Big Intercoolers may cause problems

[Mechie3]

I had a generic ebay intercooler on my 06 WRX. When I went to do the body I found that it's much too big to sit in the stock location. I'll have to get something else or relocate it. Thought I should give others a heads up.

http://i.imgur.com/5gfn1bP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ZhxBXHh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/36SB7tO.jpg

[Erik W. Treves]

your gaps are horrible...lol....

[Mitch Wright]

Hmmm I may have the same problem with my Grimmspeed TMIC. Is there room to move it back and down a few inches over the transmission?

Thanks for the heads up.

[Mechie3]

your gaps are horrible...lol....

It's for improved airflow. :D


Hmmm I may have the same problem with my Grimmspeed TMIC. Is there room to move it back and down a few inches over the transmission?

Thanks for the heads up.

There's a little bit, but the removable cross brace gets in the way. The dark spot on my intercooler is where the stock 06 hood scoop baffle sat. You can see how much longer front/back the aftermarket one is. I think with a custom Y pipe and throttle body hose you'd gain an extra 2 inches to lay it flat closer to the cross brace.

[Canadian818]

Even if it did just clear, I can't imagine it getting much of any air flow. What about mounting it against the mesh on the top of the back bumper, and direct air from the any of the 5 rear scoops/vents. 1000hp 996 turbos use air to air intercoolers with a very similar opening in front of the wheel wells for cooling, its just ducted well.

[Mechie3]

I plan to mess around with it and see what I can do duct wise.

[RM1SepEx]

Any mod should be reason for some custom fab...

I don't like the way that the panels match up with my stock IC, the flow looks tortured! Another area for creativity... I'd like to get air from the left rear fender vent and the left IC vent. I'd also like an unvented, usable trunk.

[wallace18]

You can see on my thread what I had to do. If I had to do it all over again I would go N/A.

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[metalmaker12]

I just cleared it with a jdm Sti cooler. Check my thread, and I made a mount for the bonnet to sit on, which I see the only solution besides another idea to support it, especially if you want the rear section to open

[Mechie3]

Cover definitely needs support. It sags in the middle a bit with no middle support.

Wallace, I forgot you had done that. Exactly what I had.in mind.

[Xusia]

A couple thoughts:

1. They sell cores in just about all sizes. You could get a totally different core of the size you want, and weld up the ends (or have someone do it).

2. What about cutting a hole in the engine cover and letting the intercooler protrude? I mean, we all seem to be concerned about airflow - wouldn't that solve the problem?? You could, of course, put a nice frame around it so it looked nice and deliberate, rather than like an afterthought.

[Mechie3]

I think you'd have to put a huge duct up F1/indycar style. With all the air being diverted up and over by the windshield and then further disturbed by the roll bar you wouldn't get much pressure on the face of the intercooler.

[WRX Dave]

A water sprayer on the intercooler works wonders. Although it mainly works in short stints in a motorsports application.

[D K]

A water sprayer on the intercooler works wonders. Although it mainly works in short stints in a motorsports application.

Actually, they are quite inefficient.

This is a perfect advertisement for an A2W intercooler for this application.

[Wayne Presley]

And this is the reason I developed a air to water intercooler kit for the 818...

[Mechie3]

I'm debating just giving it up and going awic.

[Frank818]

I'm debating just giving it up and going awic.

Plz do. :) You'll love it.

[longislandwrx]

Just need to add a few of these
24969249702497124972

http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/category/SPAL_Fans_1

2 of these fit nicey nice.

[WRX Dave]

Actually, they are quite inefficient.

This is a perfect advertisement for an A2W intercooler for this application.

The water sprayer I ran on my WRX kept my intercooler at least 10F below ambient temps during rallycross runs in South Florida during the summer. It has to be properly set up so that all of the water evaporates in the cooling process. If the intercooler is wet during use the water creates an insulating layer. It will still need some airflow to work, but it helps maximize the effectiveness of the incoming air.

If the rear diffuser works as advertised, there should be a low pressure area towards the back of the engine compartment. With a little duct work this could possibly be used to help draw air into the intercooler. It's always a bit of guesswork when dealing with airflow, but it could be a fun project to work on. Where's Adrian Newey when we need him?

That being said, air to water might still be the way to go given the limited airflow and space in the engine compartment.

[Frank818]

Where's Adrian Newey when we need him?

Working on the 2014 F1 car, we should have thought about him earlier. loll

[WRX Dave]

Working on the 2014 F1 car, we should have thought about him earlier. loll

Someone give him a call. Maybe we can distract him with the 818 and give the other teams a chance this year.

[D K]

Nope.

Hes too busy crashing his GT40