Intercooler kit for SC- gauging interest

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I don't think you'd have much luck finding anything pre-made. The one on the FJ is just for looks. It'd take a little metal-bending and some steel mesh to do, but it wouldn't be that difficult. The hardest part would be making the channel along the hood up to the IC. Since I'm not anywhere near my truck, I have no idea how much clearance there is up along the bottom of the hood, just kicking around ideas.
 
Atoyot1031 said:
Due to unforseen circumstances, I have a complete kit (IC, flange, and air diverter) sitting in my shop ready to ship for $900. Drop a PM if interested...
:cheers:
Nick
Click to expand...
PM sent on the kit for Doc_Random in Chandler.
More info on scoop alternatives, or installation updates from the first round buyers would be appreciated.
Is there any onther connection/bracing point other that the input and output hoses?
 
Nick,

Got the kit yesterday - thanks! Looks great.
I'm going to try to get some baseline heat data - air temp and water temp using ODBII data from ScanGauge. We're in a stretch of about 105'F highs in Chandler for the next bit, so hopefully I'll be able to quantify the difference.

I have to say my vehicle is running cooler since "the accident":mad:. It was totaled in December after a partial front end collision on the passenger side. Pictures attached (hopefully) of before, during, and after. The rebuild included ditching the ARB bull bar and lights and going with a Slee Short Bus front bumper. I firmly believe that the improved air flow from not having the obstructions in front of the radiator has helped it run cooler.

My set up today: 1997 LX450, 35" tires, 4.88 gears, TRD supercharger, 3" single cat exhaust, bumper and lights as described, 14" pusher fan on the passenger side of the rad with a thermostat switch (temp sensor on the backside of the radiator), ringed fan, stock blue Aisin fan clutch (no fluid mod yet), fan shroud in place, fender skirts in place, Toyota red coolant, 70/30 water/coolant, with CRC EngineKool (added recently - seems to help a bit). It was throughly flushed during rebuild and has new belts and hoses. Snorkel. 3"-4" OME lift (higher in back). Slee sliders, rear tire carrier. Third row seats out, but 200 lbs. of crap in the back at all times. No roof rack (it could matter . . .). I had reflective tape on the air filter can before, but have not yet done that on the rebuilt one.

Any other attributes to track?

Freeway, stop and go, surface streets and still haven't seen over 205'F water temp in the past two weeks. A/C is blowing snow like it never was before - very cold. I'll try to get a temperature reading on it with an instant read thermometer or IR gun.

Had a '93-'94 thicker 3-core brass radiator vs. the narrower 2-core that was stock for '95-'97. That was before the accident. Now I am between, with a thicker 2-core after-market aluminum.

I'd like to push the water temp with a controlled route - something like a 15 minute "soak" at cruise controlled 65MPH, then go to 75MPH fwy for 10 minutes, then idle for 5 minutes, then fast acceleration - something repeatable that shows a spike in air intake temp and water temp that could be compared with the IC, scoop, MAF etc.

The mods in hand but not installed are the intercooler and LandTanks MAF/new flow sensor. Need to figure out what hood scoop to go with as well. The Isuzu fiberglass ones look good - need to get something that is large enough to reach the higher pressure zone towards the front of the hood. WRX scoops look cool, but may not be deep enough to get good flow.

Any inputs on hot to run trials and take data will be read - but no guarantees on the "DOE" - design of experiment. I'm sure multiple round trips to Las Vegas from 2:00 pm to 4:00pm though the summer would be great data - but inconvenient.
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I actually just got home from deployment yesterday, and the IC was there waiting for me. Looking to install it this week, I'll let you know how it goes.
 
Yep, Got it done on Saturday. Very nice setup considering the space available. Install was fairly painless...I had to extend a few vacuum lines and move a couple things outta the way but it's an easy job. I'm going to try and provide air from the front of the hood vice a scoop, sorta like the setup on the new FJ, but less fancy. It looks doable with some sheetmetal work, but I'm still taking measurements.
[URL="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg540/tenni128/ICinstall4.jpg"][URL="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg540/tenni128/ICinstall4.jpg"][/URL][/URL]
[URL="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg540/tenni128/ICinstall3.jpg"][/URL]

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg540/tenni128/ICinstall1.jpg
I don't have any data on it yet, since without any airflow it's probably not doing much worth measuring. It does help just being there enough to where the slight pinging I was getting at the upper end of the RPM range under full throttle has gone away, but that could be better gas, cooler temps, whatever. It has to work better just by being there than the stock TRD setup. I'll man up and start cutting the hood after I finish installing the new seat leather on the drivers side. Did the passenger side first, and that leather is freaking beautiful BTW.:)
 
Looks good! I can't wait to see what you do with the hood.

When I got the first IC in hand, I told the manufacturer that staring at those welds is almost worth the price of admission IMHO. Those pictures remind me of that.

FYI, I've been working on a boat project this summer. The last couple camping trips, my wife is driving the LC pulling the camper, and I'm driving my '07 F-250 work truck (V8) pulling a little 17' open bow fish/ski. She can pull away from me fairly easy in the 80 going up the high mountain hills, and that camper maybe small, but it definitely ain't lightweight!
 
Nice work on this project Nick.

You wouldnt happen to have a price on a stand alone intercooler would you?
 
Tenni126 said:
Yep, Got it done on Saturday. Very nice setup considering the space available. Install was fairly painless...I had to extend a few vacuum lines and move a couple things outta the way but it's an easy job. I'm going to try and provide air from the front of the hood vice a scoop, sorta like the setup on the new FJ, but less fancy. It looks doable with some sheetmetal work, but I'm still taking measurements.
[URL="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg540/tenni128/ICinstall4.jpg"][URL="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg540/tenni128/ICinstall4.jpg"][/URL][/URL]
[URL="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg540/tenni128/ICinstall3.jpg"][/URL]

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg540/tenni128/ICinstall1.jpg
I don't have any data on it yet, since without any airflow it's probably not doing much worth measuring. It does help just being there enough to where the slight pinging I was getting at the upper end of the RPM range under full throttle has gone away, but that could be better gas, cooler temps, whatever. It has to work better just by being there than the stock TRD setup. I'll man up and start cutting the hood after I finish installing the new seat leather on the drivers side. Did the passenger side first, and that leather is freaking beautiful BTW.:)
Click to expand...
any updates?
 
No updates on the IC yet. Still trying to noodle my way through options on how to get air to it. There's less than 1" between the radiator and the hood, so that's a sticking point with my FJ style idea. Since I want something as discreet/factory looking as possible, I'm also looking at maybe sectioning in the scoop from a Tacoma. More to come, but I got lots o' projects and little time.
 
Nick,

Can you post the exact dimensions of the diverter?
I am away from home and my intercooler kit and I can not take measurements.

I have access to a HiLux pickup with the scoop that CycloSteve posted about and I want to see if it will work for your IC.

Thanks!
 
I am in!

Tenni126 said:
No updates on the IC yet. Still trying to noodle my way through options on how to get air to it. There's less than 1" between the radiator and the hood, so that's a sticking point with my FJ style idea. Since I want something as discreet/factory looking as possible, I'm also looking at maybe sectioning in the scoop from a Tacoma. More to come, but I got lots o' projects and little time.
Click to expand...

I need to subscribe to this. Very interested. I would prefer to go air to water though. When we starting making big horsepower with our subies, the difference in the charged air temp with the air to water I/C was huge. That and I can't bring myself to cut my hood.:crybaby:

Jeff
 
The diverter fit is snug. I cut the hood braces so I could just tap it in with a rubber mallet from the right (drivers side). Note the bent up corners. After I placed it, I bent the corners back down and riveted it in through the hood braces. It has six rivets to all of the adjacent hood braces and is in there solid. Zero hood flex.

As for the WRX scoop, I kept the outboard screw attachment tabs and used those to attach to hood. All the other attachment were Dremel'd off & sanded flush since they extended below the bottom of the scoop. In addition, I used 3M VHT double side tape around the entire perimeter for a nice secure attachment, per Nicks recommendation. A little silicon caulk makes for a nice clean look around the edges. The hood scoop does not obstruct vision at all. When sitting in the drive seat, the entire hood leading edge is visible.
 
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