HKSTurboII

Let's say I were to have 3 stock intercoolers, would i be able to take the 3 cores and weld them together to make one big core. Add some end tanks and piping? Do you think this would work? Would it be as efficient as some of the other aftermarket intercoolers? Or am i crazy, and this would be a waste of time?

Otherwise, I'm buying a spearco core and doing it that way.......

Any ideas or suggestions are welcome, Thanks!

BlackRx7

I am trying out water injection, hopfilly it works!!!< i am going to the dyno soon and gonna tune with and without it...

HKSTurboII

Your doing the water injection, on the stock intercooler right? Yeah post, your results, I want to see what kind of difference it would make and what kinds of boost you'd be able to run!

BlackRx7

I will definatly post my dyno results got eldelbrock water injection so I should be all good!! but next week we'll find out for sure!

HKSTurboII

Nice! Do you have a boost controller and gauges to monitor your duno runs?

rotarygod

iTrader: (1)

Yes your idea will work. Thats how I made my intercooler but I use 2 Starion cores with custom endtanks. Do not line the cores up end to end (series). Line them up next to each other (parallel) for best results. I only have about $150 into my entire intercooler and it is huge. Who knows if it is good a s some of the aftermarkets but for that price who cares?! Go for it!

HKSTurboII

^^^ Thanks! That's all the motivation I need to start my new hack job! just joking, hopefully I can make it look proffessional. I'll try to line up 3 of them and see how that truns out, and maybe add a fourth if I have room.......My whole setup will cost me $90 , I just wonder how much boost it will accually be able to handle??? But I guess i will find out in the end of all this creativity.

dr0x

Im making a bolt in kit using two top mounts welded together. Should be <250$. You shouldnt need more than two, I dont think 3 will fit that well (maybe, havent tried). Btw, unless you can weld aluminum, I wouldnt count on you buying 3 cores and having someone else weld them together.

Ryde _Or_Die

Why not?

dr0x

Because its expensive to weld aluminum. It will probably cost over 100$ just for the welding.Thats what I was replying to.

jreynish

iTrader: (2)

rotarygod;
That is entirely a point of preferance in many many turbo books they are all conflicting on whether parallel or series is better, however my brother did the math and it would cool better and series and theoretically flow better. However all things look good on paper. I did mine cutting off the middle end tanks and welding the two core right together. This means that there is less turbulance. However two stock top mounts welded to gether in front mount with a litghtly modded stock turbo is the best economical way to go! IMO.

HKSTurboII

Don't worry about me, I have access to tig, mig, and arc welders, so that's not my concern. I am however going to run the three intercooler welded together as a front mount. I feel that it should give me the cooling capasity to run run much higher boost, but I guess time will tell...........

jreynish

iTrader: (2)

HKSTurboII;
Everytime you weld cores together there is a little gap, that little gap causes turbulence, turbulence = pressure drop and two seams (from three cores) = two times the pressure drop due to turbulence. You might as well stick with two IMO.

HKSTurboII

Really...... hmmmmmm. What if I were to seal it with a ceramic compound, would that work? If not, do you think that 2 cores could handle 20 psi of boost?

BlackRx7

the thing is TMIC, great throttle response, very small pressure drop, FMIC Lagged Throttle response, and bigger pressure drop.....

jreynish

iTrader: (2)

HksTurboII
I am not certain what you mean by ceramic compound would that be like a bonding compound or what? But if welded properly they could handle 20psi but i doubt they would be extremely efficient. i had to guess i think 13-14lbs would be the highest economically it would handle! just a guess thaugh I just finished my FMIC using a dodge disel intercooler instead of the two TM's. so i never really got a chance to test it!

BogusFile

Get an NPR intercooler and call it a day.

HKSTurboII

The ceramic compound I'm talking about is like a bonding agent. You pour it into any gaps of aluminuim or other metals, and it fills the gap while bonding the metal at the same time. It hardens to a very hard material, while also being resistant to heat.

The dodge ram intercooler should do the the job, considering it's enormous size!!!

I was drawing up some other ideas that could potentially work as well................... Think of this.......

Keep the stock top mount, with larger end tanks. Then use custom "y" piping to mount a front mount intercooler as well......... wouldn't this give you the best of both worlds??? Better cooling an efficiency and throttle response all in one?

Either way I have 3 stock intercoolers, and before I start to weld, i want to figure out which options are going to work the best. I got them very cheap so, even if this becomes a mess of a project, then at least it won't be that big of a loss. I guess I'm just hoping for the best.

Bridgeported

What would the approximate total width (with end tanks) be of 3 stock intercoolers welded together? Would it even fit without hacking the front end somewhat?

If it were me, I would take the $90 and just buy an NPR Large or a Volvo intercooler off ebay. Same price, but better intercooler in the end than stock cores welded together.

HKSTurboII

It would be approx 36" long 15" high.

HKSTurboII

Oh and that was $90 Canadian, approx $57 US.

Bridgeported

Oh ok, pretty good price then

dr0x

That wont fit unless you get creative and cut the bumper/frame up.

RotaryRevn

click on this link and check out there aluminum products, it shows two series 4 intercoolers welded together to make one ic.

http://clik.to/bowtieracing

HKSTurboII

Accually, I'm thinking of backcutting the front bumper to slip it into. I've already done some rough measurments, and I should have enough room to mount it, and have room for piping to attatch.......we'll see.