inter-cooler piping size

[deadeyeb]

I'm putting an inter cooler on my 94 and I have to weld new end tanks and pipe to the inter cooler and was wondering what size pipe would be best. I also have some 3" x 16 gauge stainless tubing laying around would that be OK for the tubing or would it heat sink and cancel out the inter-cooler.

 

[argve]

oooooo stainless...

As for heat sinking just wrap the pipe that connects from the intercooler to the intake, you don't care too much about the one coming from the turbo because it's already going to be hot but after the cooler you want to keep heat from getting at it.

So using stainless would actually be my first choice if I was doing it and had the money to afford the stainless. I would probably end up using alum only because of cost. (read I'm a cheap err... butt - just ask my wife)...

 

[towcat]

3" is supposedly ideal. I have 2" or 2.5" on my factory ATS kit. the PSD IC piping is 3", but the CFM on those turbos is significantly higher.

 

[DIESEL RACER]

3", you won't need any bigger than that with an idi.

 

[deadeyeb]

I put the inter-cooler in and I am trying to figure out the piping routes. Inter cooler came out of a box truck with a big six in it. I had to make new end tanks for it to fit into my truck.

 

[tonkadoctor]

Nice work on the intercooler

I'd use the 3" stainless that you already have and wrap the intake side like Argve said.......That's exactly how the Strokes are done, here's a pic.

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[RedTruck]

Stainless intercooler pipes:

Clicky

Plumbing is all 2.5" stainless except where they enter the intercooler. There are reducers that bring it up to 3" in and out of the IC.

Also check out the "let's talk intercoolers" thread. I think there are a few pics there of different plumbing jobs.

Paul

 

[deadeyeb]

finally found some time to work on the truck here are some pics of the piping just need to finish the exhaust.

 

[dualexhaust]

Your piping routing looks great. I am in the midst of trying to install my IC as well and had thought about routing the return pipe behind the air box to keep things clean.
Anyway what did you use for your intake hat/pressure chamber?
I have a 2" long piece of schedule 40 5" pipe from my employers pipe fab shop that I am going to use to adapt to the intake manifold, but that is about as far as I have gotten. The I.D. of the 5" pipe is really close to the diameter of the intake. Do you have any close up pictures of the intake hat/pressure chamber?
Did you find it difficult to re-clock the turbo?

 

[deadeyeb]

I made the hat from a solid piece of aluminum. I welded a 3 in. alum pipe on top had some trouble fitting hat to intake not to much room between hat and turbo. I had a hard time fitting 3 in. pipe behind filter housing and over it. The top pipe I had to oval in a press to fit under hood. There is a 2 in. elbow on the exit of the turbo that was welded to the oval 3 in. pipe. the hat is hard to get a good picture. I believe the height for the flat on the hat needs to be 1 3/4" but measure your old hat to be certain. The turbo clocking was done by loosening the six bolts and remove the retaining plates and waste gate controller. Move until bolt holes line up the waste gate controller and waste gate arm at the new position.

 

[rubberfish]

good work deadeyeb.

 

[typ4]

Here is what I did, propane air cleaner adapter cut down and cut out, 6.0 ps elbow on top with a through bolt boss in the center. Took 20 minutes with the lathe and tig welder.

 

[dualexhaust]

I appreciate the input. Hopefully I will get to this soon. I want to put in the Intercooler Core when I do my radiator next week.
As far as plumbing the system I don't have any experience with aluminum so I am going to have to stick with steel for my intake hat and will probably use mandrel bent aluminized exhaust elbow for the plumbing.

 

[deadeyeb]

I had to pull the air filter box today to bleed my injector lines so I took a pic of the intake hat that I made.

 

[dualexhaust]

Nice pic. That is exactly what I was looking at making.
How hard was it to get the old intake hat/pressure chamber off? Do I need to loosen the entire turbo to get enough play to get it off?