RS500 intercooler

svo855 · Post by **svo855** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 11:16 pm

Do you have to remove the AC condensor to install an RS500 style intercooler?

Post by **John Brennan** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 11:34 pm

svo855 · Post by **svo855** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:44 am

Well that truely sucks. What are my options if I want to keep the AC? I am not shooting for a small power number but I'll be damned if I will drive in Dallas traffic, and in Texas heat with no AC.

Maurice S · Post by **Maurice S** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 1:55 am

You can use a short Saab Turbo or Scirocco rad with an Cossie Sierra or Escort or Escort Turbodiesel I/C above it. Or a Porsche 944/951 type of thing...I was wondering if you could use the RS500 one or like a Volvo BIG but thin like 1" one ahead of the rad but moving the stock rad back a couple of inches to make room and just routing the the compresor tube over the valve cover to the drivers side tank and the TB tube prttey much straight back and a 90 bend to the TB from the pass side tank? But thats a project.

turbofan · Post by **turbofan** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:00 am

Maurice S wrote:You can use a short Saab Turbo or Scirocco rad with an Cossie Sierra or Escort or Escort Turbodiesel I/C above it. Or a Porsche 944/951 type of thing...I was wondering if you could use the RS500 one or like a Volvo BIG but thin like 1" one ahead of the rad but moving the stock rad back a couple of inches to make room and just routing the the compresor tube over the valve cover to the drivers side tank and the TB tube prttey much straight back and a 90 bend to the TB from the pass side tank? But thats a project.

you can, but those big and thin volvo coolers SUCK. they're inefficient, flow poorly, and just aren't what everyone thinks they are.

i'd say porsche 944 or cossie would be the way to go.

i *know* i've seen a pic where somebody ran the tubing across the engine bay like that, but i think it would be better to just rotate the intake.

flylear45 · Post by **flylear45** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:07 am

Like this?

turbofan · Post by **turbofan** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:08 am

that's not the same one i'd seen before, but yes, just like that. that looks pretty nice!

Maurice S · Post by **Maurice S** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:31 am

There you go...and the Volvo I/C while not great is better than the top mount with no scoop or some cheesy deal you know...And rotating the intake, that's another project...I'm thinking of going with something similar to the above...I'm not looking to make huge power. And with a BOV/BPV the tubing shouldnt be a problem...not really excessive I dont think anyway.

Post by **John Brennan** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:15 pm

There's always the Rapido IC, or a TCIC front-mounted, Saab 900 fender or battery-spot mounted, and several others. I think the Cossie rad over a shorty rad is your best bet, or perhaps a force-fed TCIC. My DG IC over C&R rad let me keep my A/C, but good luck finding one of those.

SARON81 · Post by **SARON81** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:50 pm

Or you could go bottom mount. Here's what I have in my black car. It was made by a company here in Baltimore. It's very nice to have cold AC.

turbofan · Post by **turbofan** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 1:08 pm

do you have any better pics of that? like.. of the intercooler and how you mounted it?

johnny b, the saab 900 is a pathetic intercooler by comparison to many, and the rapido has too much tubing. if you were to ditch the saab 900 endanks, or at least redo the turnaround part of the entanks (that endtank is much too small and restrictive) and make sure to use the later intercooler, it would work ok. but the dual pass is never a good design.

Post by **Ed Lijewski** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:05 pm

He could also go the Hartwood Intercooler/Radiator combo route.

http://www.merkurclub.com/forum/viewtop ... ntercooler

If I lived in a heat and humidity hell hole as Dallas can be and usually is, I would think and look in that direction.

YMMV

Post by **John Brennan** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:20 pm

Did you catch the part where he said he's "not looking to make huge power"? There are other priorities in play here. The 900 flows well, and moreover is compact and highly adaptable to space-limited mountings.

Sometimes, a smaller core mounted properly and fed high-pressure air is as good or better than a big one mounted less than ideally.

svo855 · Post by **svo855** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:57 pm

John Brennan wrote:Did you catch the part where he said he's "not looking to make huge power"? There are other priorities in play here. The 900 flows well, and moreover is compact and highly adaptable to space-limited mountings.

Sometimes, a smaller core mounted properly and fed high-pressure air is as good or better than a big one mounted less than ideally.

I said that I was not shooting for a small power number. 430-470 hp at the wheels is about what I want. I have a dyno only air to water setup now but now this car has to be road worthy. I will just buy an RS500 style IC from across the pond and I will make it work.

My goal was to find something off the shelf so I wouldn't have to reinvent the wheel. Damn these cars; why does everything with them have to be a fight?

JediTalen · Post by **JediTalen** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:44 pm

BAT sells a unit that mounts parallel to the ground in front of the steering crossmember, it uses the natural flow of the engine compartment to draw air through you wouldn't have to change any of your radiator/ac stuff at all for this one.