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front mount intercooler progress. I/C piping.(DUW)

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UPS came to the house today and dropped off a box of 36' of mandrel bent tubing. Anyone else see a header/uppipe too?

 

23intercooler_and_piping_002.jpg

 

I finished modifying the Starion intercooler last Fri before work.

 

23intercooler_and_piping_001.jpg

I started driving the wagon because the RX will be in the garage for the next couple weeks.

23intercooler_and_piping_003.jpg

 

 

This is going to be interesting to say the least.

 

Jay

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now, where could one such as me find a starion intercooler? im thinking that would be hotness.

  • Author

The intercooler started out life looking like this:

 

23RX_rebuild_004-med.jpg

 

I found it local from a 240Z person. They aren't that much on Ebay.

The aluminum is not the easiest to TIG though.

Jay

I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out. This would be only the 2nd FMIC setup that I'v seen here. The other was a botch job somewhat but it was affective.

Kevin, check out QikRXturbo here on the board. He's from down under and he's got a sweet FMIC setup and he has 286HP EA82 as well in his car. Pretty damn sweet if you ask me:D

where did you order all of that stuff from? looks like about 700 bucks worth of stuff where i get mine

now, where could one such as me find a starion intercooler? im thinking that would be hotness.

 

Hey I have a friend who is trying to sell a starion intercooler. I think he was trying to sell it cheap(like between $70-$100). I'll try to get in touch with him and find out for you.

Lookin good so far, hope the plumbing

comes up lookin as good.

 

I am sure it will

 

but for those of us that do a top mount

 

Here is a Starion mounted without major mods to the piping.

 

The long end was cut down with a tubing cutter

 

Chose you own connection to the throttle body.

 

I left mine stock after cutting the end off

as I use it for placement of my auxiliary injector.

 

Tip, if you need some odd sized connection rubber

parts. Silly Cone is best but $$$

 

I took a diagram of the hose I needed to the

parts store that had rad hoses hangin'

 

Dared to compare and found ones that matched up

just had to cut them down a little.

 

Remember to get ones with the internal spring

so they will not collapse.

 

5000 big boost (12+) miles not a problem thus far.

 

Sorry for the h.jck

and

Keep the chunks down Kevin.

willyslump.jpg

  • Author

Schoenfeld Header company is where I ordered the mandrel bent tubing. It's basically a box of offcuts and various pipe sections. Under 200.00 shipped.

 

Jay

Schoenfeld Header company is where I ordered the mandrel bent tubing. It's basically a box of offcuts and various pipe sections. Under 200.00 shipped.

 

Jay

 

Do you have any contact info, or are you keeping that to yourself.....:brow:

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Author

Looks like the I/C will not be flush against the radiator because of clearance issues with the piping. Looking for opinions as to how important it is to get it flush. Anyone?

 

23intercooler_and_piping_011.jpg

 

Had to cut the "ears" off of the headlight buckets for I/C bracket clearance.

 

23intercooler_and_piping_008.jpg

 

 

 

Ordered the hoodpins earlier and finally dug them out of the box. They are stainless and sit very flat on the hood. Not really obtrusive. I'm still not sure about mounting these. I'm going to look into either mounting the hood backwards with Saab hood hinges or using the hood latches out of a Jeep Cherokee.

 

 

23intercooler_and_piping_014.jpg

 

 

Any input or ideas would be appreciated. A non-car person said offhandedly that I should "make the hood open like a Vette". You can get ideas from anywhere.

 

 

Slow at it,

 

Jay

 

edit: Only about 2 1/2" of the I/C will end up behind the bumper. :)

Have you ever tried to work on a saab with that goofy @$$ hood. Maybe it is just me but I can't stand the reverse hood opening deal. I say go with the pins and keep the functionality of the hood. OOOOOOOOrr find some sort of low profile hood release that you can weld in there?

 

What about flipping the IC 180 deg and pushing it more towards the bottom?

 

Looks like you are really getting somewhere with this? Gonna keep my eye on you.

  • Author

If I push the I/C any farther down then it is behind the bumper and won't be in the airstream.

 

I like the idea that that fellow has because he kept the piping short, but I'm looking for a bit cleaner install with minimal modifications to the engine bay and bodywork of the car.

Want to keep the I/C as stealth as possible as far as looks go. The way it's going now I'll be able to reinstall the grill (modified slightly).

 

So, any input on the I/C not sitting flush against the radiator? I can fabricate a sealing ridge between the I/C and the radiator if it need it.

 

Going to have to fabricate a plenum for the throttle body because it's 2 3/8" OD and the piping I'm using is 1 3/4"OD.I've got a few ideas on how.

 

Regards,

 

Jay

might want to cut the bumper a little and mod the grille for clearance...??

 

I am thinking of running FSP...which means taking the boost controller out and i have to put a stock hood back on....So that means I'll be getting one fo those civic FMICs, and I'll just mount it to the bottom of the bumper.

  • Author

Worked on the intake plenum for the piping. Going to cut the smaller pipe off when I decide definately where the piping is coming up from the drivers side to meet the plenum pipe.

 

This is the first try at the intake plenum. Still need to clean it up a bit.

23intake_plenum_for_Intercooler_003.jpg

 

Would like to make a smoother transition in the 90 degree bend but want to keep the profile low.

 

Thoughts?

 

Jay

  • Author

The intake pipe is 2 3/8". The intercooler piping is 1 3/4". Jay

use a 90* silicone intake hose for hte throttle body connection and then get a reducer from home depot. you could also just use ashort pvc peice to connect the elbow and the reducer. i havent had any issues with my home depot intake.

  • Author

I'm being a cheap bastard and trying not to buy the 90* angles. you can buy 1 foot of silicone hose for 18.00 but an elbow cost triple that. Just can't see spending that on hose when I can get around it.

 

If it doesn't work out like this, I'll pop for the 90*s.

 

Grassroots,

 

Jay

you might be able to get a rubber elbow from home depot that would fit your needs, just look in the plumbing section, i made an entire intake outta parts i got there.

  • Author

That's the cheapest I've seen the specific angles.

 

I'm going to try the plenum adapter I fabricated, but I may use a 90*on the turbo side. Thanks for the link.

 

Subyrally, I have in the past gone to HD for parts to make things work, but on this one I'd like to either fabricate parts myself or use the parts made for the application. I am usually the KING of making things work with what I've got or can scrounge from parts. Look at pictures of my wagon.:)

 

 

 

 

Jay

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