Author Topic: Intercooler for Turbo  (Read 2991 times)

Offline prankstar2003

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Intercooler for Turbo
« on: November 20, 2011, 12:36:22 pm »
Just collecting parts (still) for my carbed solid lifter 1.4 turbo engine. Currently I have an R5 carb, GK inlet, flat faced mech lifter head (Can't remember the code, but it has the larger ports) GK cam (apparently the solid lifter GT equivalent) g40 bottom end, abd bottom end and a KO3 turbo. Obviously its far from standard (and together as an engine) but I'm wanting to know what sized intercooler to use. I have a standard G40 one, but after reading various topics and articles on turbo charging, I'm begining to think it may be a little small. Also, its quite fat and short. I understand I really want a long but thinner one? Whn installed, it shall have plenty of air flow going to it, either due to ducting or positioning. I dont want to run meth/water injection, but I'd like to have a safe 1.0-1.5 bar of boost if possible. Target power is between 160-180bhp. Achieveable do we think?

Offline grungeisdead

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Re: Intercooler for Turbo
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2011, 11:47:15 pm »
1.0 - 1.5 bar is iirc 14 to 21 psi?

21psi isnt really a 'safe' level of boost, and if you are running something like that, you'd really want to consider meth injection, its pretty cheap to do, and you just need a simple pressure switch to activate it. G-Spot (Jason) had it set up on his old G to spray on the IC at lower boost - 5 psi and spray into the charge line at 10psi.


you should mention your running it in a mk2 which really does limit your choices for intercoolers, unless your prepared to cut out the lower crossmember!

Offline prankstar2003

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Re: Intercooler for Turbo
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2011, 07:10:59 am »
Right, maybe i won't blow that much through it! I'll consider the water/meth but I dont want to have something on the car that could potentially fail, damaging the engine. Also I'm too lazy to keep filling it up.

Right, I forget the front valences are different between the models. I may be prepared to chop out the front, like you Saf.

Offline grungeisdead

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Re: Intercooler for Turbo
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2011, 10:37:57 pm »
the blue turbos front crossmember butchery was extreme, its all been cut out and braced, the yellow peril just had a cut out for the hose from the charger and part of the inner wing cut out to allow the intercooler to sit nicely with the boost hose coming up through the top of the inner wing.

id get the turbo measured up to where its going to fit and see what space you have for a radiator, decide on that first imo, i had a pain trying to find a rad to fit, as the turbo sits alot more centrally than the G lader, which had (just) enough room for a full size 430mm rad, the turbo is tight even with a 380mm item

Offline prankstar2003

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Re: Intercooler for Turbo
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2011, 11:06:02 pm »
Thanks for that. I was thinking of dropping the intercooler right down in front of the downpipe and fabricating a scoop to direct air in and save hacking the valance up. Or potentially running 2 smaller coolers (standard g40 size?).

As you say though, it'd really need to get it all together and measure up.

What sort of turbo manifold are you using Saf? I'm probably going to go custom, so should hopefully have some flexibility with positioning.

Would there be much of a disadvantage to placing the turbo to the left, maybe about where the g-charger would normally fit? I'm thinking the distance may affect turbo lag? Or would the additional distance be negligible?