked on the intercooler upgrade to address serious air intake temp rise under boost. New cooler measures double the existing unit- old core= 3x6x17, new core= 3x12x18 ($140 - ETDracing - ebay). It's the same "chinacooler" that most are using- same size that some are upgrading too.
Mounted it in the same base location, letting the additional surface area extend upward - taking up the space previously occupied by the oil cooler. That still leaves a good 6" of radiator exposed for direct exposure to airflow. That also means if I need a larger IC in the future, I can probably go about 6" inches taller (lower).
This mounting also allows me to keep the modded mouth piece. But it did leave me searching for a new location on the oil cooler- governed by the existing cooler lines (didn't want to shorten them). Wound up using the cross frame as mount, and cutting out the bumper support on the bottom to increase exposure. Oil cooler is ~2" off the face of the IC (though the photo doesn't look like it) with the connectors at the face of the frame cross brace. This will take advantage of the air flow that runs between the bumper support and front cross frame/brace.
I'll cover up the entire top near the rad support, so all the air will be forced through the heat exchanger "sandwich". I'm hoping that this will actually show improved oil cooling over the previous location. If it does, then I'll shorten the lines and get them up in the bumper support. Just need to makes some adjustments to both IC pipes (no mandrel bends in the garage
) and I can put it back together. -rob
Mounted it in the same base location, letting the additional surface area extend upward - taking up the space previously occupied by the oil cooler. That still leaves a good 6" of radiator exposed for direct exposure to airflow. That also means if I need a larger IC in the future, I can probably go about 6" inches taller (lower).
This mounting also allows me to keep the modded mouth piece. But it did leave me searching for a new location on the oil cooler- governed by the existing cooler lines (didn't want to shorten them). Wound up using the cross frame as mount, and cutting out the bumper support on the bottom to increase exposure. Oil cooler is ~2" off the face of the IC (though the photo doesn't look like it) with the connectors at the face of the frame cross brace. This will take advantage of the air flow that runs between the bumper support and front cross frame/brace.
I'll cover up the entire top near the rad support, so all the air will be forced through the heat exchanger "sandwich". I'm hoping that this will actually show improved oil cooling over the previous location. If it does, then I'll shorten the lines and get them up in the bumper support. Just need to makes some adjustments to both IC pipes (no mandrel bends in the garage
) and I can put it back together. -rob
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06-25-2007, 10:29 AM
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big. nice. i wonder what my on-boost temps are now that I have normal readings. I'd hate to have to upgrade so soon...
by the way, how the F do you fit the stock air diverter behind the bumper?
by the way, how the F do you fit the stock air diverter behind the bumper?
Originally Posted by m2cupcar
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06-25-2007, 10:36 AM
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y8s- I thought your IC was big- at least it looked like in the pics. VanMSM is running a BEGI MSM upgraded IC and his max rise is like 10c at 10psi. That's acceptable IMO, though not ideal. I mentioned Stripes' rise in that thread, which was only like ~4c. And my buddy with the IC that comes with the AVO kit sees similar. That's more like "ideal".
It mounts there stock - to some tabs on that the cross frame. Then there's that gap in front of the frame, behind the actually bumpers support. I think that's what you're asking...?
That's the appeal- it is a very easy upgrade. And if temp rise is over 5c on a boosted run, then I'm sure you'll benefit.
It mounts there stock - to some tabs on that the cross frame. Then there's that gap in front of the frame, behind the actually bumpers support. I think that's what you're asking...?
That's the appeal- it is a very easy upgrade. And if temp rise is over 5c on a boosted run, then I'm sure you'll benefit.
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06-25-2007, 01:16 PM
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The little one was claimed to be a spearco core, but I have no idea what that means in terms of performance, or how it compares to the BEGI core. The core looks identical that of the chinacharger.
Slidin' - pm'd!
Slidin' - pm'd!
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06-25-2007, 01:21 PM
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Nice! After a failed install on a 3x12x24 core, I'll be trying an intercooler like this one soon. I'm glad to see it fits with your A/C stuff, I must keep mine.
More pics please.
More pics please.
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06-25-2007, 09:47 PM
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dryer is still in place, will work with hood latch just not as high up....it's the same intercooler as FM, or mine for that matter, just wider...but it's not centered so it fit without having the relocate a/c stuffs.
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06-26-2007, 09:28 AM
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more pics
The a/c stuff is all there. Requires careful bending of the a/c lines and a new bracket for the drier. As stated, this would definitely work with the hood latch if it was dropped down. The base of my rad is probably 1-2" above the bottom of the subframe. And there's probably 6" to the base of the big IC as installed. So you've got that much to work with. I figured the more direct exposure my rad got, the better.
Here's some more pics, that should give an idea on position and space. Looking straight up, you can see there's still a large about of open space in front of the 3" thick cooler. I will have to cut back some of the bumper skin on the top side of the mouth to get max exposure to the oil cooler- but it won't be visible from a normal view point.
Here's some more pics, that should give an idea on position and space. Looking straight up, you can see there's still a large about of open space in front of the 3" thick cooler. I will have to cut back some of the bumper skin on the top side of the mouth to get max exposure to the oil cooler- but it won't be visible from a normal view point.
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06-26-2007, 10:39 AM
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I'd considered modifying the latch- but put that on the backburner just to get the car on the ground. Hood pins = easy. 
I had the other IC supported with the bottom plate and didn't see any issues after being there for 1000 miles, so I figured it would be ok doing the same up top. I've got some of the rubber weather stripping between the cooler and the condenser to reduce shock/rubbing between the two.
I had the other IC supported with the bottom plate and didn't see any issues after being there for 1000 miles, so I figured it would be ok doing the same up top. I've got some of the rubber weather stripping between the cooler and the condenser to reduce shock/rubbing between the two.
Last edited by m2cupcar; 07-13-2007 at 07:46 PM.
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07-13-2007, 08:02 PM
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progress = shrouding
Got lucky. My cold side pipe was long enough to make the span from TB to IC. So no fab work. I chopped the hotside pipe and added a straight coupler. But the hard work came about in the form of shrouding. The new IC has lower inlet/outlet so that meant adjust the shrouding. I used the touted black plastic (from BSR Products). Pics below show how it works. Templates are made with cardboard then traced over to the plastic and cut with a utility knife or tin snips. I did the bending w/o any heat, just folding by hand. The pop rivet in place. I used the air riveter for the first time- definitely a must have tool for this kind of stuff. - rob
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07-19-2007, 10:05 PM
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First datalog shows that the bigger intercooler cut air temp rise in about half. Previously on a 2k-7k run I was seeing a 20c+ rise in air temp, where I'm now seeing ~10c. I'm still stumped as to how/why others here are seeing half that rise. 
As suspected the coolant temp rise happens much quicker now when coming to stop at a light - but the big fan still manages the job. My next step MAY be cutting an exit through the hood for air similar to Ben's.
wildfire- the car will be at road atlanta this weekend. Haven't ever been to an organized miata/mazda meets.
As suspected the coolant temp rise happens much quicker now when coming to stop at a light - but the big fan still manages the job. My next step MAY be cutting an exit through the hood for air similar to Ben's.
wildfire- the car will be at road atlanta this weekend. Haven't ever been to an organized miata/mazda meets.
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07-19-2007, 10:36 PM
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Rob, since you'll be around the corner from me anyway, you are welcome to borrow/test/run/experiment with my blue "vented" hood.
Good to see the new IC was worth the trouble. Also good to see that twice the IC resulted in half the temp increase. Think there's some math in there? Also keep in mind your pulls are done in 100F ambient, that's going to skew results some.
Ben
Good to see the new IC was worth the trouble. Also good to see that twice the IC resulted in half the temp increase. Think there's some math in there? Also keep in mind your pulls are done in 100F ambient, that's going to skew results some.
Ben
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07-20-2007, 12:34 AM
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First datalog shows that the bigger intercooler cut air temp rise in about half. Previously on a 2k-7k run I was seeing a 20c+ rise in air temp, where I'm now seeing ~10c. I'm still stumped as to how/why others here are seeing half that rise.
As suspected the coolant temp rise happens much quicker now when coming to stop at a light - but the big fan still manages the job. My next step MAY be cutting an exit through the hood for air similar to Ben's.
wildfire- the car will be at road atlanta this weekend. Haven't ever been to an organized miata/mazda meets.
As suspected the coolant temp rise happens much quicker now when coming to stop at a light - but the big fan still manages the job. My next step MAY be cutting an exit through the hood for air similar to Ben's.
wildfire- the car will be at road atlanta this weekend. Haven't ever been to an organized miata/mazda meets.
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