Pros and Cons of intercoolers

[christja]

I was wondering about intercoolers. I know some of you guys have them on your 6.5's what are the benefits? any negatives? Thoughts??

Thanks:rolleyes:

[DragNasty]

Im trying to find some pics. I want put one on mine but Im not paying $1900 bucks for the turbonetics kit!:eek:

[snoddytn]

so on a stock 93 what is in front of the radiator? if anything what is it if not is that the best place to put an intercooler

[1999GMC]

I tried to download a picture of mine but it is too large for the forum. I'll try to get one tomorrow and post it. I went from 300 degrees IAT temp down to 150 on the same pull with same ambient temp. I noticed no turbo lag which some people said I would have. I have noticed no negatve effects. Love it.

[smoken]

1999GMC Where did u get your innercooler. Ive been looking for one. Do u tow with your truck alot. If so how does the innercooler act. People say u have turbo lag when pulling something. I have a 1995 and I pull boats all over DELAWARE.

[smoken]

1999GMC Where did u get your innercooler. Ive been looking for one. Do u tow with your truck alot. If so how does the innercooler act. People say u have turbo lag when pulling something. I have a 1995 and I pull boats all over DELAWARE.

[1999GMC]

I got the intercooler at JUST INTERCOOLERS on ebay and then bought a 3 inch aluminum tubing kit. Everything together was about $500. I have weighed my truck and trailer at it was 16,000 lbs. So my trailer weighs about 9000. Where we go camping quite a bit is all uphill towards Reno, NV. I have noticed no turbo lag at all. It also helped with coolant temps. I rarely see over 210 now where as before I was getting 235. Before the coolant temp would climb so fast before I would hear the fan clutch come on, and then it was already 235 degrees. Now it will climb a lot slower to 210 and I hear the fan cluch kick in and it stays right there with A/C on. I was told the same thing about the turbo lag from some people. I really haven't noticed any at all. On hot days the responce os so much better than before the intercooler. And the other thing was I checked my fuel mileage every tank and I was getting 15 MPG empty and about 10 MPG towing. After intercooler I an getting 17 MPG empty and between 11-12 MPG towing. And I have run about 10 tank fulls since intercooler was installed. I'll try and take some pics. and put them on here.

[DragNasty]

Thanks for the info 99. Got the dementions and all for the intercooler you got?

[1999GMC]

Here are some pics.

[smoken]

1999 GMC thats a easy design, where did u get the intake from, or is that the original just cut off. also do u have a pic of the turbo, that would be great if u did. i need to know how the pipe comes out of the turbo, im a machinest and welder by trade. im sure i can make something like this, and make it cheaper. also thanks for the info.

[bulldogchance]

I got the intercooler at JUST INTERCOOLERS on ebay and then bought a 3 inch aluminum tubing kit. Everything together was about $500. I have weighed my truck and trailer at it was 16,000 lbs. So my trailer weighs about 9000. Where we go camping quite a bit is all uphill towards Reno, NV. I have noticed no turbo lag at all. It also helped with coolant temps. I rarely see over 210 now where as before I was getting 235. Before the coolant temp would climb so fast before I would hear the fan clutch come on, and then it was already 235 degrees. Now it will climb a lot slower to 210 and I hear the fan cluch kick in and it stays right there with A/C on. I was told the same thing about the turbo lag from some people. I really haven't noticed any at all. On hot days the responce os so much better than before the intercooler. And the other thing was I checked my fuel mileage every tank and I was getting 15 MPG empty and about 10 MPG towing. After intercooler I an getting 17 MPG empty and between 11-12 MPG towing. And I have run about 10 tank fulls since intercooler was installed. I'll try and take some pics. and put them on here.
What gear ratio is in your truck. Im going to change mine to 3.42 or 3.73.What speed can you climb at. I will be going from 1800 FT to 7500 FT.

[christja]

how can i find out what the gear ratio is in my truck?

[1999GMC]

My gears are 4.10. I can get a picture of turbo for you tomorrow. But all I did was loosen the bolts to the turbo housing and turn it so it faces the bottom of the inner fender well. The intercooler was $200 and something, the intake was $70, then I bought to tubing kits just to make sure I had enough bends. And the first kit I bought had cheap clamps and rubber unions. The second set I bought I got silicone unions and good T-clamps. One kit was $90 and I think the other was $110. But I have like 8 pieces of the tubing left over so I bought way to much. I'll check tomorrow what bends I used exactly. I think it was a 90 and a 45 degree on the turbo side, and a 90, 2-45's, and a 70 degree. I think with the rest I an going to try and build a cold air intake just for the hell of it. The polished tubing people trip out on. The intercooler is 25X12X3 with 3 inch inlet and outlet.

[1999GMC]

To find your gear ratio you can look in the glove box for the RPO code. I go from sea level to 6000 feet. Towing 9000 lbs. I usually get to the top about 55-60 depending on how fast I was going at bottom.

[Chevylover]

how can i find out what the gear ratio is in my truck?



Check it with your option code here :

GM RPO CODES (http://www.c2e.info/rpocodes/MODERNGMRPO.html)


Should be between FP0 and HK9


Cu,
Sven

[sshewins]

Hey 1999GMC, I've got a question for you. On the pic that showed your top half of the intake, the one pointing to the driver fender, did that come with the truck? My 94 one doesn't look anything like that. I was thinking about buying a few peices of 3" mandrell bent exhaust pipe and fabbing the upper half to try to acheive a 'tunnel ram' effect. But, I think I like yours better. So I guess my question is: was that part aftermarket or from GM?

Thanks

[1999GMC]

The intake was from Peninsular Diesel. It made the install a lot easier. Their phone number is on peninsulardiesel.com. It was around $70 with shipping.

[sshewins]

Thank you very much! :)

[1999GMC]

Had to drill and tap for the MAP and IAT sensor though.

[DragNasty]

was that a hard job or pretty straight forward?

[1999GMC]

No. It was straight forward and easy. Especialy in aluminum. The first picture is before I drilled and tapped but with the bracket I made for the MAP. The second is after.

[sshewins]

99, when you mounted the actual cooler under the bumper, did you notch the frame at all? Have you had any probs with rocks smacking the fins or the tubing? I was thinking about puting the factory air dam back on, BUT cutting 2 large oval openings and pop-riveting some wire mesh behind so as to keep flying debri away from stuff (kind of like stock car bumpers). But then again the dam was designed to push the air down and away so I don't know if that would be defeating the whole purpose or not.

[1999GMC]

No I didn't have to notch frame. I bought a 25X12X3 and if fit perfect. So far no fins are bent or any problems. And the intercooler itself only cost about $150 anyway. I figured if my cheap plastci plate that was there could survive 100,000 miles the intercooler should be alright for a while. They are pretty thick aluminum.

[DragNasty]

Dosnt the MAP sensor tap into the intake?

[1999GMC]

Yeah. That is the bracket I made on the rear of the intake for the MAP sensor and then I drilled and tapped a fitting and used a piece of vacuum hose to connect the 2.

[DragNasty]

ok, gotcha now. Thanks

[Scrufdog]

I just installed one on my truck yesterday. Once my order of black rivets comes in I'm going to install a ram air scoop, hood vents and fender vents.

Cost $400 including intercooler, piping, manifold, scoop, and vents....

[sshewins]

Hey Scrufdog, have you noticed a drop in egt's with the cooler on top of the engine? Let us know if that number changes when you put the vents in too. Looks good :)

[njdevi11]

Is it just me or does putting an intercooler on the top of the engine serve no purpose?

Intercoolers are supposed to be the first heat exchanger in any setup, its because its the most important for it to have the coldest air. You should mount (from front to back) intercooler, fluid coolers, then the radiator. An intercooler like that is an air/air heat exchanger, it needs tons of fresh cold air to be running over it. By the time air gets back there it has passed through the radiator past the fan, all accessories (alternator, ps pump, a/c pump) and the engine.

The air is probably close to 200* by the time it gets to the intercooler in that location. As opposed to 70* on a modestly warm day right at the front of the truck. If the target is a 200* intake air temperature then you will never achieve it, heat transfer increases exponentially with difference in temperatures.

Am i way off base?

Also, if your looking to mount the intercooler there go with an air/water intercooler, you mount a water cooler in the front and it pumps cold water back to the intercooler in the rear, those systems are much more efficient.

[DragNasty]

Is it just me or does putting an intercooler on the top of the engine serve no purpose?

Intercoolers are supposed to be the first heat exchanger in any setup, its because its the most important for it to have the coldest air. You should mount (from front to back) intercooler, fluid coolers, then the radiator. An intercooler like that is an air/air heat exchanger, it needs tons of fresh cold air to be running over it. By the time air gets back there it has passed through the radiator past the fan, all accessories (alternator, ps pump, a/c pump) and the engine.

The air is probably close to 200* by the time it gets to the intercooler in that location. As opposed to 70* on a modestly warm day right at the front of the truck. If the target is a 200* intake air temperature then you will never achieve it, heat transfer increases exponentially with difference in temperatures.

Am i way off base?

Also, if your looking to mount the intercooler there go with an air/water intercooler, you mount a water cooler in the front and it pumps cold water back to the intercooler in the rear, those systems are much more efficient.


From what I gathered, he is going to use a "ram air" affect when he adds the scoops in the hood. Fresh air will rush straight into the intercooler then. Some factory turbo'd cars are like that. I know the Turbocoupes and Mekur's were.

[njdevi11]

That sounds feasible but i would definitely put some heat shielding between the engine and the intercooler, radiant heat is also a big concern. Then engine can heat the intercooler even if air is pushing the heat in the other direction. getting air pushing on the top of the intercooler is only half the battle, the other half is making sure there is a unobstructed path for the air to follow out from the engine compartment. Air wont rush in if has nowhere to go. It will just sit there and build pressure.

[962500]

the turbo can drasticaly change the temperature of the air as much as 300 degrees that is why they could use engine coolant to cool the air in some commercial diesels. so any sort of radiator is going to benefit the engine by cooling the intake air. by the way looks awsome:cool:

[EDUBE]

Hay All.... i was just wondering if anyone has thought about running a liquid2air intercooler. i'm sure the benifits would definately be worth the effort.I live in the north east and mounting the IC down low where the plow mount is doesn't sound good.

[sshewins]

I agree that the corrosion factor is a huge concern, especially when dealing with aluminum parts. Heres my thoughts on the mater: instead of aluminum tubing, use either mild steel (exhaust tubing) and have it powder coated or paint and prime with acid primer (variprime) or use stainless steel. The cooler itself is another story. What do you think of this? Use an automotive clear coat paint to seal the cooler or even the tubing. The use of common sense and rinsing off after EVERY plow session would greatly extend the life also. Now I could be wrong too, but it seems like one of these just might work.

[stereojoey]

i would most deff concider puttin that motor mount innercooler on my truck, no way im puttin the one down low on my front end ...im lowered 6/8.

[Scrufdog]

once i get the hood scoop installed I'll post results here for you all

[njdevi11]

Sounds like it should be good, I'm a fan of the liquid/air intercooler, i looked around online, its the same price for the liquid intercooler, Ill probably grab another summit dual fluid cooler and run a power steering cooler as well. Water lines are really easy to run, and the only other thing you need to do is wire a small water pump into accessory.

That would probably be best for me because when I plan on working my rig really hard I will be going slow (4:1 when i get my doubler) anyway.

[tinderbox427]

If you can build one, let me know. I want one. e mail me Tinderbox427@hotmail.com; shannon.eaton@us.army.mil:D

[Sundance]

99......... Any chance you could put together a parts list of what you used??

Great looking set up!

[djkrash]

Well, did yo ugett he hood scoops in and did anyone build a liquid to air intercooler? I am researching the deal for my 94 K2500.