Reasonably sized and EFFICIENT intercooler cores

[turtl631]

With the recent demise of BD, I've decided that I'll be better off piecing together my own intercooler setup. I'll be on the stock block for a long time in the very low 300s probably, so I don't need anythign extreme. Eventually I would like 9:1 forged pistons so I can push high 300s reliably. I plan to use the car mostly for HPDEs, with some autoX and street use. Does anyone have a good recomendation for a size/brand of intercooler core? The standard "JDM TyTe" 24x12 greddy style seems like gross overkill, plus I don't want to trim the metal bumper crash support thing. I know the BD IC was like 24x6...are there any efficient cores in 24x8 or near there that people have liked?

[Florida240sx]

Trying to see what size IAP's is but can't seem to find the numbers on it.

[D Money]

johnyracecar has good size ones

[jmwenick]

IAP's is (Core measures 27" wide X 6" tall X 3" deep) Taken from their site, also it says it supports up to 500HP and fits in the factory bumper area with minimal trimming.

[hannibal]

I think most IC's are too big for their application. If the IAP IC supports 500hp, the Greddy must be good for 1000hp.

And BD is not dead, their just no longer a sponsor. I would consider their IC kit, but Ive heard you have to do some trimming of the piping to make it fit properly.

[hysteria]

you know you can make just about any intercooler work, but it all comes down to how the pipes are made and where and how you want it to fit. if you get your own pipes made you can ensure it will fit the way you want it to. if you buy a core and endtanks somewhere and make your own piping (have a welding shop do it for you) it will end up costing about the same, maybe even less depending on which intercooler you buy... i mean for 300 hp you're not needing the most efficient, top of the line ic... so buying a cheaper one online that will do exactly what you want it to will probably be better. an intercooler is just a heat exchanger, and the design is not complicated at all... of course there is generally a correlation between higher $ and better quality and what not, but i really doubt you'll notice any difference whatsoever between a no name intercooler and a greddy, apex, blitz, etc, especially at these low power levels.

oh and an intercooler that will be good for your power level will be easy to find...

[Jookmasta]

i say go with the ebay ones. once the endtanks are welded on properly and the intercooler is leak tested, there really is no difference except for size, fit, and either bar and plate or the other design. ive heard good things about the johnny racer ones also....

[turtl631]

There are differences between cores in terms of efficiency and pressure drop. I don't want a crappy core with a big pressure drop. The BD kit is appealing because of price and the core seems like a good size for what I need. The IAP kit is $250 more and comes with hose clamps rather than T bolt clamps, although it does also include a MAFS adaptor and an intake pipe. I'd still like to find a quality core and set up the piping myself though.

[nismofly]

spearco makes good cores

[jab11185]

johnyracecar has good size ones

i have one....it fits PERFECTLY under the bumper

[TheOne]

or maybe you can try 1 of these found on a junkyard and get the pipes made by a muffler shop?

http://www.student.kun.nl/p.oo....html

(someone else had posted this for diy ic setups, forgot who though)

[turtl631]

It turns out that Full Race sells cores and turbo kits. They use a 20x8x3 PWR core for most of their kits, which range in target WHP from 420-700, so I have no doubts now that something in the 20x8x3-24x6x3 range will cool more than enough for under 400 whp on a ka. The neat thing about their cores is that the hot side end tank has the entry pointed back toward the turbo, eliminating a bend and a spot for couplers to blow off by putting it all at a better angle. They can also put your BOV flange on the hot side endtank to simplify charge piping welding. The thing that isn't neat is that they want $640 + shipping for just the core...lol @ full race.

[Florida240sx]

ouch get the greddy vspl kit then.

[Jookmasta]

ya for that price, u could have an intercooler kit as supposed to just an intercooler.

[biggie]

I've been thinking about this too. I have a ebay type intercooler (28x6.5x2), but thinking later that I will need a bigger one (plan on 15-20psi down the road). So now I've been trying to sell this other one, if anyone is interested in it let me know. I'm trying to sell it for about $150. It should be great with no lag for people wanting to stay on lower boost with stock engine.

[DRIFTEADOR]

The neat thing about their cores is that the hot side end tank has the entry pointed back toward the turbo, eliminating a bend and a spot for couplers to blow off by putting it all at a better angle. They can also put your BOV flange on the hot side endtank to simplify charge piping welding.

not so neat after realizing you have to do away with your stock radiator/condenser to route the piping

[hysteria]

there is no noticeable pressure drop in my system and i have an ebay intercooler i ordered from sakura industries. i have boost gauges hooked up at two points in my system so i can monitor the pressure in the manifold and the pressure right at the turbo (on the hot side pipes)... so i can see early on if i am going to overboost or whatever. both gauges read 8 psi on the dot. the one i bought was pressure tested to 80 psi, and showed .2 psi drop from end tank to end tank at 1 bar... which means at 14.7 psi, you will get 14.5 psi on the cold side... that's pretty good, especially for the price.

[turtl631]

not so neat after realizing you have to do away with your stock radiator/condenser to route the piping

I forgot to mention that it was a design for either Honda or Mitsu, don't remember which. In the proper car it would be an interesting setup, just wouldn't work for a 240/KA24.

[DRIFTEADOR]

yeah, the hondas that use it usually get rid of their a/c and use a half size radiator. too much work if you ask me. looks cool though