Intercooler air flow

[Craig M]

Am considering adding an intercooler below the front bumper on our 95 Yukon. Because of height restrictions it will be a long and narrow intercooler. Am considering adding an air dam below the bottom of the intercooler to increase the amount of air that flows to and through the intercooler. My thinking is that more air gooing fast will cool better than less air going slower. This a reasonable assumption?

[gmctd]

If you have not, go to Kennedy Diesel site, where you can see one installed on his truck.

Or, check out tbogemirep's post (do a 'search' on his member number) on installing a 3500 setup in a 1500 pickup.

May give you some further ideas.
But, yeah - you're on the right track.

[Craig M]

I have seen a few of the intercooler kits that are available. Seem to be cramed under the bumper area. $1500 to $2000 for a unit that is not getting a whole lot of air from what I can see. My Scotish nature tell me that I can buy an intercooler, fab some pipes and install and air dam that will give lots of cooling. Jim is putting an intercooler in front of the stock radiator in his Duramax engine in a 98 truck project. While this position is nice, it adds hotter air to the stock radiator. I like the idea of putting it below the stock radiator.

[Turbine Doc]

Craig I've been out of town just got back, in spite of what you may have heard elsewhere the under bumper IC is very effective, and is really not at risk unless you hardcore offroad your ride
I stuffed the Kennedy kit into mine as JD referenced, it's been there a little over a year I'm most pleased with mine. Check the link below for an idea how to do it, one update to it; I replaced the flex tube for rigid tube as the flex tube I used at 1st was only 3 psi rated and weeped oil from the flex seams.

http://myweb.cableone.net/tbogemirep/

[Craig M]

Tim

Nice photo gallery. Shows your intercooler install very nicely. Well detailed. I e-mailed Kennedy and he stated his intercooler kit was not for the 1500. I guess your journey shows that the kit can be modified to work. He stated the frame depth was the main difference between the 2500 and 1500 models. Appears that you had to make more mods than just that. Glad to hear that your set up works. My engineering background makes me think that if the intercooler is installed perpindicular to the ground (rather that angled 45 degrees or so) air flow through the intercooler will be smoother and more efficient.

[Turbine Doc]

The frame depth comes into play that the "box beam" tube for the frame is "taller" 8" vs 10" IIRC so less room between engine and IC under crank pulley, to solve I retubed the Spearco plumbing more aft running closer to the oil pan hump, and just clearing the steering drag link then "shoe horned" just between body/frame and vac pump diaphragm.

Only mods were replumbing, and different silicone connectors 45 & 90 deg elbows were essential those were expensive $70 ea. the flex elbows allowed for takedown joints, if I had access to a TIG setup and adequate skill to run it, I could have hard plumbed in place for a lot less.

Plenty of cooling at the 45 deg angle; with a 70 deg OAT, with 750 post turbo EGT, post IC IAT to engine was 118.(get all that :D ) I think the physical size of the big Spearco IC makes up for a less than optimum position angle.

[JeepSJ]

Nice writeup. I may actually be able to stuff something like that into my SJ. Did you measure your IAT prior to installing the IC? How much boost are you running?

[Turbine Doc]

Jeep
I did not have the IAT instrumented prior to the IC install non IC so I've read is 250+ IAT depending on day and how hard you are running, boost with Turbo Master peaks 12-13 psi, with JK Boost control can peak to 16-17 psi, cruise with either while towing 7-10 psi.