Which intercooler?
 

Alright, so I've got a dilemma on my hands. First off I've got a Greddy kit already on the car. I have 2 intercoolers handy and don't know which to use. This one my friend gave me looks like alot of others I've seen here, but I don't have piping for it. I've also got a Starion intercooler that I have all the piping (Jim B) for I just need a few couplers. My big question is, which do you think will be better overall for cooling in the hot Florida summer (not my daily) Any place I can find a "kit" more or less and save time in buying piece by piece for the bigger one? What do you guys think I should do? Here's some pics of each. Not the greatest

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...9/PC270039.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...9/PC270037.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...9/PC270036.jpg

me personally, i would go with the one you got in the first picture! as for the piping! DIY!

go for the bigger one

I think the 2nd one would be more efficient since its a tube/fin and not bar/plate. just my .02

They look like they both might be tube and fin, weigh them. I bet the first one will fit in the OE bumber better and the inlet and outlet tubes look crazy small on the 2nd. Are the cross sections/volumes similiar?

How do you plan to mount either one? Fabricate brackets, tubes, etc. Its all in the details get all that ironed out first.

Throw the Starion IC in the trash.

Id feel more comfortable giving advice with dimensions on both cores but atm i would guess the longer tubed one as longer tubes tend to offer better cooling unless the taller option is vastly taller.

It doesn't matter. the Starion IC is: 1. lame 2. poorly plumbed 3. restrictive. /thread

I may buy that little one off you if the price is right.

If you're not doing a proper v-mount, then get the huge one on there.

Use the starion one instead of a cheap eBay one. I'll bet anything you will see lower intake temperatures with the starion one

Ask anyone who's ran a starion IC what their impressions were once they finally replaced it.

^ Agreed, i used to have a dsm with a modified starion intercooler. Its an upgrade from a dsm side mount but not by alot. If it were me i would try to pick up a precision 350, they are well priced and work amazingly well. If you are on a very tight budget then use the ebay one you got.

Thanks so much for the help guys. Looks like I better start collecting some pipes and couplers. Brain, I'll be needing a MS hopefully soon, as my funds are the main problem. In the meantime what WB 02 do you recommend and is there a site sponsor I could get it from? I have the car on jack stands and it's getting nicer out (South FL) so I hope to have the IC in soon. My friend welds so I'll be having him fab me a bracket. I'll get some measurements and inlet/outlet diameters when I get home tonight. Again thanks for the input everyone.

So I saw something about Stripes I/C kit? Is he still selling them? I forgot I left the piping and ic's at work. I'll measure everything tomorrow.

I prefer either the lc1 or the aem, the aem looks like shit and is the same price though so go with an lc1. whatever you do stay away form plx, i know some members have prolly had good luck with them but i have had terrible luck and have talked to others who had to send them back over and over as well. ( i know you were asking brain but i figured i would insert my 2 cents ) Brain probably has more experience with what works best but in my experience the lc1 is the most reliable and accurate WB on the market.

I actually have a stripes pipes kit sitting in my attic.

I was planning on using it when I upgraded my intercooler...but I'm going the WI route now so my current one will work just fine.

PM me if interested. I also have a big intercooler that goes with it.

I don't know about flow but I have a starion now and I switch to an eBay one and was getting higher temperatures so I went back to my starion.

Went by my friends house today and he had some aluminum piping he didnt need. Got a better pic of of the i/c and some of the piping. The silver 2" is what I had and black 2 1/4" is what he gave me. I'm pretty sure the red t/b pipe is 2" is this adequate? Anyway I think I might have all the piping I need, there's a few more 90's and 45's so all I need now is couplers/reducers. Any input on how to keep things from moving too much or on where to mount the i/c brackets? I haven't really gotten underneath the car to look yet. Oh yeah I got measurements of the i/c too. Core length is 21" Height 6 1/4" Overall length from inlet to outlet is 28" Oh and it's JDM so you know its good! :laugh: Also I'm gonna take the a/c condensor and everything out tomorrow. What do I need to elimate the compressor, just a different belt or an idler?

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...9/PICT0001.jpg

If it was China it probably had a really low fin density.

Are you on crack? there about 100 apart ....
As far as it working better I had no luck, not saying there bad in anyway, there more accurate per say, but since he's in my neck of the woods I'd suggest Aem because I know how to get that working!! :fawk:

Not sure if someone sells and idler... but your missing another dimension, the thickness.

Bell Intercoolers Air to Air Intercooler Cores

Look at the pictures on the right side it might explain why this is relavent for comparison.

This is all irrelevant if the inlet and outlet tubes are 1"

Are you going to cut the tubing up? If you do keep in mind you will not have any nipples.

BTW there is alot of good info in the FAQ section on the site, but they are expensive bar and plate cores. Good reference...

IMO if you really have everything you need for the starion kit-just run it and see if it works good enough for your purposes.

It looks like you have alot of work still ahead of you. Fabbing/building an intercooler kit is easy if you have the right tools... if you dont...not so much.

Are you goiing to cut up that piping? If you do keep in mind you will loose all your nipples!

Oh ya, last time I checked the weirder the silicone (reducers/bends/etc.) the more expensive. Its all in the details.

I need more posts I want to buy stuff!!

Yup, missed the thickness 2 1/4 inches thick. It really isn't gonna be all that hard with https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/t17032/ that thread. Looks like a bunch of 90* bends and fabbing a bracket. Nothing I can't handle. The only reason the starion i/c wasnt in years ago is I got a new truck and some other toys. Miata has been jealous.

Oh and I've had nipples as long as I can remember, so I'm not worried about it. The only bungs :giggle: I need are on the TB pipe and that is the red one right there. It's already made. I just gotta pull the stock crossover pipe out and see if this piping will work the way I think it should. I'm gonna put the i/c on blocks where I need it and have my friend weld me a bracket when I get the piping just right. As for the a/c I think I would need a stock idler off a non a/c car,not aftermarket. Or a shorter belt? Anyone? Hey Paul, what size gauge fits in the a/c outlet? Gonna put the wideband gauge in there. Is $218 a good price? Found em on E-bay brand new for that. Do I put it on my stock 02 bung or weld a new one on?