I finally got a chance to install the intercooler this past weekend. Weighing in at about 11 lbs, the intercooler is pretty light. Unfortunately, that extra weight is sitting at the front nose of the car. At least the deletion of the AC condenser helps with some of the weight difference. I plan on getting the car weighed soon to determine how my car compares with the stock AE92 sedan.
In order to install the intercooler, I had to make space for it. I took the FX16 oil cooler that I had installed and relocated it to the right side of the radiator. Using some 1" aluminum stock, I fabricated a bracket for the oil cooler to make it sit closer to the radiator. By doing this, the resulting area between the bumper and the radiator was increased.
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I took some measurements to see how large of an intercooler I could actually fit in the opening. Adding in some room for error, I estimated that I could fit an intercooler that was 18" wide x 10" high x 3" thick, with the inlet and outlet on either end. I quickly sketched that up and faxed it to Johnny Wang at Spearco. Based on the dimensions and engine parameters that I had provided, Spearco recommended using Core #2-192, assembly #2-242. The dimensions of this unit were 17.4" wide x 9.5" x 3.5" thick. I was a little unsure whether an intercooler 3.5" thick would be able to fit, so before spending a boatload of cash on a custom job, I decided that the best thing would be to mock up the same size using cardboard.
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Not bad, eh? With a little finesse, the intercooler fit perfectly in the opening. Using the cardboard IC, I also determined that I needed to have a bracket welded to the top to allow the IC to be mounted securely. After faxing the revised sketch back to Spearco, I actually received it 3 days later! As you can see from the pictures, the quality of the welds is top notch. The 2" O.D. inlet/outlets also have machined lips on them to keep the hoses from blowing off under high boost. Overall, I am impressed.
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To mount and install the beast, I carefully drilled 2 holes into the top flange, and using the aluminum stock again, cut a few strips to essentially hang the IC in place. This unfortunately required removing the OEM hood release, as the IC gets in the way of the hood release, and the associated mounting holes are actually in the perfect location for the new mounting straps. Out goes the latch, in goes the intercooler!
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As you can see, the IC is perfectly at home in its new environment. Now, go on to Page 2 to read about and see the intercooler piping!
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