Universal intercooler, the guide.

[kenny_fr]

There's 6 more t20 screws under the bumper 4 in the very middle holding up the under tray and another 2 which are up in small recesses at the bottom corner of each bumper side. You can't really miss them. Can't remember anything else if I'm honest as I finished it at 1 this morning hense the mistake of not tightening the jubilee enough. Oh and its Deco a 2 man job, trying to align the ran and bumper on your own won't be easy. I ended up just settling for a 550x140x65 toyosports one. Will use my Bluetooth obd reader at some point to see if its made much of a difference.

 

[turboboy]

Let us know your results

 

[DEAN0]

Let us know your results

Yep - will be interesting to see if a difference can be measured.

On a side note - Turboboy - did you measure the core size of the OEM intercooler you removed ?

 

[Ahl]

I've been looking up intercooler sizing out of curiosity. Its hard to find good information, however this seems to ring true:

taken from a total vauxhall mag ,

the idea is to stay close to this number if you can , go a lot smaller and loose power and thermal efficiency go a lot bigger and loose power and turbo efficiency . so if you car only makes 400bhp dont try and fit a 600bhp cooler dou !!

as a rule of thumb you will need

3-litres of volume per 100 bhp = 3L

a cross section of 50cm squared per 100bhp .. hight x depth = 50cm2

I did do a whole load of calculation before I found this, working out the likely CFM required by the engine (roughly 300 CFM for a stage 1 1.4 twincharger) and comparing to this to Bell Intercoolers core sizing charts. But it almostly directly corresponds with the much simpler calculation above..

Basically the 550x180x65mm intercooler should be exactly right for a stage 1 car, allowing 215 or 237hp if you do the calc.

Hopefully thats about right and not glaringly wrong?
Going by all that, the standard one is only good for about 150hp, I guess why it heatsoaks so easily on tuned cars. The APR one would allow for 360hp or so, which seems a bit excessive?

 

[Ahl]

This is interesting, and perhaps explains why APR's cooler is so thick - just to give it adequate performance while still fitting like OE?

..for a given required charge airflow capacity through the core, air-cooled intercoolers achieve higher thermal efficiency when they are built with the largest possible frontal area and a thin core. In the real world, the rear half of an air-cooled core delivers only about 25 percent of the cooling. The extra inch of a 3-inch-thick core increases cooling only about 10-15 percent about that of a 2-inch core.

 

[DEAN0]

This is interesting, and perhaps explains why APR's cooler is so thick - just to give it adequate performance while still fitting like OE?

Any chance you work for APR or are you just trolling this thread for the fun of it ??

 

[Ahl]

Honestly, what?
I'm trying to help with regards to getting the sizing right, on the DIY, cheap, ebay intercoolers. Nothing wrong with comparing them and trying to get one close to the very fancy £800 ones.

I know I go on, but I think what I've posted about the sizing is helpful to everyone. Why are you trying to insult or start an argument?

 

[DEAN0]

Honestly, what?
I'm trying to help with regards to getting the sizing right, on the DIY, cheap, ebay intercoolers. Nothing wrong with comparing them and trying to get one close to the very fancy £800 ones.

I know I go on, but I think what I've posted about the sizing is helpful to everyone. Why are you trying to insult or start an argument?

This is a GUIDE - well written by Turboboy - about how to fit a cheap universal intercooler to a mk5 ibiza.

If you wish to discuss with the world the ins and outs of much more expensive coolers - you have every right to start your own dedicated thread.

 

[turboboy]

Ahi just go buy a APR cooler. I really think your missing the point of this and looking into it too much, tbh I don't think people are that interested in your calculations.

 

[turboboy]

And thanks Deano

 

[CraigFrTsi]

To be fair it's guide showing a £100 intercooler works so it save me spending £800 on a branded one when a DIY ebay kit will work just as well, but each to their own

 

[turboboy]

And anyone about to buy a 250 eBay kit you can save 150 quid.

For 100 quid you can't go wrong, there are many more restrictions before the intercooler becomes one

 

[Connorcupra94]

got told to look at this earlier and this is very helpful, great guide.

think im going to go for one which is 550x180x65 it also includes elbows in the price (£95) so just need the clamps, im putting it on a cupra so results could be different. il see if i can get a rolling road of before and after aswell if not then after ive got the full milltek system and revo stage 1 il post up what its running.

 

[turboboy]

Ok guys, need to add a little warning to this. My intercooler has robbed a hole in my air on condenser, if you have done this I suggest you check yours and maybe add a top braket.

 

[DEAN0]

Ok guys, need to add a little warning to this. My intercooler has robbed a hole in my air on condenser, if you have done this I suggest you check yours and maybe add a top braket.

Any pics of where it has touched and rubbed through ?

Perhaps it just needs some sort of block on the bottom so the cooler stays flat on the support.

 

[turboboy]

I had 5-10mm gap when I done it but somehow its found its way to rest on it.

 

[kenny_fr]

What made you check it? Mine was pretty tight when it was built back up with maybe a 5mm gap if your lucky. But there's no way I'm taking my bumper back off again, its a pig to get all aligned up. Id rather sell up, or let someone else do it as its been on and off about 8 times now trying to fit exhaust wrap.

If I remember right is it not tighter at the drivers side due to the shape / position of the cradle? I might try and wedge something between them so this doesn't happen if it hasn't already.

 

[turboboy]

Getting the bumper off is 15mins tops mate. I tried using my zircon and it wasnt working, tested to see if there was pressure in the system and it was flat, looked around and could see it was touching through the grill, wipped the bumper off and could see it was damaged

 

[kenny_fr]

Agreed its easy to get off but not the easiest to put back on and align up with all the clips etc. So are you getting a replacement rad then? What are you doing to fix it, are you adding in a top bracket to fix onto the crash bar?

 

[DEAN0]

Agreed its easy to get off but not the easiest to put back on and align up with all the clips etc. So are you getting a replacement rad then? What are you doing to fix it, are you adding in a top bracket to fix onto the crash bar?

I wouldn't add a bracket to the bumper strengthening bar.

If you end up having a minor accident - the bracket attached to the bumper strengthening bar will push the cooler straight through the ac condenser and cause much more damage.

Perhaps a couple of straps from the top of the intercooler down to the front of the support frame to hold the cooler steady.

Looks like there are OEM ac condensers on fleabay for around £100. Not sure what the price will be from SEAT.