I was installing my M2 Large intercooler last night and I found out that I can't get the duct to drop completely down in the opening in the front bumper. After some investigation i realized that the extra gerth of Fluidyne pushes the ducting up into the front bumper support. I am thinking about extending the cut out in the ducting further up into the neck so that I can get it to drop in but I am unsure of how to or if cutting into the fiberglass will damage it. Does anybody else have any solutions? I don't think I can slide the radiator down any more because it is sitting on the bump stops at the bottom and the brackets are bottomed out. How do you cut into fiberglass? I was going to tape the areas that I was going to cut into and then use a hacksaw. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

I had to cut mine with a dremmel tool. Use some sort of highspeed rotary cutter as a hack saw or the like is more likely to shred the fiberglass. I made the cut so that the top of the intercooler leaned forward more to make more height clearance

 

I solved this issue by
1) removing rubber bump stops, replaced them with a bolt and a couple rubber washers (lowered radiator almost 1/4")
2) ground out hanger brackets so they allow radiator to hang 1/4" lower

Sum total of nearly 1/2" drop for Koyo rad, now ASP large ic duct fits much better. Don't cut the ducting. There's no going back if you botch that...

 

I am having the same problem with my ASP SMIC. I have a fluidyne and have been working on this for a few days trying to get it to fit. Zullo seems to have an interesting idea. Any other help???? Please???

 

I'm going to give that a try tonight when i get home to see if I can get that to to work. I would much rather remove something I can put back rather than cut into that pretty duct.

 

Mine fits fine with no problems.

 

I had to lower the AC condensor with ~ 1/4" spacers, remove the rubber mounting thingys at the top of the radiator and just bolt one side in to prevent the radiator from being stressed from body flex and thermal expansion (~.060").

Then I ground the duct in a couple of places (where the highest point of the fan motor is) just a little bit and it all fit fine.

 

Jeff, when i lower the A/C condensor i can use washers to shim it correctly? Yes i am taking the top radiator mounts out and going to go with a smaller rubber washer and a bolt, excellent ideas. Thanks for the help.

 

I used some plastic bushings about 1/4" thick. I guess a stack of washers would work, try and use non-metallic washers.

 

Heh, forgot that detail about the A/C condensor since I'd removed mine. Yes, that will have to be lowered a bit (with spacers) to allow the radiator to hang lower.

By the way, here's where I earn my keep on this board with some good advice!

A month after you have the IC installed, remove the whole thing and check it for spots that are rubbing. I found the bottom of my IC would have had a hole worn in the aluminum (Eeeeek!) where it was rubbing on a bolt. I found the intake hard pipe to the elbow was similarly rubbing on a bolt (power steering pump I believe). Finally I noticed two spots on the fiberglass duct that would have worn through. One where it rests on the fans and the other where it was in contact with the A/C evaporator. I fixed/removed/reinforced all those spots and thought to myself, "I gotta remember to suggest this on the forum to save someone the unpleasant surprise of a hole worn in the bottom of their new $1500 intercooler"

 

how close is the A/C condenser supposed to be to the radiator? its been so long i forgot.... if its too far away the fans cant pull air through the core right?

 

The lowering of the radiator by removing the top rubber mounting thingys worked. I lowered my A/C condensor also by installing washers (about a 1/4 inch @ each corner) to shim the condensor down further allowing the radiator to sit lower. Then at the top of the radiator i installed a rubber washer and a bolt on both the left and right hand corners. The intercooler duct slipped right in after that.

I cant believe that after all the searching i did i could not find any info about this on the board. This radiator is a Fluidyne also, not a Koyo which i thought would have been a little easier of an install.

Thanks for your advice Zullo and TurboJeff it helped out a lot.

 

I am curious of this as well. My radiator now sits about a 1/2 inch higher than the A/C condensor. If i remember correctly thats about the distance of the stock radiator to condensor distance originally. Anyone with a general rule of thumb on distance for this or at least an estimate?