Guest 85zx Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 I'm shopping around for an Intercooler for my 86 Z31 Turbo, now some people have told me bigger isnt always better so I am just wondering what dimensions i should get. The options I am looking at are as follows: There are cheaper ones at 24" x 12" x 3" but I was told that 12" is a little tall and alot of the fins wont get hit with direct airflow. Another one I am looking at is 22" x 8" x 3.5" which looks to be of very high quality but is a little more on the expensive side. And finally the one below that is about mid range price at 24" x 9" x 3" and the only one available. There is this exact cooler but at 24" x 12" x 3" which again I am thinking is a little tall, and it's also $60 more for the taller one. Some feedback would be apprecaited... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nienberg.11 Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 If the top one is the cheapest, I would go for that. That's about the size I have for my 280. If you're concerned about air flowing directly over it, you could always make up ducting to flow more air to it. I personally wouldn't pay more for the others and get less intercooler. Also, 3.5" thickness is a bit much based on what I gathered from Corky Bell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 3.5" A bit much? Where does corky say that? Everything is a compromise. The thicker you make the cooler the better it will flow intake charge, but the less the charge flowing through the back bit will be cooled. Have a look at the coolers for mega HP GTRs, E.g. GTR-700 (exvitermini.com) uses a 156mm thick cooler. Something is only `too' anything for a particular application. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 85zx Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 I found an intercooler similar to the last pic posted but 12" tall, with a 24 month warranty and tested up to 80PSI for only $60 more! It looks of a much higher quality than the first one of the same dimensions posted above. I have been emailing back and forth with the guy who sells them and he sounds decent, prompt replies and they seem to know their stuff. I have seen this same size cooler mounted in a Z31 aleady on http://www.redz31.com/turbofaq/intercoolers.html (honda hater ) so it does fit, would just be a matter of deciding wether to mount it on the radiator on an angle or try and get it in there vertically. What do you guys suggest? Wouldn't it promote overheating by blocking the radiator like that? Just wondering what would be the best position to mount it, on an angle or vertical? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nienberg.11 Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Helix, I know my statement doesn't apply to every application. That said, there is a passage from Corky in which he states that intercoolers are often made thicker to make up for other deficiencies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Fair enough. Just another thought, surely the speed the car will be used at would play a part here? A car whose average speed is higher would likely see more airflow through the intercooler, more so again if ducting is employed, which would potentially improve the efficiency of thicker cored coolers. 85zx, intercoolers and radiators are sometimes mounted on an angle I believe to force the air that does pass through, albiet potentially less given the smaller frontal area, to change direction, which takes longer, and means more cooling is achieved for the same amount of air. Atleast thats how I understand it. Could be something more complicated like the sudden change in direction creating different type of, slower, flow through the core. I'm not sure. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proxlamus© Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 pick up an izuzu NPR intercooler.. Ive had nothing but great success.. and its freakn huge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 85zx Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Already got the 12" tall one, the last posted image... 2 year warranty, cant really complain with that! Now I just have to see how i'm going to go about mounting it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.