Does the SR20DET need to have an intercooler?

[RIGGER_JIM]

Hi, I recently bought an SR20DET engine to put in my 1995 240SX. It didn't come with an intercooler. Will I need to buy and install an intercooler for this engine to work well? I know the intercooler gives it more power. I am just wondering if it will need the intercooler to run right. I don't want it to overheat or run bad.

[CJH]

You are right and wrong. Some boosted cars run without intercoolers. Cars like cold air though. Cold air is more dense, so you can fit more air into your engine. That's why cars run a little faster and a little better when the weather is cool. An intercooler doesn't really add HP to your car to have it make "more power", but it does cool down the air from the turbo so it can become more dense. Stock SR's run side mount intercoolers (SMIC). I would recommend that you at least run that. A front mount isn't necessary. Front mount intercoolers (FMIC) become necessary when you are boosting more and making more power as it does a better job cooling the air. This is another reason why some people spry nitrous on the front of their FMIC. Nitrous cools the FMIC which helps cool the air.

In short, I highly recommend you run at least a stock SMIC. I am unsure if the car will run properly when it warms up without one.

[RIGGER_JIM]

Thanks for the help. I think I will buy an aftermarket front mount kit. They aren't that expensive, so I don't mind getting one.

[jbracy7]

You can run a after cooler,or a cryo2 charge bulb,just search you'll find what I'm talking about