R34 Gtt Fmic With No Bodywork Cutting

[ob1]

I'm looking for modest power gains from a a highflow turbo and wanted to install a return flow FMIC, but absolutely didn't want to cut any reo or bumper. I have the factory Nismo bodykit, which looked to me like it left HEAPs of room for a FMIC, so long as you found the right size/shape. I felt the off-the-shelf kits were all going to be too big and involve at least some cutting, so i went down the path of customising the fitting and piping to suit a specific cooler. Additionally, i have been reading about the flow benefits from using a vertical flow intercooler with a short/fat air pathway so i trawled the net for a not-too-big, not-too-expensive vertical flow to suit. Some of the items that were close, but not quite right - either for size or price:

http://www.cxracing.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CXR&Product_Code=IC0005&Category_Code=IC30CO

http://www.cxracing.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CXR&Product_Code=IC0002-A&Category_Code=IC30CO

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/464x154x90mm-Intercooler-Core-/380512779982#ht_2022wt_1139

http://www.treadstoneperformance.com/product.phtml?p=33&cat_key=63&prodname=TRV185++Series+Intercooler++720HP

http://turboaddictionparts.com/catalog/18-x-6-x-2-75-intercooler-2-5-inlet-and-outlet.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CXRacing-25-5x13x3-5-Turbo-FMIC-Intercooler-3-Inlet-Outlet-Ford-Mustang-/330666349041?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item4cfd4011f1

but what i ended up with:

Frozen Boost vertical flow

Core size: 18.25"x6"x3.5" = ~6.3ltrs core volume (compared to ~3.8 for stock SMIC)

Here's the process i went through to get that cooler to fit.

1. take off the bumper and remove the SMIC.

2. What i realised early on is that the horns and the radiator fan are the only 2 things intruding on a big empty space begind the front bar. With these out of the way, there is a HEAP of space:

3. Made some new horn brackets to bend them back out of the way:

4. I picked up a slimline 10" thermo fan on special from Supercheap to replace the much thicker stock one. Given that the electric fan is really just a backup fan and rarely comes on, i didnt need anything massive as a replacement. The connection to the stock loom was via a generic waterproof 2-wire plug/socket from Jaycar (circled). Just snip the old connector off and keep it with the old fan, then crimp on the new connector, making sure the polarity is correct so the fan spins the right way . The brackets for the new fan look a little dodgy (i might paint them black to make them less obvious), but they are strong enough. The brackets use the same hole and bolt as the stock fan.

5. With the horns moved and new fan, there is still plenty of room:

6. Test fit with a cardboard cutout before buying the intercooler. The dimensions on the website, along with the pictures allowed me to get the outline very close before ever laying hands on it. The key to this intercooler's size is that it's not too long (no reo cutting) and thicker than most kits (good flow/cooling).

7. Once i was sure the cooler would fit, i went ahead and ordered it and an assortment of pipe pieces, silicone joints and t-clamps to suit (all from the same place). I basically just hung the cooler from the crossbar and reo using rope and wire to test fit it, then made some aluminium brackets for it. The top bracket runs the whole way across the intercooler space. It bolts onto the body at either end and to the cooler at 2 points in the middle. I had to pick up some bolts (m8?) and washers, since none came with the cooler. Bracket was made from 40x3mm aluminium bar and was just cut, drilled and bent in a vice with hand tools.

8. the third point of attachment was a bracket for the bottom of the cooler that goes to one of the bottom bolt holes left by the old radiator fan. This is the bracket, but i dont have a pic of where it bolts to:

9. Once the cooler was 100% in place with the final brackets, i worked on the pipe routing. I had a rough idea in my mind which way the pipes would run, although it ended up being quite different Having a mixture of pipe and silicone bend angles made it easy to get the optimum pipe run. Here's some pipe test fitting so i could visualise before cutting:

10. pipe had to be cut to size with just a hacksaw. I used a piece of snug fitting PVC as a template to draw a neat circle around the pipe. Once the pieces were cut, they got the rough edges filed down, then a good rinse through with water to remove any filings.

11. here's the finished pipe run. In the end, the pieces that were required were 1. 60deg silicone 2. 90deg pipe 3. 90deg silicone 4. straight pipe going up to the stock rubber joint 5. straight silicone 6. 45deg pipe 7. 45deg silicone 8. 90deg pipe 9. 90deg silicone instead of the stock ~80deg rubber joint. 10. the bottom cooler bracket.

I haven't had any of the pipe joints beaded yet, but they have no problem holding onto stock boost levels as they are. I may need to bead them after getting the high flow done.

12. all nice and neat behind the bumper:

13. and even the plastic undertray still bolts up (only just)

BOM:

10" thermo fan - $40

fan wiring plug - $7

fan and horn brackets - $5

Intercooler, pipes, silicone and clamps - US$482 (shipped)

Intercooler bracket stock - $12

Intercooler nuts and washers - $5

TOTAL: ~$550, plus a day's work to fabricate and fit.

Overall i'm very happy with the end result. It was a fun little project and i got exactly what i was after.

[darksky34]

wow mate thanks heaps for this. I myself have just bought an ARC intercooler with no piping...so i have the fun headache of trying to find something to fit it, make my own or get someone to do it for me. AS i have very few of these tools I'm most likely going to have to get some custom piping done.

but this is great work, and a great tutorial. best part is moving the fan and horn instead of cutting!

i love your labelling as well, explaining what everything is. in fact, that might come in real handy....

[TR33GT-001]

Well done and thanks man. Great job. Wanting to do something like this as well.

[neopowered34]

So many qustions! I have the same NISMO kit and 100% don't want to cut the bumper, don't mind cutting the REO and I want my underneath cover to fit on again, how come you didn't go for the Blitz return flow as opposed to the vertical cooler and what are the advantages? Also was it 100% necessary to change the fan?

Edited May 5, 2013 by neopowered34

[ob1]

 

neopowered34, on 05 May 2013 - 20:17, said:

So many qustions! I have the same NISMO kit and 100% don't want to cut the bumper, don't mind cutting the REO and I want my underneath cover to fit on again, how come you didn't go for the Blitz return flow as opposed to the vertical cooler and what are the advantages? Also was it 100% necessary to change the fan?

I was the other way - if anything, i would cut the bumper, not the reo for roadworthy and insurance reasons, but i really didnt want to do either.

 

I was seriously considering the Cooling Pro kit (over the Blitz kit) because it was a bit smaller and cheaper, but in the end my measurements said it wouldn't fit without cutting.  I'm 99% certain that no-one on here can claim to have installed either of those without any cutting at all (and still fit the undertray plastic).  If they have i'd like to hear the trick to it  My estimate is the total size of the cooling pro intercooler is ~72cm x 32cm including end tanks and the return pipe.  My measurements showed me i could go for a max. length cooler of 76cm x 30cm, or a max height option of 65cm x 36cm, both of which would avoid any cutting.  The CP kit just misses out on both options.

 

The theory behind the vertical flow cooler is:

- having a large surface area core and short tubes (vertical flow) is better for flow/pressure drop than having small surface area and long tubes (horrizontal flow) for the same given volume

- most of the cooling is performed in the first few inches of travel through the core, so tubes dont need to be all that long.

I'm not a thermodynamicist, but the theory seemed sound  There's a lot of anecdotal evidence via Google that supports these points.

 

If you cut the reo, you wont have to change the fan - you will get the extra forward room you will need to avoid hitting the centre of the fan axle.  With the no-cut option, i definitely had to change the fan.  There is less than 10mm gap as it is.

 

 

[TR33GT-001]

I wonder how much an intercooler manufacturer would charge for a special, that was:

* return flow or single side flow

* thin enough to connect the right size piping, but not effect the reo or fans

* had the right CSA to better the OEM cooling effect install

* retain all the bumper, underbody and wheel trims as OEM

Might make this a task in finding out from people like plazmaman, HDI, PWR, and ARE and see what can be done.

It's about time one of them made an FMIC that didn't hack the cars front end up.

Edited May 6, 2013 by TR33GT-001

[xALmoN]

what are the overall dimensions of your cooler? I understand the core is 18.25"x6"x3.5", but with the end tanks, how tall is it?

[ob1]

the link i posted quotes 12" (30.5cm) for the whole height, but measuring mine, it is more like 33cm at the absolute tallest, which is between the 2 mounting tabs near the pipes.

[xALmoN]

ah yeah, now that you mention it, the website does say it.

must have missed it before.

I'll be going with one of those same side intercoolers from just jap, but before that, i needed to know exact sizes.

cheers man.

[ch12matt]

So glad I found this, makes chosing an intercooler so much easier. Shame you didnt get lengths of the pipes you cut haha would have made it so much quicker

[533 RYC]

I'm a vertical flow person - cool a larger surface for a short time vs cool a small surface for a long time - Serious track cars run this setup (for arguments sake, pro rotor drag cars that run air to air coolers use very tall coolers that work on the same theory, & they run stupid amounts of boost!)

I used the same cooler as Sean, as well as the ordering some of the angled silicon hoses. However, I bought a cheap piping kit off EBay from China. Scotchbrited the lot (to avoid primer), & painted all of it black (cop friendly).

I only have a standard Stagea front bar (a Dayz bar would be better) & it protrudes just slightly at the lowest mount point (#10 in OP pics), & I wasn't able to fit the slim under tray between the main one & front bar. Something to look at in the future.

I had to relocate the outside air temp sensor to the right side, SLIGHTLY trim the angle egde of the left hand chassis rail (to clear the 45 degree top hose). I replaced the thermo as stated. The stock one won't work unless you chop the hell out of the REO & front bar. The top mount bar setup doesn't work on the Stageas, so set up the mount to bolt between the chassis rails.

While doing an oil change today I found the fabbed lower aluminum bracket (#10 in pics) had snapped (my bad, where the bend was located to the radiator support bracket wasn't stress relieved & had rubbed on one corner & broke it clean across the stress bend - Sean, check yours.) I'm making a new one tomorrow out of mild steel flat bar. If anyone doing this has access to an oxy, I'd recommend using mild steel for all the mounts.

The volume increase is just shy of double the factory cooler, lag from increased intake tract went from 2200RPM to 2600RPM. This is important when choosing an intercooler for a basically stock setup if you want to retain response.

Thanks for the write up Sean, helped me out a lot.

I'd recommend this setup for anyone wanting an improved front mount, without it being an in your face setup.

[ob1]

While doing an oil change today I found the fabbed lower aluminum bracket (#10 in pics) had snapped (my bad, where the bend was located to the radiator support bracket wasn't stress relieved & had rubbed on one corner & broke it clean across the stress bend - Sean, check yours.)

mine is still fine, but that's hardly surprising - my car barely leaves the garage these days would have only done 4-5000km since the intercooler.