intercooler relocation

Topic: intercooler relocation (Read 1709 times) previous topic - next topic

intercooler relocation

June 14, 2012, 09:09:31 PM

has anyone relocated the intercooler on the 87-88 bird? looks there would be room begind the rh headlight area. do you think it would be any more efficient? i cant see where it actually gets much airflow through them two little scoops.

intercooler relocation

Reply #1 – June 14, 2012, 09:30:41 PM

A lot of people convert to a front mount IC, they mount them directly in front of the radiator.

intercooler relocation

Reply #2 – June 14, 2012, 09:39:02 PM

I would do a aftermarket front mount if it was me. How would you get that gigantic stock one up front anyway?

intercooler relocation

Reply #3 – June 14, 2012, 09:45:29 PM

I will take a picture of what i am thinking, maybe it wont work, but might be cheaper than buying an aftermarket one. i would just have to fab up some pipes.

intercooler relocation

Reply #4 – June 15, 2012, 12:55:59 AM

I have a ford motorsport front mount in my 83, nice unit although alittle small, your choices will be limited on a larger front mount without cutting and rotating your upper intake, I have a gutted rotated intake with sn95 throttle body if you go that route, keep in mind you will also have to run the ranger alternator mount

intercooler relocation

Reply #5 – June 15, 2012, 11:18:33 AM

Quote from: ramair351;392344

i cant see where it actually gets much airflow through them two little scoops.

Though it seems counter intuitive, those aren't scoops, they are "extactors". As air passes over them, it creates a low pressure area and pulls air up and through the duct work and intercooler. If you study the shape, you'll notice they are backwards of how scoops are shaped. I happend to run into the Ford engineer who designed the system for the 87/88 Thunderbirds at a local car show and he walked me through the concept...

intercooler relocation

Reply #6 – June 15, 2012, 01:35:54 PM

Quote from: 86T-bird;392406

Though it seems counter intuitive, those aren't scoops, they are "extactors". As air passes over them, it creates a low pressure area and pulls air up and through the duct work and intercooler. If you study the shape, you'll notice they are backwards of how scoops are shaped. I happend to run into the Ford engineer who designed the system for the 87/88 Thunderbirds at a local car show and he walked me through the concept...

YOU are correct!!! Their is absolutely no air driven in to those vents. This has been proven years ago. Their is basically no air on the first 4-6 inches of the hood line. AMC knew that when they installed that high high scoop on their 69 AMC SC / RAMBLER

Turbo coupe front mount. Here is the midnighters front mount I/C

intercooler relocation

Reply #7 – June 15, 2012, 02:37:04 PM

Don't know if Gumby has pics of his intercooler location, but he angled it in behind the bumper, across the open area of the lower bumper cover (the space where you can see the ground in Tom's photo above). It's not a small unit. He did cut and rotate his upper intake too, as mentioned by Fourplaymotorsports.

intercooler relocation

Reply #8 – June 15, 2012, 02:52:47 PM

Quote from: TOM Renzo;392409

AMC knew that when they installed that high high scoop on their 69 AMC SC / RAMBLER

Tom,

You cracked me up with the reference to the 69 AMC SC/Rambler! I remember those snorkle hoodscoops that remained the rage for about a decade. But, how many on this board were around when there were FOUR major automakers in the US and of those, how many were around when the Rambler name was retired? Gotta play to the audience....:D

intercooler relocation

Reply #9 – June 15, 2012, 03:24:38 PM

I wouldn't waste the time with relocating the stock IC. You can pick up a new unit pretty cheaply.

My install is mostly shown HERE.

A rotated intake is not required.

intercooler relocation

Reply #10 – June 15, 2012, 04:10:46 PM

Thats how I did mine

http://oi49.tinypic.com/30svzf8.jpg

intercooler relocation

Reply #11 – June 15, 2012, 06:38:21 PM

Quote from: 86T-bird;392416

Tom,

You cracked me up with the reference to the 69 AMC SC/Rambler! I remember those snorkle hoodscoops that remained the rage for about a decade. But, how many on this board were around when there were FOUR major automakers in the US and of those, how many were around when the Rambler name was retired? Gotta play to the audience....:D

I dont know. But i know what works. I used the RAMBLER because it worked. I was using it as an example how we learn things and how things work. Sorry i did not play to the audience. By the way a pair of stock Coupe IC units work actually quite well. just me could be wrong again.

Tell me this car is not COOL. And the THING WAS NO SLOUCH.

http://musclecars.howstuffworks.com/classic-muscle-cars/1969-amc-hurst-sc-rambler.htm

By the way cheap I/C units dont work very well. To much restriction and flow numbers SUCK. Always go for a good unit it is worth the extra money.

intercooler relocation

Reply #12 – June 15, 2012, 09:39:39 PM

Quote from: TOM Renzo;392431

Tell me this car is not COOL. And the THING WAS NO SLOUCH.

http://musclecars.howstuffworks.com/classic-muscle-cars/1969-amc-hurst-sc-rambler.htm

.

No argument from me on them being cool! I'm sure there are a handful of us on the board who remember them.

intercooler relocation

Reply #13 – June 15, 2012, 10:06:23 PM

86 we are all car guys and respect all cars for what they were. We look and treat cars completely different than you run of the mill puppiesanese car buyers. They dont know SQUAT about cars. Take the cars on this site and it makes me wonder what will the young generation of car guys restore or collect. Not a civic i would think. Cars of our generation and yours are CARS. Not some junk box front drive piece of . It's funny every time i pull up to the gas pump some one says to me i had a car just like that when i was young!!! I just laugh and give them my standard answer. NOT LIKE THIS ONE MY FRIEND. Thanks Tom

intercooler relocation

Reply #14 – June 16, 2012, 11:02:43 AM

thanks for the tips guys, i messed around with it, and while i think it could be done ( I like doing things on a budget you know) i dont think its worth it. Thanks for the explanation on the heat extractor hood scoop setup, that makes sense.
I had the intercooler off doing spark plugs, PCV and valve cover gasket. ( ford parts thank you) While i had the intercooler off i thought the engine was so much easier to work on and maybe i could relocate it.
I also plumbed in an aftermarket boost controller.... get to experiment with that today