[Brady89]

Ok guys I need some help. Now that I have my hks metal head gasket (soon to be installed) its time for me to turn the boost up and get a upgrades Ct26 for now. With supporting mods (intake, exahust, muffler, lexus afm, injectors, safc,boost controller) will I need to have to replace my stock intercooler if I want to run 15-20psi?
Any advise would be helpfull?
Thanks

 

[conundrum07]

You really should. The stock has a pretty high pressure drop and heat soaks easily under continuous boost.

 

[Boostedstr8six]

You don't "need to have to" but it would be very beneficial. Try typing the keyword ' intercooler ' using the search feature for the many options available. One choice is the NPR Isuzu intercooler. Cheap, effective, and available in two sizes.

 

[conundrum07]

One choice is the NPR Isuzu intercooler. Cheap, effective, and available in two sizes.

werd. Although, Ive seen a few tests done on them, and the small on isnt too much better than the stock. Get the big one if you can.

 

[Silver88Turbo]

The small NPR doesnt really flow better than the stock, it just cools a lot better and is less prone to heat soak.

 

[Guest]

check out www.jblmk3.com ...John shows some ways to use the stock IC pretty effectively.

Its not the IC itself that sux on our cars. Its the piping! Or rather, its the piping's route placement and thus its kinks.

You can get 400 RWHP capacity out of the stocker just by replacing the pipes and a little ingenuity.

 

[Bishop92T]

I ran 16-18psi on stock intercooler with the stock CT-26. Friend of mine is running 16 on stock IC with 57 trim CT. You really will see some nice gains upgrading that IC. I noticed a huge amount of power gain when I upgraded mine, hell my friend has all the same basic mods as me except IC and my car is much faster.

 

[Boostedstr8six]

The small NPR doesnt really flow better than the stock, it just cools a lot better and is less prone to heat soak.

Prove it--the part about it not flowing better than the stock one. No flames intended but a leaf blower doesn't cut it for me. The tubes appear to be thicker than the oem ones but the main thing to look at is how air flows through them.

here's the stocker. look at all of the SHARP 90 degree turns the air has to make, going into and out of the core. Definitely not "flow friendly".

 

[Boostedstr8six]

and here's the small npr. The two cores themselves probably can flow similar amounts of air but there are major differences in delivery. Here the endtanks "guide" the air into the core tubes resulting in a LOT less turbulence which = more airflow. This is very rudimentary presentation but I'm not a huge fan of using engineering level text when it's not needed. Sorry for the thread hijack but it's relevant info. that could help you choose your intercooler

 

[Brady89]

Is this intercooler a direct drop in?

 

[pmpaluda]

Dude, am I buzzed OR is your IC (and flows) upside-down?

Prove it--the part about it not flowing better than the stock one. No flames intended but a leaf blower doesn't cut it for me. The tubes appear to be thicker than the oem ones but the main thing to look at is how air flows through them.

here's the stocker. look at all of the SHARP 90 degree turns the air has to make, going into and out of the core. Definitely not "flow friendly".

 

[Boostedstr8six]

Dude, am I buzzed OR is your IC (and flows) upside-down?

The stock pic is probably but the NPR is correct in it's depiction. Either way, it doesn't matter.

The NPR ones aren't "direct" drop ins but only take a little effort to make them work. The bigger one takes more work as some stuff needs to be moved around in the nose of the car.

 

[Silver88Turbo]

I cant prove they dont flow better and youre right, a leafblower doesnt show the true flow characteristics I guess. It doesnt really matter to me, I just want the added cooling.