Slow R33 Intercooler Install (in Progress)

[Birnie]

Hey guys,

Yes, another thread on intercooler installs.

There's a few around with slightly different attatchments.

I'm going to add a few pics and prices as i go along but be patient.

Week 1

Removed front bar....

Looked at it for a day or two.

Finally bought a grinder and got stuck into it. Also rust proofed the cut.

No pics for now but next time i take it off I'll grab a snap and post it up.

Week 2

Decided to go with Lazy-Bastards attachment method. (after changing my mind 100+ times)

No welding required and if a brick does go thru the cooler at some stage, it will be a 4 screw swapout

Here's some cost involved :

Cooler - $300 (bought over a year ago, hense the inflated price)

Pipes - $240 (ebay job, look good though, very light and nice bends)

Black paint - $12 (rust proofing, very useful)

15mm square support bar (see lazy-bastad pic) - $12

Replacement, under supports - $3 (supplied ones bend under cooler weight)

90 degree bracket - $3 (bunnings)

Longer bolts - $4 (for extra room the square pipe uses, bunnings)

Angle Grinder with cutting blade - $43 (can you count this? now a permanent part of the ever growing tool collection)

3" metal hole saw blade $44 !!!! (Freeegan hell)

obar? Adaptor $53 !!! (double freegan hell)

(if i can find someone with the above i might borrow theirs and return the rest.....$100 to cut 1 hole ! Sheetten bricks)

Anyways, to come:

Will spray the support bar a nice colour.

Currently coated in rust proofing black...and drying

A nice shiny silver to match the cooler might be the trick.

Get back under and screw it all in.

Might even do that without adding the pipes (covering the ends of course)

Just so i can see some actual progress on the car.

Gotta drill the hole yet, and rust proof it.

Fit the pipes

Also, the top pipe that goes across the fan doesn't have the support bar to screw into the engine support. Gotta get one of those welded on i guess.

So plenty to do and I'm a slow worker.

Good luck to me !

Oh, by the way. I doubt it's a TRUST cooler.

Was advertised that way when i bought it off ebay.

Was about $20-$30 more expensive than the hybrid copies but i thought it was worth the extra, even if not real.

Looks cool so who cares.

[RANDY]

Well good luck with it!

I don't have a lot of experience with coolers, but it looks like a genuine Trust? Is that the logo laser-etched into the top?

Also, could I get in contact with you regarding the location of the bolts/screws to remove a front bar?

[Birnie]

The painted black bracket on the cooler

(Heaps of progess since last post hey?)

By the way, I'm going thru the engine wall and over the fan blades.

The only bit i pinched from Lazy-Bastard was the attatchment method,

not the pipe set up

[Ganador]

installing a fmic for my mates r33 so far the cooler has cost $150 mega cheap brand new. piping $130 and silicon hoses all up $62. got conections plus im a S/S fabricator so made it end up cheap.

[LatinR33]

just wondering why didnt you get custom piping which is like the pic you have there which uses the standard intercooler route. It would have saved you some time and you dont have to cut any holes or anything like that. A guy i know bought a hybrid fmic and the piping was like the blitz lm piping which just follows the factory piping. would have been a bit easier.

[Birnie]

I bought some Stainless Steel 90degree bends but the stuffing around with cutting to fit, getting all the right bits and such really was a pain. Also, some people have reported pipes flying off as the pipes don't have any lips to prevent them coming off.

The pipes i bought 'should' already be bent into the right spots so hopefully it just bolts up....and it's UNBELEIVABLY light. The stainless steal is prettty weighty.

Also the return pipe won't go back under so I'll have a little bit better height clearance.

[Ganador]

I bought some Stainless Steel 90degree bends but the stuffing around with cutting to fit, getting all the right bits and such really was a pain. Also, some people have reported pipes flying off as the pipes don't have any lips to prevent them coming off.

The pipes i bought 'should' already be bent into the right spots so hopefully it just bolts up....and it's UNBELEIVABLY light. The stainless steal is prettty weighty.

Also the return pipe won't go back under so I'll have a little bit better height clearance.

yeah with the piping coming off just run a weld around the ends so it creates a lip. i do tig welding at work so it helps to have the right tools and stuff.

[Birnie]

OK

Holes are drilled

Old piping is off.

Front bar is cut, metal and plastic.

Nearly there!

Used the old chicken cutters from the kitchen to cut the fan blades...hehe

Here's some pics.....

[GTAAAH]

very nice, i have a question, why do most people make up a mounting bar for it instead of just bolting it into the top of the front bar?

Advantages? i cant weld for crap

[Birnie]

I didn't want to mount it the front bar directly 'cause then you lose 2 more clip holes to hold the front bar on.

I've seen a few bolted straight to the front, and that's what the Hybrid instructions suggest to do.

You're right about the welding.

I don't know how nor do i have the tools.

So either method, mine shown above or bolt straight to the front bar, doesn't need welding.

[Birnie]

It's in!

Not quite level which I'm a bit peeved about but I'll look into that later.

And the cheapo kit doesn't have the bracket to keep the top pipe from hitting the fans (bolts to the engine with 2 botls) Need to do something there but it's not touching yet.

Haven't taken it for a drive but it does start...(thank god for that)

Woohoo!

[DanR33 S2]

Thanks Birnie,

Ive been in the same crap position of having to put the thing in should be sweet now. Bit more confident in knowing where to cut. Good job on the photos !!

[DanR33 S2]

Oh birnie, Where did u get that bar that mounts the cooler to that thing that holds the grill?....i didnt get one in my justjap kit.

Cheers mate

[217/r33]

Didnt read something in full soz... But good job mate

Edited June 26, 2006 by 217/r33

[Birnie]

Oh birnie, Where did u get that bar that mounts the cooler to that thing that holds the grill?....i didnt get one in my justjap kit.

Cheers mate

The 'L' shaped bracket i got from Bunnings.

The square-tubed metal bar i got from the local metal shop.

I think it was 25mm square and just bought a metre and cut to size with a hacksaw at home.

Painted it black with rust proof paint and that was it.

Also, the hole drilled in the middle of the black bar isn't exactly in the middle.

Careful how you line it up.

I put the cooler on some bricks n stuff to get it to the right height, centre it up using the headlights as guides and then penciled in the spot to drill.

[DanR33 S2]

thanks mate will hit bunning tomorrow for some brackets im gonna mount mine to the metal bumber part i think looks easier

[MMM]

good pics and info well done.. im currently doing this as well when taking the front bar off did u take it off with intrusion bar all in tact with the front bar then removed those 2 clips once all out cause atm im having heaps of trouble removing those last 2 clips that go threw intrsion bar onto the front bar...

also do u have a picture of the other side when u cut the hole

http://image-cache.skylinesaustralia.com/f...-1147993174.jpg

just the other side of that pic would also be great

thanx heaps

[Birnie]

That's exactly what i did

Removed both pieces intact as you said and then removed those last clips.

The other side of that hole is already posted

In my post of 6 pics, it's the 2nd pic listed.

[Birnie]

....also, to get the exact position of that hole,

1) i fixed the FMIC where i wanted it

2) attatched the pipe temporarily with the silicon hose (without bothering with the metal clips)

3) Used it like that as a compass, just like the highschool days, to get the approx x/y co-ordinate.

4) used a piece of chalk and drew a free-hand circle around the pipe giving a spot to aim for.

5) used the tiniest drill bit i had and drilled thru the centre of the chalked circel and made sure i was high/low enough looking from inside the engine bay at the hole just made.

[MMM]

oh mate ur wicked!!! hahaha

yeah i got the bar off should be all rosey from here now

also 1 other thing the brackets that go underneath the cooler they dont seem to line up with the bolts underneath the car.. well not perfect anyways did u just angle them into the holes?