Stacked intercooler

m1tch · May 07, 2008, 04:51:53 PM

Hey guys, I was just wondering about this, with everyone throwing away their top mounts in favour or replacing it with ARC intercoolers etc, would it be efficient to stack 2 OEM intercoolers together or would that create too much restriction?

BlitzBoy · May 07, 2008, 04:58:45 PM

bad idea you would get too much of a pressure drop running two intercoolers with two inlets and outlets then Y-ing them for a single small standard turbo on the FC, all you are doing is increasing the inlet tract length causing lag so negating any benefits from cooler temps. better off running a bigger single core or a simple WI install

clive · May 07, 2008, 05:00:20 PM

I know sombody who tried this with 2 stock FD Intercoolers and the boost pressure drop when the pressure finaly got out the other side was HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE

clive · May 07, 2008, 05:01:35 PM

:WaveBye,

Mark, you type quicker than me then :rollin

m1tch · May 07, 2008, 05:52:56 PM

ok

thats kinda what I thought, but I just wanted all the much cleverer rotorheads out there to give your verdict

Prof · May 07, 2008, 06:14:23 PM

Keep coming up with the ideas Mitch - you might just hit on something no one has thought of - then we\'ll all be off to the sheds to try it out !

I have seen a 1 and 1/2 stock intercoolers - welded together to make a longer than stock intercooler, but I imagine the pipe bends underneath to get back to the throttle body would have been tortous, plus the bonnet wasn\'t modified, so 1/3 of the intercooler was getting no air flow over it ??!!

Archbish · May 07, 2008, 06:15:47 PM

I read about a guy with a quattro that has 2 small coolers in sequence. Apparently this worked well, but may have been designed for the job...

pdtaylor18 · May 07, 2008, 07:39:41 PM

I toyed withg the idea of putting a Nissan pulsar TMIC on. The size is twice as big and the openings are very similar. Toyed with it that much that i bought two cheap coolers. Its a dam good option but would need some work to make fit correctly and you would have to modify the bonnet sealing strip to cover it. I will send some pics. Not given up on the idea just yet. One of the problems was clearance with the alternator. You are more than welcome to have one of these coolers for the postage to try something out.

I think that two get two coolers to work in any sort of manner would have to work in parallel and not in series.

DRIFTMOTION · May 07, 2008, 10:30:08 PM

Hows about... Partially cutting away the end tanks of each intercooler, retaining original inlet and outlet of the lower I/C and welding / fabricating new end tanks so each I/C core is sat above and below eachother (stacked), effectively increasing surface area and not inlet tract length.

Only problem I think would be I/C to bonnet clearance:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Prof · May 07, 2008, 10:55:52 PM

There\'s actually quite a lot of room under the stock intercooler - the replacement units that mount in the stock position are usually 2 times as deep, but sit at the same height on the engine.

I did wonder if it would be possible to make a partially watercooled, partially air cooled unit - sitting in the stock position, and having a small pre-rad located in the front bumper. The idea would be that the chargecooler portion would take over during idling/low speed to try and avoid heat soak, and then when there is ram airflow in the scoop, the air cooling would take over. It would also allow the water in the charge cooler circuit to be cooled down big time, ready for the next bit of slow / idling...

DRIFTMOTION · May 08, 2008, 12:26:30 AM

Quote from: Prof;497214There\'s actually quite a lot of room under the stock intercooler - the replacement units that mount in the stock position are usually 2 times as deep, but sit at the same height on the engine.

I did wonder if it would be possible to make a partially watercooled, partially air cooled unit - sitting in the stock position, and having a small pre-rad located in the front bumper. The idea would be that the chargecooler portion would take over during idling/low speed to try and avoid heat soak, and then when there is ram airflow in the scoop, the air cooling would take over. It would also allow the water in the charge cooler circuit to be cooled down big time, ready for the next bit of slow / idling...

I know the Toyota GT4 has a Top mount charge cooler (not sure if it is a intercooler as well or which year/model) Maybe this could be adapted. Was chatting to a couple of MR2 lads at Santa Pod last month, and they both had GT4 charge coolers fitted and said their intake temps were down 60% over the MR2\'s intercooler.

Prof · May 08, 2008, 07:13:13 AM

Quote from: DRIFTMOTION;497229I know the Toyota GT4 has a Top mount charge cooler (not sure if it is a intercooler as well or which year/model) Maybe this could be adapted. Was chatting to a couple of MR2 lads at Santa Pod last month, and they both had GT4 charge coolers fitted and said their intake temps were down 60% over the MR2\'s intercooler.

Yep - it\'s a straight fit on the MR2 - friend of ours has a turboed MR2 and he\'s using the chargecooler from a GT4. Unfortunately, the pipes exit on the wrong sides of the intercooler. You wouldn\'t be able to change the exit/entry of the pipes as the core would need rotating, and it\'s a rectangular shape.

I don\'t think it would fit if the brackets were moved on it.

m1tch · May 08, 2008, 04:30:23 PM

Would a top mount subaru intercooler fit do you recon?

Brett · May 08, 2008, 05:16:49 PM

THey are titchy!

pdtaylor18 · May 08, 2008, 07:26:00 PM

Agree there Brett and the Pulsar one although not a perfect fit is a good stepping stone. I might post a pic to show the position on top of engine with the engine out. I think the best option and maybe cheapest is to get one manufactured to fit.