top mount intercooler

[orion]

does anyone know how to custom fabricate a top mount intercooler to use with a hood scoop. ya know like an sti? just wonderin......

[OmniGuy123]

It has been done, but I would rather have it anywhere but above the engine due to teh heat soak factor.

[Dave]

Direct Connection used to sell kits for the TI cars where you could mount the intercooler above the intake manifold. But anyone here will try and draw you away from doing this because it hardly works, the intake gets so hot because of Chrysler's geniuss idea to place the turbo directly below the intake, so when the car is at high boost levels and turbo/exhaust manifold will heat up the intake moreso than the warm boost going in.

My suggestion is to not go with it, it may look cool, but it sucks. But hey, if that's what you want than there should be sometime on The Dodge Garage about it. www.thedodgegarage.com

-Bryan
89 Spirit

[orion]

thanks folks!

[oddcomp]

go get a extra thin electric rdiator fan from a junkyard and mount it under the intercooler to keep ot cool at low to no speeds
a simple switch on the throttle body setup so anything less than say 1/8 throttle will turn the fan on
and anything over 1/8 would shut it off and let the scoop plus speed do the work

just a idea...

[OmniGuy123]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oddcomp go get a extra thin electric rdiator fan from a junkyard and mount it under the intercooler to keep ot cool at low to no speeds a simple switch on the throttle body setup so anything less than say 1/8 throttle will turn the fan on and anything over 1/8 would shut it off and let the scoop plus speed do the work just a idea...

Some of the turbocoupe guys tries this due to the fact that their ICs sit directly over the turbo. It worked much better for them because there is a functional hood scoop feeding it cold air, and there is much more room for a fan under the IC. They managed to get it fairly efficient to the point that I was quite surprised, but it was a lot of work when they could have just put it up front to begin with.

[oddcomp]

on td's room for a fmic is very ample
on my other turbo room in the front is almost non exsistant

[WIDOWMAKER]

Quote:

Originally Posted by orion does anyone know how to custom fabricate a top mount intercooler to use with a hood scoop. ya know like an sti? just wonderin......

I purchased and installed one of those Direct Connection over-the-valve-cover intercoolers on the '84 Laser XE I had years ago. I never got a hood scoop for it, however. I just took out the hood vent. I don't think it made too much of a performance improvement, I feel that's because it suffered from so much heat soak from the turbo, as was mentioned earlier in this thread. Ultimately, I installed one of the Spearco intercooler kits that mounts near the transmission with a scoop directing the air towards the core from under the car. Although I don't have dyno info to prove it, the Spearco had a much improved seat-of-the pants feel over the DC kit. In my real world testing, I ran a couple car lengths closer to my buddy's GN after going to the Spearco, at the same boost, and with no other changes.
I saw two G-Bodys back in the day that had the DC kit and a hood scoop--and they looked really cool. My advice to you would be to go for the scoop for aesthetic reasons, if that's what you want, but don't use the DC kit, even if you can locate one. There are much more efficient options available today.

[TIIICARAVAN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Direct Connection used to sell kits for the TI cars where you could mount the intercooler above the intake manifold. But anyone here will try and draw you away from doing this because it hardly works, the intake gets so hot because of Chrysler's geniuss idea to place the turbo directly below the intake, so when the car is at high boost levels and turbo/exhaust manifold will heat up the intake moreso than the warm boost going in. My suggestion is to not go with it, it may look cool, but it sucks. But hey, if that's what you want than there should be sometime on The Dodge Garage about it. www.thedodgegarage.com -Bryan 89 Spirit

i wouldnt say it sucks, if you do it right it is just as effective as a front mount. with the right scoop you will not only draw air over the intercooler but down over the intake as well. its definitly more work than a FM but it can look cool and funtion.

[2.2=8]

Don't count out the DC intercooler, I managed to go 11.7s with one. as far as the heat soak issue, I mounted two 5 inch computer cooling fans on the bottom of the core, it stayed nice and cool as long as the fans are running, and cools right down with very little road speed. Also, you can pack ice on it between rounds at the track. The biggest problem is that because of its size it becomes a flow restriction at higher boost levels, as it only flows a bit more than a stocker. But you can make 300HP with one.

[WIDOWMAKER]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2.2=8 Don't count out the DC intercooler, I managed to go 11.7s with one. as far as the heat soak issue, I mounted two 5 inch computer cooling fans on the bottom of the core, it stayed nice and cool as long as the fans are running, and cools right down with very little road speed. Also, you can pack ice on it between rounds at the track. The biggest problem is that because of its size it becomes a flow restriction at higher boost levels, as it only flows a bit more than a stocker. But you can make 300HP with one.

As I said--there are better options available today. Why go through the hassle of installing auxiliary cooling fans, custom made heat shields, or packing it with ice between passes, when you have plenty of room in front for a larger, more efficient core. You get more airflow in the front of the car, anyway. To direct air over the core via a hood scoop, you must be very certain as to have one(a scoop) of the proper dimensions. Aerodynamics vary from model to model, so a scoop that works efficiently on a Charger may not do so on a Daytona. Have you ever witnessed wind-tunnel testing? If you have, you'll understand my point. It's possible to make power with the DC intercooler, but there is much more power to be gained with a different core in a different location.

[2.2=8]

I totaly agree, I would not go out of my way to get one, but if I found one cheep and was one a budget I would not hesitate to use it. It is a viable option. And they work.