Page 2 of 3
Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 2:13 pm
by Schweg
nbuscemi wrote:Schweg wrote: ↑Sun May 10, 2020 12:41 pm
Time to add more boost! Or timing!
Oh, no doubt!!! Shooting for 15 psi or so. Waiting to get the car on a dyno and finish tuning it. If I can get to 120-150 whp I'll call it done.... for now.
-Nick-
It’s never done! But I hear you. Unfortunately it’s addictive!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Re: Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 3:03 pm
by buguy
Haha! Good story bro! Maybe if it wasn't so easy to turn up the boost, things would be "done" more easily!
Re: Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 6:31 pm
by nbuscemi
The real comedy is that I bought this car back in March of 2015 and all it really needed was new tires and the brakes bled. Here I am with a fully built engine, EFI, Turbo, and Im still not driving it on the regular!
-Nick-
Re: Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Fri May 15, 2020 11:08 am
by Wally
nbuscemi wrote: ↑Sun May 10, 2020 6:31 pm
The real comedy is that I bought this car back in March of 2015 and all it really needed was new tires and the brakes bled. Here I am with a fully built engine, EFI, Turbo, and Im still not driving it on the regular!
-Nick-
But when you eventually do....
Priceless!, I promis

Re: Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 9:58 pm
by Clatter
Man, i love this idea!
Is your cooler mounted tight to the firewall,
Or is it set back?
If so, how much?
So stealth…
Re: Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 11:56 pm
by Bruce.m
You can just about see if zoomed in. The bracket on the back edge of the intercooler sits rear of the original decklid hanger mounting point. So slightly off the firewall.

Re: Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 3:49 pm
by nbuscemi
Here is my new intercooler setup. Same idea, but I replaced the cheap EMUSA model with a bar and plate unit from Summit.
-Nick-
Re: Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2023 4:29 pm
by Vee Dub Nut
Dig the creativity!
Why did you end up changing cores? Any performance issues or limitations with the original, or?
Are you still going to be able to get the deck lid on?
I’m working on a new system, and like the idea of an air to air core in that space. I’m real curious how much it could handle. Some meth might still be warranted at higher boost, but it would be nice if an air to air could support normal street driving at lower boost levels.
Re: Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 4:42 am
by nbuscemi
The intercooler I had on it was pretty beat up. Cheap Ebay unit that was meant to be a proof-of-concept. I wanted an intercooler I could "grow into". Whether I keep my 1600cc or build a 2332 this unit will be more than enough.

Here is the decklid mount I made..

Here in the decklid in place.
-Nick-
Re: Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 6:56 am
by Vee Dub Nut
Awesome! Thanks for sharing more detail.
I really like how that’s setup, and may take some inspiration from you as I build my new setup. You know, imitation, flattery, and all.

Re: Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 10:52 am
by nbuscemi
Vee Dub Nut wrote: ↑Sun Feb 26, 2023 6:56 am
Awesome! Thanks for sharing more detail.
I really like how that’s setup, and may take some inspiration from you as I build my new setup. You know, imitation, flattery, and all.
Thank you!
All of my ideas (both good and bad) are free and open-source!!!
Re: Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2023 4:58 pm
by Vee Dub Nut
Hey Nick (and everyone else)... Figured I'd finally get back to this thread and post pics of how my intake ended up coming out using that same air to air intercooler core. Still wrapping up the wiring in the car, so I can't comment on how well it works, but have good expectations based on Nick's data logs. I actually need to build the engine too as its just currently the heads/jugs/case mocked up.
My intake uses a 48mm throttle from Mario @ TheDubShop and his IDF plenum's with my own fabricated 2" intake-Y. Everything is made from 304 stainless. I plan to add provision to spray the intake with water/meth downstream of the intercooler pre-throttle body as well. I intend to lean on this engine pretty good. Combo is planned as a 2084 (78.4x92 thick walls), CB Panchito heads, Engle v26, AGP 5157 turbo, MS3 Pro, etc. etc. I keep thinking about jumping to 94's and more head, but then I remind myself I'm not building a race car, so...
Certainly not new to turbos, but its been a LONG time since this car was last turbocharged. For the old-timers around here, my username and this car is probably familiar (I've got several threads on here about a decade plus back). But the car has been pretty well dormant since those days, apart from some short lived NA carb'ed motors that were temporarily run through it.
Anyways, thanks Nick for the inspiration! (again, imitation, flattery and all

)
IMG_7273.jpg
IMG_7454.jpg
IMG_7458.jpg
Re: Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2023 4:39 am
by nbuscemi
That is AWESOME!!! Glad to see my experimentation is helping the community! What turbo manifold are you using? Can you post pictures without the rear apron? I'm thinking of moving my turbo from the rear fender to under the apron. I know that been done 100s of time, but would like to see it with a top-mount intercooler.
Thanks,
-Nick-
Re: Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2023 7:08 am
by Vee Dub Nut
nbuscemi wrote: ↑Sat Dec 09, 2023 4:39 am
That is AWESOME!!! Glad to see my experimentation is helping the community! What turbo manifold are you using? Can you post pictures without the rear apron? I'm thinking of moving my turbo from the rear fender to under the apron. I know that been done 100s of time, but would like to see it with a top-mount intercooler.
Thanks,
-Nick-
Thanks! And I appreciate the inspiration too! Seems like a solid solution to keep the intake temps in check for a street driven car, without the complexity of a water to air system to plumb into the car. I've always run with decklid standoffs anyways to flush cool air into the engine bay, so this location wasn't much of a compromise in that department.
Here are a few pics without the apron. I just got done mocking up my rear tin panel to keep the top side of the engine as separated as possible from the bottom side/hot side. I've done a similar type tin piece on my previous setup too.
The header I'm using is a "CB style" hideaway header, but it's not from CB and is made in stainless. I got it from Paul over at VW Speed Shop UK. Great guy and shop to work with, and the stainless should hold up better long term.
IMG_7577.jpg
IMG_7580.jpg
Re: Top mount intercooler.
Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2023 1:05 pm
by Bruce.m
Shame Paul doesn’t offer a similar stainless manifold to fit a type4 & WRX turbo. Something in The ballpark cost of the Type1 part would be perfect