Finally - Ebay Intercoolers with endtanks that are worth a damn

[IJ.]

24x12x4" e-bay cooler here and amazingly changing to this along with 3" pipes has resulted in 100 rpm lower spool times without switching the EBC on (it drops another 1>200 rpm off)

I modded the front bumper support to allow more airflow while maintaining the stock look from the front!

 

[adampecush]

ian, what thermal coating did you apply to the intercooler? I recall you said what you used in an old thread, but I don't recall.

 

[IJ.]

Adam: It's just an etch primer them a 2 pack over the top, nothing special as any of the proper thermal coatings require blasting with aluminium oxide to prepare the surfaces and I don't think the fins would survive!

 

[Doward]

Sorry guys, this sums it up for me

I can't stand these side to side ICs, from a flow vs cooling perspective. Inefficient engineering, to me. ymmv

MAD MSPAINT SKILLZ

 

[IJ.]

Side to side gives a longer path and more time for heat rejection.....

 

[p5150]

yeah doward I think you are right but for simplicity's sake im going with the side to side setup.

I would like to go with a top to bottom (or bottom to top) flow intercooler but I would have to sacrifice my radiator or intercooler size in order to fit in the piping. I need a huge intercooler. A side-side intercooler is really the only way to go unless I want to do some serious hacking.

I dont think the efficiency lost is significant enough to justify the additional work of putting in a setup like that.
FYI if you want an IC like that look up the treadstone ICs on ebay. Nice pieces!

 

[Reign_Maker]

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIJJJJJ! Stop showing people what WE are doing with our front bumper supports, we dont want EVERYONE copying us... hehehehehehe!

I dont know why you guys keep saying that the ebay *XSpower* 12X24" cores choke off airflow... Do you understand how an intercooler works? Look, just because you arent getting direct air flow across the fins doesnt mean it isnt working, or that area covered is useless... The intercooler acts like a huge heat sink, disappating heat, even in the covered areas... Also, just because the inlet/outlet is on the bottom doesnt mean the air isnt flowing all the way through it... From the turbo into the IC, so much air pressure and air flow enters that it floods the endtank, so all that air travels through the whole IC...

The XSpower is a very capable IC... The welds are solid, it flows like mad and does a fine job of reducing intake charge temps... There are several members who have used them and reported success, like IJ and Justin... I feel absolutely confident in using it in my set up... If you feel more confident in having the word HKS or GReddy stamped on yours, then by all means, buy one... But for me, I'd rather take that extra $600+ and put it in other mods...

 

[shaeff]

^ i was thinking of cutting my bumper support to fit my 12x24 IC, but i decided not to. i'll mount it a different way, once i get my current hold up out of the way...

looks really good though!

-shaeff

 

[adampecush]

Is everybody that is doing the large side to side intercoolers removing the battery and running the piping through there? If anybody is running the piping the 1jz route to a FFIM (between the rad and motor, not through the battery location)could I get some pics of the arrangement of the intercooler outlet piping? I'm leaving the battery as it is and I just wanted to see how ugly the IC outlet piping is going to get...i end up going with a 90deg elbow welded to the outlet of the ic.

 

[Junior]

why is noone using water to air intercoolers. that's the real question.

 

[adampecush]

expense, complexity, and additional weight. That is the answer.

 

[IJ.]

why is noone using water to air intercoolers. that's the real question.

I did that last year......