3B Intercooler Install (w pics)

[dbryan]

Hey everyone,

Just finished my new intercooler install. This replaced my old supra one I had before, which was cracked beyond repair.
This new one I got off ebay, I cut it down a bit and welded 90 degree fittings on the end caps. It is an aftermarket supra IC with 2.5" and out. The tubing is 2.25", I got them off ebay as well and braised all fittings, as I dont have a TIG welder.

Rad moved 3" back and driver's side battery rotated 90 degrees, which required fabbing up a new box, and trimming the fan shroud.

Intercooler: $120, tubing including clamps $70, fittings $50.

Results: EGTs reduced about 300F post turbo, lag increased to about 3 seconds before full boost, which is fine with me. I turned up the fuel and boost and it feels about 30% quicker now. I can hold 5th up hills that required 4th and so on. Motor runs cooler as well. A great upgrade.

I still have to mount the pressure line to the intake manifold to get a post IC reading.

 

[dbryan]

Some more photos:

 

[mainlander]

Nice, and nice numbers too. That one looks like you could have mounted it just over the value cover and added a hood scoop.

One more thing to add to the list, sigh

 

[prado t]

Nice, and nice numbers too. That one looks like you could have mounted it just over the value cover and added a hood scoop.

One more thing to add to the list, sigh

An intercooler works way better in front of rad . If it were on top at slow speeds it acts like a heatsink. I know I have seen intake temps much higher than without an IC

Nice JOB on the IC

 

[mainlander]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, thanks.

 

[magnus_heydoc]

awesome..........

Nice clean looking set-up. Freaky job! I like the way it seems to fit in there nice and clean.
It looks like the inlet and outlet are on the same side. If I recall the original supra inlet and loutlets are on opposite sides.
Which set-up did you prefer? I have a couple old supra ICs and plan soon to turbo and intercool my 3B.

Also, which turbo did you go with and how much boost do you run typically?

 

[dbryan]

The early 90s supra factory intercooler has the inlet and outlet on the same side. I figured that the plumbing would be about the same length with both set ups, so I went with same side. Plus this only required moving one of the battery boxes.

I have been running an old school AXT, Air Research turbo, which has a smaller turbine housing than the new ones. 10 years and still going strong.

I cant give you an accurate PSI reading yet as my reading is taken pre intercooler. But as it is; 14psi. I am still breaking in the new motor so I dont want to push it too hard, yet.

I plan on running an electric pusher fan in front of the IC (still with the flex a lite on the motor) because my Hella 4000s will obstruct airflow one installed (not in pic) This should help with low speed situations too.

 

[andrea-PE-ITALY]

how many RPM are necessary to have the turbo working pressure? i think 3secs on turbolag are a lot of RPM.
I gained 600RPM down from standard engine with intercooler on top of engine.

 

[crushers]

depends on the design of the hood scoop...

also at slow speeds how much boost are you creating in a Land Cruiser?

design the scoop to gather more air than the IC needs this forces air through the IC at the slower speeds.

poor design could deffinately end up with a heat sink.

i am not opposed to the front mounted IC but they are prone to more damage, they block the cooling system and they require more plumbing to install.

in the end it is each to their own. i use what works for me...

An intercooler works way better in front of rad . If it were on top at slow speeds it acts like a heatsink. I know I have seen intake temps much higher than without an IC

Nice JOB on the IC

 

[Tapage]

Nice job .. at least with a top mounted intercooler you can add a ice bag over it ..

 

[dbryan]

e load than

andrea-PE-ITALY: Boost has more to do with engine load than RPM. That being said, my max boost can come as early as 2500 RPM depending on the steepness of the hill I am climbing.

In my opinion, a top mount IC is way more work.

I have put about 4000km on the new setup. I can hold fifth gear, 100km/hr all the way up the connector from Kelowna (for those who live in BC). which is a huge improvement over bogging down in fourth. Everything is cooler, lower EGTs, lower engine temps. My gas milage dropped a bit probably due to the 1/2 turn up on the fuel adjustment. (and my heavier right foot.) I have a small leak somwhere I have to find, but other than that I am super, super impressed.

 

[crushers]

if it makes a person nervous to cut a hole in the hood then i agree the top mount is more work...

but i have found the top mount 'actuall intercooler' itself install to be easy... the front mount is a pain on some models...

not saying you are wrong, just a different view...

 

[mainlander]

dbryan, I just came back from Kelona (Westbank really) and that climb is now awesome with my turbo installed. I held 90km/hr without an IC (4th gear though, which is fine with me).

What gearing are you running? 4.11 would allow for 5th gear pulling up that hill, but I would suspect 3.73 would not.

It's amazing what adding a turbo will do for these 3B engines, and of course now I want to add an IC so I can turn up the fuel more and shorten my wastegate arm to increase boost some more.

When I add my IC (look at that, WHEN, HA) I want to mount it over the valve cover. I'm not to worried about it being a heat sink as when wheeling, I really don't need any more power than a NA 3B would offer anyway and I'm not concerned about needing much if any boost. But highway speeds is where I want more power (climbing those hills from the Lower Mainland to my favourite fishing holes) and as Wayne mentioned, having the IC infront of the rad has potential for damage as well as the fact that there are longer piping required which will create more friction which can cause slightly more pressure drop.

One interesting note though. Adding the intercooler shouldn't effect the engine temperature (as in water/coolant temp). The IC will only effect the inlet air temperature which as I understand doesn't directly relate to the water/coolant temp at all.

Anyway, looks like your numbers are great and really help boost the power in your truck, that's what counts. Right on!

 

[dbryan]

Mainlander:

From my understanding air intake temperature is related to engine temperature. My temp. gauge stopped working shortly after the install, but it did run cooler.

I was running 35s with 4.11s but also am running marks under/under transfercase gearing which lowers the ratio another 8%or so.

Now with my new 37s and steel beadlocks, most of the power gains achieved with the IC are lost. I am sure glad I did it though. With the new tire size I can only hold 85Km/hr in fourth up the connector. But she is built for the trails!

 

[Volcano cruiser]

if it makes a person nervous to cut a hole in the hood then i agree the top mount is more work...

but i have found the top mount 'actuall intercooler' itself install to be easy... the front mount is a pain on some models...

not saying you are wrong, just a different view...

dbryan, great install, really nice clean work. If it is ok, I have a IC placement question for you guys.

Crusher I have been curious about this front v. top mount IC question. The pros of front mounting seem to be direct access to cool forced air and few mods to the body. The cons are prone to trail damage and more plumbing. The pros to top mounting are space saver in sometimes crowded front with rad and a/c condenser sitting there already, and less prone to trail damage. Cons possibly less efficient depending on if it can get direct access to cool forced air. Now I doubt most guys with 40's are cutting head scoops in their hoods. Have you done IC top mounts in 40's and if so how do you get it air, make a scoop around the cowl vent perhaps? I already have my a/c condenser in front of the rad, if I add a front mounted IC will I have to go with dual electrical fans to pull air through everything else to the rad? Last , have either you or dbryan ever installed one hot rod style in a 40, that is lower almost below the rad, like in BMW's and the japanese street racers. I could see putting it behind those two big cut outs in the lower front bib, that way, the IC isn't restricting the airflow to the a/c and rad. Slung low means that your winch and fogs don't restrict airflow to the IC and with a 4" lift and the lower bib structure and maybe some mesh grating to protect it not too much trail damage. I'd really like to hear from you guys as the factory IC on a 15B MAY not fit in my 40 and folks suggested the 3B IC to me this morning as an alternative. If this is a high jack sorry drek but it seemed on the 3B IC install topic.
Thanks.

 

[crushers]

i have done the 60 series and the 70 series and am in the process of an intercooler install into a HZJ40. we are using a fiberglass replacement hood. the customer does not want a scoop on the top so we are running the ducting under the hood itself from the front of the hood back.
we are custom making the scoop with an additional hole similar shape as the original... how can i describe this? above the rad (kinda oval)... this is where the air will be picked up, a false bottom to the hood will direct the air back to the intercooler that is mounted roughly 3" from the firewall and centered on the engine.
this way, unless you look at the truck from the front and KNOW what a 40 series hood is suppose to look like, you will not be able to tell there is an intercooler mounted.

to do a top mount scoop is a no brainer on a 40. custom out of aluminum, wider at the front and about 2" tall. done.

 

[bagh33ra]

i have done the 60 series and the 70 series and am in the process of an intercooler install into a HZJ40. we are using a fiberglass replacement hood. the customer does not want a scoop on the top so we are running the ducting under the hood itself from the front of the hood back.
we are custom making the scoop with an additional hole similar shape as the original... how can i describe this? above the rad (kinda oval)... this is where the air will be picked up, a false bottom to the hood will direct the air back to the intercooler that is mounted roughly 3" from the firewall and centered on the engine.
this way, unless you look at the truck from the front and KNOW what a 40 series hood is suppose to look like, you will not be able to tell there is an intercooler mounted.

to do a top mount scoop is a no brainer on a 40. custom out of aluminum, wider at the front and about 2" tall. done.

pics? Particularly of the hzj40 install?

 

[crushers]

okay...

 

[RufusTheDufus]

I like the oil pressure sender on the turbo. I may do that to mine.

 

[crushers]

i run the factory sender at the T on the block and the aftermarket on the turbo. this gives me a reading at both ends just in case...