Intercooler mounting. Need pics and ideas.
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From: Mechanicsburg, PA
Car: '89 Formula 350
Engine: 5.7L L98 TPI
Transmission: 700-R4 Automatic
Axle/Gears: 7.5 disc posi 3.23
Intercooler mounting. Need pics and ideas.
K so I'm running twin turbos with a front mount intercooler. I'm torn between running a 91-92 front bumper and a 86-90 front bumper. I was hoping somebody had pics of intercoolers mounted with either bumper and how you were able to get air through it efficiently.
Thanks
Thanks
Re: Intercooler mounting. Need pics and ideas.
I have a 91-92 nose, but this mount will work for any 82-92 Fbody nose
Remove the AC condenser and notch out the side supports to clear the tubing. The radiator will lean towards the engine some. A filler panel is needed to hold the rad and the stock hold down in place. Piece of cake to route the tubing, excellent airflow to both IC and rad, stock mount of fans



Remove the AC condenser and notch out the side supports to clear the tubing. The radiator will lean towards the engine some. A filler panel is needed to hold the rad and the stock hold down in place. Piece of cake to route the tubing, excellent airflow to both IC and rad, stock mount of fans



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From: Hampden Maine
Car: 1992 Firebird
Engine: Stealth Rammed 412 with TC78 Turbo
Transmission: '93 T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9 bolt posi with PBR discs
I have a '92 bird and I wanted to keep A/C and all the amenities, so I had to get a little creative with my IC mounting and plumbing. One downside was that I was a little limited in intercooler sizing. I mounted my intercooler horizontally between the core support and the front bumper bar. It is in front of the factory air dam so air will flow through the intercooler and then through the condenser and radiator in the same fashion that the factory intended.


The turbo sits in the right side battery tray area in this setup (single turbo setup vs your twins). The charge piping runs right down to the IC and then from the IC up inside the left front fender, over the battery (relocated to the left side and scooted closer to the radiator than the factory tray places it).

So far it has worked well for me. I may install some small fans on the intercooler at some point so that I can draw air across it when I'm in the staging lanes at the track, but I don't run it at the track very often hahaha!
-Paul


The turbo sits in the right side battery tray area in this setup (single turbo setup vs your twins). The charge piping runs right down to the IC and then from the IC up inside the left front fender, over the battery (relocated to the left side and scooted closer to the radiator than the factory tray places it).

So far it has worked well for me. I may install some small fans on the intercooler at some point so that I can draw air across it when I'm in the staging lanes at the track, but I don't run it at the track very often hahaha!
-Paul
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From: Mechanicsburg, PA
Car: '89 Formula 350
Engine: 5.7L L98 TPI
Transmission: 700-R4 Automatic
Axle/Gears: 7.5 disc posi 3.23
Re: Intercooler mounting. Need pics and ideas.
Interesting mounting Quad. I wonder how much air gets directed through th radiator and not pushed under the car?? Maybe hook up a NOS spray bar infrint of the cooler and spray it just before you leave.
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Hampden Maine
Car: 1992 Firebird
Engine: Stealth Rammed 412 with TC78 Turbo
Transmission: '93 T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9 bolt posi with PBR discs
Roughly the same amount of air that is diverted to the radiator in a totally stock setup I expect. Running down the road the car runs as cool (or cooler) than it did before the turbo setup. It will get a little warmer in traffic with the A/C on than it did before (220 is the highest I've seen iirc). I've got dual fans from an LT-1 f-body mounted up with a Be Cool aluminum radiator. I'm sure the intercooler blocks a little airflow, but it doesn't seem to do much harm. The 'birds are completely "bottom feeders" in that they get virtually all their cooling air from underneath the vehicle since there isn't much for airflow through the front bumper. This can make cooling system engineering/upgrades challenging lol!
-Paul
-Paul
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From: Mechanicsburg, PA
Car: '89 Formula 350
Engine: 5.7L L98 TPI
Transmission: 700-R4 Automatic
Axle/Gears: 7.5 disc posi 3.23
How do you feel about using a 91-92 firebird nose and mounting one inter cooler in each opening?
Twin turbos twin inter coolers.
Twin turbos twin inter coolers.
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 818
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From: Hampden Maine
Car: 1992 Firebird
Engine: Stealth Rammed 412 with TC78 Turbo
Transmission: '93 T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9 bolt posi with PBR discs
Interesting idea. Would it be possible to use a large enough intercooler in those locations to be effective?
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From: Mechanicsburg, PA
Car: '89 Formula 350
Engine: 5.7L L98 TPI
Transmission: 700-R4 Automatic
Axle/Gears: 7.5 disc posi 3.23
Re: Intercooler mounting. Need pics and ideas.
I would hope so. Intercoolers looking at would be 2 12x18x3 2.5" in/out
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Hampden Maine
Car: 1992 Firebird
Engine: Stealth Rammed 412 with TC78 Turbo
Transmission: '93 T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9 bolt posi with PBR discs
Ok, my question pertained to the (relatively) small openings in the bumper, which are also partially obstructed by the turn signals (as well as possibly fog lights in some applications). That's all.
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From: Mechanicsburg, PA
Car: '89 Formula 350
Engine: 5.7L L98 TPI
Transmission: 700-R4 Automatic
Axle/Gears: 7.5 disc posi 3.23
Re: Intercooler mounting. Need pics and ideas.
Ahhh I see. I wouldn't be using fog lights or turn signals and would modify the bumper support or leave it out.
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 818
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From: Hampden Maine
Car: 1992 Firebird
Engine: Stealth Rammed 412 with TC78 Turbo
Transmission: '93 T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9 bolt posi with PBR discs
Gotcha, didn't realize it was a race car haha. In that case I don't see why it wouldn't work!
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From: Mechanicsburg, PA
Car: '89 Formula 350
Engine: 5.7L L98 TPI
Transmission: 700-R4 Automatic
Axle/Gears: 7.5 disc posi 3.23
Re: Intercooler mounting. Need pics and ideas.
Race car?? Naahhhh. Weekend warrior not a daily driver though. Gettin stupid on street tires.
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From: Rockville, MD
Car: 1989 Camaro RS
Engine: Ellis Juan
Transmission: t-56
Re: Intercooler mounting. Need pics and ideas.
im going to be using the 2 'fog light' holes on the camaro to duct air through the intercooler then make a new cover to take the air out through the hood.
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Kemah, Tx
Car: 1991 z28
Engine: Turbo 310
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: D44
If your going to go through that much trouble to install the a2a why not step up to air to water, and add a heat exchanger in your water plumbing
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 5,364
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From: Enschede, Netherlands
Car: 82 TA 87 IZ L98 88 IZ LB9 88 IZ L98
Engine: 5.7TBI 5,7TPI 5.0TPI, 5,7TPI
Transmission: T5, 700R4, T5, 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.08, 3.27, 3.45, 3.27
Re: Intercooler mounting. Need pics and ideas.
I did that, an A2W, completely bolt in, no holes drilled anywehere. uses all factory bolt locations, fits under stock hood.
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: SALEM, NH
Car: '88 Formula
Engine: LC9
Transmission: 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 3.89 9"
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,606
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From: Kemah, Tx
Car: 1991 z28
Engine: Turbo 310
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: D44
Re: Intercooler mounting. Need pics and ideas.
Twin_Turbo, can you describe how effective the A2W setup is once the car is heat soaked (think steady state) on a 85*F day? I'm wondering how it does once the water is hot, and how effective a water cooler (heat exhanger) is.
Last edited by sailtexas186548; Jan 9, 2014 at 01:35 PM. Reason: spelling...
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Enschede, Netherlands
Car: 82 TA 87 IZ L98 88 IZ LB9 88 IZ L98
Engine: 5.7TBI 5,7TPI 5.0TPI, 5,7TPI
Transmission: T5, 700R4, T5, 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.08, 3.27, 3.45, 3.27
Re: Intercooler mounting. Need pics and ideas.
Haven't driven much still working on the car but no heat soak issues yet. The pump runs @ low speed all the time and goes full speed by an rpm activated switch and a hobbs switch (whichever comes in first), I have a big stack cooler under the front. the IC is always cool to the touch. It certainly keeps IATs lower than the flat mounted procharger solution.
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From: W. Kentucky
Car: 83 Z-28
Engine: 406
Transmission: TH350
Axle/Gears: 3.70
Re: Intercooler mounting. Need pics and ideas.

I use a 85-89 bumper with the center cut out. I also cut the center out of the grill so it gets the most air.
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From: Mechanicsburg, PA
Car: '89 Formula 350
Engine: 5.7L L98 TPI
Transmission: 700-R4 Automatic
Axle/Gears: 7.5 disc posi 3.23
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Posts: 608
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From: Isla del Encanto, P.R.
Car: GTA
Engine: Bone Stock 350ci HSR T-76 Turbo
Transmission: T56 6-speed
Axle/Gears: Stock
Re: Intercooler mounting. Need pics and ideas.
Some picture ideas for intercooling TA's
First two pics where from one of my very first setups.
The third is my current setup. The hood also has reverse scoops to remove hot air fast from the radiator and IC.
BTW: I think I still have those grills somewhere.
First two pics where from one of my very first setups.
The third is my current setup. The hood also has reverse scoops to remove hot air fast from the radiator and IC.
BTW: I think I still have those grills somewhere.
Last edited by BBSDesigns; Jan 24, 2014 at 02:00 AM.
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Here is mine. I took out the crash bar. It's a procharger 950 hp air/air unit. 

