How to build an intercooler

[8valves]

ALL PICTURES HAVE BEEN MOVED TO LAST PAGE

I built a nicely packaged air to air intercooler to keep AC and all accessories on a customers Turbo Van. I took some quick pics through the process for those that haven't see it before.

Enjoy!

Garrett GT core, 10x12x4.5



End tank designed and cut out from a paper template on 5000 series .125" Aluminum. This IC will utilize mirrored end tanks, so that makes it easier and nice appearing.







Tacked end tanks for final fitment check before dissasembling and welding the inside of the seams first, then the outside when it's finish welded.







Then finish welded with machined 2.5" in/out connections from extruded AL tube, with a lathed lip on them.







Enjoy and go build something now!

[BadAssPerformance]

Nice work as always Aaron Got pics of the install?

[Force Fed Mopar]

Looks great!

[tryingbe]

I was expecting to see this when I saw the title. Very nice job on yours.

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showpo...4&postcount=76

[8valves]

Oh Lord... that's... interesting?

JT- It's not on yet. I left thursday afternoon for Brazil to tune a car down here and had just gotten it to that point. By tomorrow evening I'll be back and it should be installed by then, so I will make some updates. As well as the charge pipes and intake plumbing, etc. It should be a fun ride when it's all done![COLOR="Silver"]

[GLHNSLHT2]

can't wait to see the install process pics

[Ondonti]

"Going to brazil to tune a car.....HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE INTERCOOLER I AM BUILDING FOR A SOCCER VAN?!!!?!?!!!"

Priorities...

That is a lot of flowpath for the average turbo van...What brand of core do you use on the baller cars? I was tempted to make something with a Treadstone core but it ain't no Garrett. Garrett does seem hard to source big cores for an enthusiest, plus they are $$$
Was tempted to build a 4.5" thick by 24" vertical cooler but it seems like I would create too much flowpath and maybe wish I had a little longer core since the flowpath might end up being excessive for a 67mm. I just know I have seen my friend find huge bottlenecks on his flowbench with those 3" mishumoto type intercoolers even though they have very few internal fins.
I do know that with a tight finned core you need more flowpath. Seen guys running those huge 6" thick ETS intercoolers but those still don't have much more flowpath then this little intercooler you just built.

[Mopar318]

Awsome work. Im thinking about building my own inter-cooler. I have the ability to draw end tanks in solid edge and convert it to a sheet metal layout. That makes the layout very easy without having making templates.

[168glhs1986]

JT- It's not on yet. I left thursday afternoon for Brazil to tune a car down here [COLOR="Silver"]

Aaron - can you tune Electromotive? If so how bout I fly you up here for a day of tuning with Brian and myself. You;ll get to see your block in action.

[ajakeski]

Slick.
You should sell those.

[bakes]

OH no if Simon see this he will have cubby and he will be trying to dry hump everyone dam you Aaron. LOL

Nice work thanks for sharing..

[omni_840]

Awesome work! Looking forward to install pics

[turbovanman²]

Why do you make it look so easy,

Nice work, I should get my triple core stocker made one day, ack.

[johnl]

I'm impressed. Just gorgeous.

[turbovanman²]

I was expecting to see this when I saw the title. Very nice job on yours.

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showpo...4&postcount=76

Damn, I call BS that he actually ran it, he never did post up pics of it installed.

[BadAssPerformance]

Aaron - can you tune Electromotive? If so how bout I fly you up here for a day of tuning with Brian and myself. You;ll get to see your block in action.

Someone else runs electromotive... was it Warren Stramer?

[8valves]

Thanks for the compliments guys.

"Going to brazil to tune a car.....HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE INTERCOOLER I AM BUILDING FOR A SOCCER VAN?!!!?!?!!!"

Priorities...

That is a lot of flowpath for the average turbo van...What brand of core do you use on the baller cars? I was tempted to make something with a Treadstone core but it ain't no Garrett. Garrett does seem hard to source big cores for an enthusiest, plus they are $$$
Was tempted to build a 4.5" thick by 24" vertical cooler but it seems like I would create too much flowpath and maybe wish I had a little longer core since the flowpath might end up being excessive for a 67mm. I just know I have seen my friend find huge bottlenecks on his flowbench with those 3" mishumoto type intercoolers even though they have very few internal fins.
I do know that with a tight finned core you need more flowpath. Seen guys running those huge 6" thick ETS intercoolers but those still don't have much more flowpath then this little intercooler you just built.

I don't do any intercoolers with anything other than Garrett cores, save for a select few, albeit rare, made with some older spearco a-w cores.

Most people dont pay attention to the amount of time the air spends in the core. If you make an intercooler that has "3000hp capabilities" sure it may flow well AND cool well... Until its on a 3000 hp car and it may not choke it, but the air may be passing through the core so fast at high rpm that it doesnt really get cooled off.

Awsome work. Im thinking about building my own inter-cooler. I have the ability to draw end tanks in solid edge and convert it to a sheet metal layout. That makes the layout very easy without having making templates.

That's some badass fancy stuff there! I just do the old paper templates. Works well enough, but it sure would be nice to have access to that kind of capabiltiy.

Aaron - can you tune Electromotive? If so how bout I fly you up here for a day of tuning with Brian and myself. You;ll get to see your block in action.

That sounds like an enjoyable time, but I've never touched one of those units. I primarily stick to AEM or Motec units.

Slick.
You should sell those.

I don't think anyone will buy one when there are "bigger units on ebay for cheaper!" Maybe people have learned though.

[Directconnection]

Aaron, when you tig (or is it properly called Heli-Arc?) aluminum such as this intercooler, do you back purge as you call it? I ask, because I found an aluminum radiator for my car, but I will have to shorten the filler tube/rad cap 1/2" I don't want nasties inside coming free over time... (I wouldn't be welding it... a former co-worker would)

[cordes]

Thanks for sharing Aaron.

Do you ever utilize baffles in the cores to direct the air flow to the later parts of the core? Was that one constructed with the in/out at about the same spot for packaging reasons, or have you not seen a difference in placing them at opposite ends of the cooler?

[GLHNSLHT2]

Most people dont pay attention to the amount of time the air spends in the core. If you make an intercooler that has "3000hp capabilities" sure it may flow well AND cool well... Until its on a 3000 hp car and it may not choke it, but the air may be passing through the core so fast at high rpm that it doesnt really get cooled off.

I'm trying to get my head around what you're saying here: Are you saying that a bigger core is the better to allow the air to slow down and cool off but still flow well enough to support your goals?