It's 63mm inlet and outlet ( ideally you need 57mm )
its only a 57mm thick core ( you need 65mm to match the oem cooler )
its 520 core length ( the oem is 550mm )
and it's expensive compared to the ones everyone is using
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Universal intercooler, the guide.
- Thread starter turboboy
- Start date
It's 63mm inlet and outlet ( ideally you need 57mm )
its only a 57mm thick core ( you need 65mm to match the oem cooler )
its 520 core length ( the oem is 550mm )
and it's expensive compared to the ones everyone is using
If you think you can make it fit - go for it
All we can do here is tell you what has worked.
You have every right to ignore it and do your own thing.
the length of the fmic is the same as the OEM but the height of it is bigger aftermarket fmic
do you have to take your headlights out for this??
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Well, as I have not removed the bumper yet I was just asking if there is enough space to fit a 300mm tall IC. Nothing else.
Head lights need to come out. If you actually read the guide its says this inc how many bolts there is to remove them...
People remember, this thread is a guide, the 1st posts are a really in depth guide of what needs removing and how all with step by step pictures. A list of what you need to buy is on there also, follow the guide and you can't go wrong.
People remember, this thread is a guide, the 1st posts are a really in depth guide of what needs removing and how all with step by step pictures. A list of what you need to buy is on there also, follow the guide and you can't go wrong.
Hey, great guide!
I'm quite interested in doing this, and all for the DIY approach, but I did mention it during a visit to a well respected tuner.
They said that more than just the physical size of the intercooler, the efficiency and pressure drop across it were the more important matters and that even on a larger intercooler, this could be worse with a poorly designed core.
Obviously this isn't all that easy for us to measure, but has anyone done any back to back testing or the like with the larger universal cooler?
I'm quite interested in doing this, and all for the DIY approach, but I did mention it during a visit to a well respected tuner.
They said that more than just the physical size of the intercooler, the efficiency and pressure drop across it were the more important matters and that even on a larger intercooler, this could be worse with a poorly designed core.
Obviously this isn't all that easy for us to measure, but has anyone done any back to back testing or the like with the larger universal cooler?
Now there is a surprise.
The so called specialists telling you that anything you fit yourself will be inferior to what they fit.
Take a close look at the intercoolers branded by the likes of REVO, Turbo technics and others - then compare them against the unbranded intercoolers that we are buying to do this job.
A reasonable indication of flow capability is the quoted hp that they say an intercooler will support - The ones we are using are rated at 500hp.
Most of us will be lucky to push half of that ( 250hp would be real nice in the Ibiza ) - so the intercooler is only working at around 50% capability.
Air to Air intercoolers working at less than 60% load are very efficient ( I work in compressed air indistry ) so the coolers we are fitting will be every bit as good as some of the claimed "specialist" units
That's fair enough.
Having a search on some other forums where testing has been carried out it seems a good universal intercooler gives just as good a temperature drop as some of the much more expensive branded ones.
However, its always good to see solid figures.
I would always take what the tuner says with a big dose of salt too, though their comments on efficiency and pressure drop as the true measure of how good an intercooler is seem fair enough.
From using vagcom, I believe our cars have temperature gauges for the incoming air and charge air entering the engine.
Perhaps someone doing this project who also has vagcom/obd reader could log the temperature drop for the standard intercooler and then ebay intercooler.
And even better of course if there was a revo/forge/apr one to test too.
Having a search on some other forums where testing has been carried out it seems a good universal intercooler gives just as good a temperature drop as some of the much more expensive branded ones.
However, its always good to see solid figures.
I would always take what the tuner says with a big dose of salt too, though their comments on efficiency and pressure drop as the true measure of how good an intercooler is seem fair enough.
From using vagcom, I believe our cars have temperature gauges for the incoming air and charge air entering the engine.
Perhaps someone doing this project who also has vagcom/obd reader could log the temperature drop for the standard intercooler and then ebay intercooler.
And even better of course if there was a revo/forge/apr one to test too.
Sorry to keep harping on. Just i'm anal, and like science! 
This seems to be a comprehensive guide to intercoolers!
are.com.au/techtalk/intecoolersMR.htm
Looks like a well shaped and well made bar and plate type should work just as well as any others, ala the universal ones on ebay.
Has anyone (or is anyone willing) to take a photo of the inside of their univeral intercooler? Same goes for the standard one.
It would be nice to see how the core fins size and shape compare.
Does anyone know the maximum depth of intercooler we can fit? And the depth of the standard one?
Size being all important I note the very fancy APR one has about twice the volume in the core and more than twice the 'face' size - depth x height - than the standard one.
This seems to be a comprehensive guide to intercoolers!
are.com.au/techtalk/intecoolersMR.htm
Looks like a well shaped and well made bar and plate type should work just as well as any others, ala the universal ones on ebay.
Has anyone (or is anyone willing) to take a photo of the inside of their univeral intercooler? Same goes for the standard one.
It would be nice to see how the core fins size and shape compare.
Does anyone know the maximum depth of intercooler we can fit? And the depth of the standard one?
Size being all important
I note the very fancy APR one has about twice the volume in the core and more than twice the 'face' size - depth x height - than the standard one.
Sorry to keep harping on. Just i'm anal, and like science!
This seems to be a comprehensive guide to intercoolers!
are.com.au/techtalk/intecoolersMR.htm
Looks like a well shaped and well made bar and plate type should work just as well as any others, ala the universal ones on ebay.
Has anyone (or is anyone willing) to take a photo of the inside of their univeral intercooler? Same goes for the standard one.
It would be nice to see how the core fins size and shape compare.
Does anyone know the maximum depth of intercooler we can fit? And the depth of the standard one?
Size being all important
Why don't you read the complete thread ???
ALL the sizes and photographic comparisons are there for you to see.
I'm not looking for an argument, but to clarify, I'm talking about the intercooler for the 1.4 Twincharger which is presumably the biggest fitted to the car.
Pics of the intercooler internals is what I'm after.
And the maximum depth of intercooler that would fit. That isn't listed anywhere on this thread.
The APR one is 114mm deep - it'd be great if we could fit a similarly thick universal one.
Pics of the intercooler internals is what I'm after.
And the maximum depth of intercooler that would fit. That isn't listed anywhere on this thread.
The APR one is 114mm deep - it'd be great if we could fit a similarly thick universal one.
114mm THICK ? - that is almost twice as thick as the standard intercooler and would require some serious surgery to the support frame. Are you sure it is not 114mm TALL ?
As stated various times in the guide - The space available without major surgery will take the following size intercoolers :
65mm thick x 550mm long core x 140mm tall ( used by turboboy )
690mm overall length
OR
65mm thick x 55mm long core x 175mm tall ( used by fletchyFR )
690mm overall length
ALSO
Not tested but looking like it will fit is the even bigger unit
65mm thick x 550mm long core x 220mm tall ( untested and may be too close to bumper rail )
700mm overall length.
ALL need to have the 57mm ( 2.25" ) inlet & outlet
EDIT - Look here - http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showpost.php?p=4222808&postcount=57
I don't think you will get much bigger in there.
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Here is the difference to a standard one - http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showpost.php?p=4042374&postcount=48
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Thanks chap, that thread has some good info!
If we could fit the 550 x 220 x 65 intercooler that would be a good increase in size.
I found details of the Fabia IC on the VAGOC forum, showing it as 617 x 96 x 80.
Is the Cupra IC really only 65mm deep?
The very fancy APR intercooler is 114mm deep, and fits like OEM, on the fabia anyway.
If we could fit the 550 x 220 x 65 intercooler that would be a good increase in size.
I found details of the Fabia IC on the VAGOC forum, showing it as 617 x 96 x 80.
Is the Cupra IC really only 65mm deep?
The very fancy APR intercooler is 114mm deep, and fits like OEM, on the fabia anyway.
I found this very interesting ARES cooling technical page:
Going by that (and ignoring any difference in how well they flow):
Compared to the stock 617x96x80 (Fabia) IC,
The 550x65x180 ebay IC has a 'charge air window' size 52% larger than stock, and 35% more volume.
The 550x65x220 ebay IC has a 'charge air window' size 86% larger than stock, and 66% more volume.
The 533x114x162 APR IC has a charge air window 140% larger, and 108% more volume.
While those universal ebay IC's are bigger and hopefully give a good gain over stock, I think it would be safe to assume the very fancy APR one is the ultimate for our cars and probably sized very well too - its thicker rather than taller even though there is the room for more height.
I wonder if that configuration of intercooler is optimal for our cars and so I'd like to find a nice thick ebay IC to try.
Going by that (and ignoring any difference in how well they flow):
Compared to the stock 617x96x80 (Fabia) IC,
The 550x65x180 ebay IC has a 'charge air window' size 52% larger than stock, and 35% more volume.
The 550x65x220 ebay IC has a 'charge air window' size 86% larger than stock, and 66% more volume.
The 533x114x162 APR IC has a charge air window 140% larger, and 108% more volume.
While those universal ebay IC's are bigger and hopefully give a good gain over stock, I think it would be safe to assume the very fancy APR one is the ultimate for our cars and probably sized very well too - its thicker rather than taller even though there is the room for more height.
I wonder if that configuration of intercooler is optimal for our cars and so I'd like to find a nice thick ebay IC to try.
If you are going to use air to air cooler calcs - you need to work on core size not overall size.
The ebay coolers at 550 x 180 is a core size. I think you will find the fabia is an overall size ( not sure why a fabia VRS would have a different construction & cooler size to the A1 or POLO or Ibiza )
That is core size.
I've just measured mine and it is indeed 617 wide x 80 deep on the core. It looks 96 high too, though I couldn't directly measure that.
It looks like 180 is as high as you could go before hitting the crash bar, though it kinda looks like a thinnish intercooler would fit behind the crash bar? Mine is a facelift incase they are different.
The standard 80mm depth looks as deep as you can go without changing the plastic 'cradle' that the IC sits in. However, there is plenty of room in front of this, so I think you could go as deep as you like providing you're willing to modify the plastic.
The only thing about seeing the intercooler (and radiator) close up is spying the gravel between all the fins! :S
I've just measured mine and it is indeed 617 wide x 80 deep on the core. It looks 96 high too, though I couldn't directly measure that.
It looks like 180 is as high as you could go before hitting the crash bar, though it kinda looks like a thinnish intercooler would fit behind the crash bar? Mine is a facelift incase they are different.
The standard 80mm depth looks as deep as you can go without changing the plastic 'cradle' that the IC sits in. However, there is plenty of room in front of this, so I think you could go as deep as you like providing you're willing to modify the plastic.
The only thing about seeing the intercooler (and radiator) close up is spying the gravel between all the fins! :S
Had a go a fitting mine last night with the help of this guide, ended up about 5hrs all in. Its slightly different for a pre facelift but still usable. The hardest part was trying to get the rad mounted back on and triming the intercooler pipes. So took the car for a run this morning to test it and the existing passenger side pipe which was already on the car has popped off the metal joint. Raging so ill need to take the bumper back off to sort it. Note to self tighted the jubilee clips up till they are solid you dont want to do it twice. I'll upload pics soon.
Kenny - what are the main differences between the pre-facelift and the facelift when fitting the intercooler ?
What size cooler did you settle on ?
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