Intercooler

[6.5 Detroit Diesel]

Just wondering, is it possible to build your own intercooler? If so, what would be required?

[atom_c]

If you do a search on ebay for "intercooler" you will get a ton of fairly cheap intercoolers. Produced somewhere in China no doubt. Several members of this forum, myself included, have bought interoolers and then pieced together intercooler tubing and high temp silicone couplers to make a system for about $350 to $500. I have been very happy with mine so far. There were a lot of steps in the process, but none of them were too difficult if you are willing to dive in. If you search webshots.com for "6.5 diesel intercooler" I think you can pull up some pictures. Others on this forum have photos and ideas as well.

I don't think it would be worthwhile to make the actual intercooler yourself as there are so many inexpensive ones available on the market.

Hope this helps.

Adam

[DA BIG ONE]

http://www.bellintercoolers.com/Pages/about.asp

[GMC Hauler]

You might want to give Peninsular a call. I was ordering the marine upper intake from them for my intercooler when they told me about their soon to be released intercooler. After I heard the price, I considered sending all my stuff back. He told me around $700, plus or minus $50. I think some of our retailers may have to rethink their price after that comes out.

Nothing like a good free market economy to generate some competition.

[7.4 VORTEC]

Interesting question. I was looking at some "off shore" intercoolers at the L.A. Int'l Truck show a few months ago.

Here is a thought. If a coolant radiator can withstand over 16 lbs of pressure on a modern vehicle, would a radiator core work if it were the right size and you could mate the in/out tubes to the correct size of you silicone tubing? If your boost never exceeded the maximum boost of the radiator max psi rating, this might work, right?? I'm just thinking out loud here, but after looking at multiple vendors that sold both intercoolers and radiators at the show, they were very, very similar in construction from what I could see. Some of the smaller diesel radiators were very thick and of shapes that would easily fit the traditional locations. There weren't much money, either.

I'm sure someone here has the correct answer why you can't technically use a radiator as an intercooler so I'm waiting to learn. But...maybe you can?

Have a great Christmas guys.

Cheers,
George

[GMC Hauler]

You probably could, but not idea. The better design in any system is one that is built with a margin. For example, if you plan on running 15 PSI max boost, a system rated for 30 psi (i.e. a design margin of 2) ensures that it should operate trouble free for the life of its use.

However, a radiator's cap is designed to relieve at 15 psi, so you are running it close to the radiator's design limit more of the time, especially if you tow.

It might cool ok, especailly if its new. But the fact that it's rated close to the pressure limt I run, I wouldn't use one.

[atom_c]

I just looked on ebay and you can pick up an appropriate sized intercooler for under $200 including shipping that has been pressure tested (supposedly) to 80 psi. They now have a 3" piping kit for $115 including shipping and couplers that could be modified to use on a 6.5 diesel. The stuff gets cheaper! I wonder how much you would pay for a water cooling radiator to put to the same use?

Good luck with all your projects and Merry Christmas!

Adam

[6.5 Detroit Diesel]

Wow, thanks for all the info. Some things to definetely look into.
Thanks all,
And Merry Christmas

[Yukon6.2]

Hi
If you cheeck out the clasifieds forum,there is a member doing an engin repower,going from a GM to a cummings,he has a charge air cooler from the GM up for sale.

[6.5 Detroit Diesel]

Would an intercooler from a 6.6 work in the 6.5?

[NYCEGUY01]

Actually I'm putting in a Cummins motor. ( not Cummings) LOL
The I/C setup I built is actually on fleabay right now and ends in about 3 hours.

[sturgeon-phish]

If the Peninsular folks could get a working intercooler on the market for under $800, I'd say they would have a waiting list real quick. At that price it becomes affordable to a lot more people in the economic bracket that has 6.5's instead of newer DMaxes, like me!
Jim

[JeepSJ]

Here is a good source for your intake plumbing -

http://www.intakehoses.com/

I used them for the pieces to plumb the intake on my swap.

[Yukon6.2]

Geez you would think that someone with a handle like NYCEGUY01,would be able to let a spelling error go by without laughing at it,especially at Christmas. Sounds like an example of oxymoron