intercoolers and intakes

[arrowheadracing]

Just wondered how many of you guys run them and if there was a noticeable difference in mileage or power? I am getting ready to make one myself, along with a new intake setup I think. I am thinking of making the runners individual long ram setup style. Not Max Wedge cross ram crazy, but maybe more like a tunnel ram setup or similiar to a early cross fire corvette setup. Anybody out there play with this stuff yet ? Just wondered how much scavenging effect there is. Of course I am sure the heads need attention and would make more difference then the intake itself with stock heads.


I ve seen a few intercoolers out there and wasnt too impressed with the setups on them. I know there is limited space, and thats what I am trying to find out. Who and what works /didnt work. Theres always a better way ( hopefully ).

Todd

[Jim P]

I haven't done anything with the lower intake but here is a picture of upper intake liquid intercooler that I cast of aluminum. Inside the housing is a heater core. Water will be pumped through the heater core and then to a radiator to cool the water.


http://my.raex.com/~jpfarmer/.photos/intercoolerpipe/intercooler.jpg

[Peter J. Bierman]

I use two smaller intercoolers, one for each turbo.
They come together in the intake manifold to avoid pressure differances.
The setup works pretty good, but no hard data jet.
I made two messuring ports in the system so I can put in temp probes before and after the intercoolers.
Running 15 psi manifold pressure and low EGT's.

I have been playing with the thought of makin a new intake with straight trumpet style runners, just a vague idea at the moment.

Working at some sort of flow messuring device to experiment with this sort of ideas.

Peter

[ace58]

I have my "project" running after an eleven month adventure that included the usual trials and tribulations mechanical projects often present, starting with antifreeze consumption/cracked block, but I am extremely pleased with the results.

I have all off the shelf components, including John kennedy's big intercooler, and notice a huge difference in performance. It has been worth the wait.

[99gmccrew]

Howdy all, I love seeing all the creative ideas people have come up with for intercoolers and intakes. I definitely feel a huge difference in towing performance since I added the IC. It really shows up when you need it, in hot weather and when pulling hard up through mountain ranges here in the west. I feel I can pull with the best of them now. EGT's are now at safe levels and I don't ever get past 1100f pre turbo. I found my IC on ebay and everything I needed (2 1/2" tubing, silicone fittings, and clamps) to plumb it in. I'm still looking for a good intake.
I've got pic's on the link below. smile.gif

[BUZZ]

That looks good which IC did you buy?
Thanks
Buzz

[99gmccrew]

This is the one I used:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43808&item=4523369190&rd=1


It fit perfectly between the framerails on my 2 wheel drive. Right behind the bumper. I'm not so sure it would work for a 4wd.

I bought mine from a different seller, this one only sells to Austrailia, but there are others who sell worldwide. Just go to ebay and do a search for intercooler and there are hundreds to choose from. I measured the area carefully where I wanted it to go. Then looked for a good deal on one that would work for me. Got the whole system installed myself for around 500 bucks or so.

[Turbine Doc]

Mine is in my signature, it is John Kennedy's BIG IC kit

[Kennedy]

I ve seen a few intercoolers out there and wasnt too impressed with the setups on them. I know there is limited space, and thats what I am trying to find out. Who and what works /didnt work. Theres always a better way ( hopefully ).

Todd [/QB]Mine works...

[Craig M]

99gmccrew, very nice looking installation. looks like it fit in there perfectly. Elbos and connection nice and kosher! Well done

[GMCfourX4]

I'm still working on a VERY long project (more due to lack of time and the truck being my daily driver than anything else) where I sandwiched a Cummins intercooler in front of my radiator. I had to cut the cor support a couple inches on either side, and move the radiator back about 2.25", and weld up new radiator brackets, etc. I also went to dual-electric fans, and had to cut about .75" off of the water-pump shaft for clearance. My plan is to totally remove the upper intake, and cut a piece of aluminum plate (about 1/2" or 3/4" thick, I forget what I bought right now) and drill a 3" hole right in the center, where I'm going to weld the end of a 90* mandrel-bent 3" aluminum tube... so the air coming from the intercooler goes stright down into the intake. I've had the intercooler in for some time now, and I'm hoping to get the tubing done fairly soon (in the next couple months...) I'll letcha know how it comes out...

-Chris

[arrowheadracing]

My idea was the same to eliminate the upper intake. It seems to be a useless part. I was also thinking of fabricating a new lower intake. With something similiar I guess to a 5.0 mustang intake. I am still plugging #'s into a computer simulation for air flow and what not to see what I can come up with that will work better. I would be interested in seeing some of your results. Email me and I can send some pictures of what I have so far.

Thanks
Todd

[ 02-07-2005, 10:20 AM: Message edited by: arrowheadracing ]

[rjschoolcraft]

As Kennedy stated...

His works! I highly recommend it.

[MRBarta]

I would like to install an IC but my truck is lifted and has a skid plate on the front where the core should go, so I was wondering if anyone has tried the spray nozzle on the intake like in that featured article. I would like to try that because I play with my tuck in the mud and don't want to break an intercooler that's mounted up front.

[99gmccrew]

Thanks for the compliment Craig M,


I'm really happy with the performance. I had a couple problems with hoses blowing off in the beginning, but I double clamped everything and no problems now. I'm thinking of going for a computer reflash soon, to really get the most out of it. I'll probably go with Heath's, heard a lot of good things about it. smile.gif

Steve

[rjschoolcraft]

Originally posted by 99gmccrew:
I'm thinking of going for a computer reflash soon, to really get the most out of it. I'll probably go with Heath's, heard a lot of good things about it. smile.gif

Steve I would give Kennedy's a look if I were you. I've run Heath's chip in my truck... It doesn't compare to Kennedy's chip. The Heath is a big improvement over stock, but Kennedy's beats it.

[Turbine Doc]

Ronnie Joe, John ever get his improved reflash PCM finished yet I could not wait it out needed the power, the Z-IND (FYI same as BD & others also carried when I was in the market for mine) he used to carry was pretty wimpy, 99crew needs a flash not a chip.

[ 02-08-2005, 05:23 PM: Message edited by: tbogemirep ]

[Turbine Doc]

Originally posted by MRBarta:
I would like to install an IC but my truck is lifted and has a skid plate on the front where the core should go, so I was wondering if anyone has tried the spray nozzle on the intake like in that featured article. I would like to try that because I play with my tuck in the mud and don't want to break an intercooler that's mounted up front. How tall you lifted, and how much 4 wheel you do serious or occasional, look at the JK kit in my sig, it's pretty robust, I always thought if going off road for real other than my unimproved road trecks, I could come up with an armor plate to shroud the IC, that I could remove when I get back on road.

[rjschoolcraft]

His reflash is now available on his site (http://www.kennedydiesel.com/categoryresults2.cfm?Category=2&SubCategory=68). Obviously, I have not used it because my truck is OBD1, but based on the chip comparison that I did, I would definitely want to try Kennedy's reflash.

[JoeyD]

So who's reflash offers the most bang? I have Bill H's and it comes from the same place John K gets his.

[Phil Holmen]

I am currently working on fitting an intercooler out of a 7.3L grumman, I have moved my oil coolers to the holes in the bumper and will mount the intercooler directly in front of the radiator, but the intercooler connectors are in the bottom and wrap around the raditator and interfere with the top corners of the frame slightly, I am just waiting for a welder buddy of mine to get some time and we will reinforce the frame slightly and notch the top inside corners of the frame. Will have pictures along the way..

[ 02-10-2005, 08:02 AM: Message edited by: Phil Holmen ]

[arrowheadracing]

Phil,
What did you use to lift your truck the 2 1/2's ? I too have a 95 with 285's and want to lift it just that amount to clear the bumper in front. I was looking at teh cam keys and maybe somebilstein shocks. Is that the approach you used ?

Thanks
Todd

[Phil Holmen]

To get the lift I added suspension blocks in the back and turned up the bars in the front. But I should also let you know that my truck was really low before I did this. I couldn't run 265's without rubbing, don't know why it was so low. You will notice it get a little rougher ride.

[GMCfourX4]

As a sidenote on the suspension lift, you need to be careful when cranking up the bars, b/c you can throw a lot of things out of whack. The control arm bushings are rubber, and are tightened at the designated ride height, so they will wear out prematurely is the truck is cranked up, as will the balljoints. You can also run into issues with suspension travel, as cranking up the bars just puts the truck closer to "topping out" the suspension, so smaller drop-offs will cause the arms to hit the stops. It can also cause steering issues if the steering arms are moved too far from their designated operating angles... Just a caution based on some of the stuff I've seen happen... If its done carefully, and you know the consequenses, and watch for wear on the appropriate parts, it shouldn't be a problem.

-Chris

[G. Gearloose]

I run 285's on AR23 8" rims on a 1500, no rubbing.

Turned up bars (carefully, still have lots of droop). Rancho RS9000's. Poly sway bar links & bushings.

Rear has a 40" add a leaf and a 1.5" block from a late model GM K1500. Needs rear shocks for 4" lift, stock is too short. It well balanced front & rear now, slight rake.

Three years like this on a 120K truck, only one ball joint ever and its still tight, starting to get some looseness in the steering components...Shortly I'm going to flip the tie rods to keep the geometry right.

[JoeyD]

The other problem with just cranking the bars to run bigger tires is in the event you bottom out the front suspension the 285 will hut the top of the front fenders causing damage. I ran 285's on my truck till this happened.