Intercooler questions?

tnm27 · 02-12-2007

alright..i have a 91 eclipse gsx. Because my car is some what of a daily driver,I don't want to do so many upgrades, just a couple, one of them is a new FMIC. i don't really like the Side mount intercooler, its just too small(heheh..) so i was wondering if there are any compatable FMIC with the car. Other parts will go into the engine, but as far as turbo goes, my 14b is probably just gonna get polished, etc. so yea..any suggestions or comments would be appreciated. thanks.

clean2g · 02-12-2007

You can get a kit or custom made setup, either way you may have to decide on what kind of core you want based on how you want to route your piping. Talk to some of the shops on the board, I'm sure they can fit you with a set of pipes and core or a kit. And also, depending on what your goals are as far as power goes will play a big part in deciding what kind of fmic core you want, but if you plan on keeping the 14b, any fmic core will work.

b00stcreep21 · 02-12-2007

As far as cores go, the cheap ebay intercoolers do work, but will not perform as well as a known, name brand core like garrett. For the power levels your looking at, keeping the stock turbo and all, that would probably be your best bet. I personally would not recommend a cheapo ebay core for anything over 250 whp though. As far as piping goes, there are places that make kits, but unless you buy the intercooler that goes with that kit it's probably not going to be a direct bolt up. We can also fab all the piping you would ever need at LSE performance as well, just give us a call anytime we're open and we'd be more than happy to quote ya out :::end shameless plug:::

**Kracka** · 02-12-2007

Tons of online vendors have pre-made kits available at cheap prices. I personally had the Buschur street-kit and it was nice.

Get quotes though, if a local shops wants to build you a custom kit at a reasonable price go for it.

rst95eclipse · 02-12-2007

I was going to recommend Johnnyracecar, but there are not any new ones out. A cheapo eBay core will do the trick.

b00stcreep21 · 02-13-2007

Yeah, johhny racecar hasn't been making intercoolers for alomst a year now

rst95eclipse · 02-13-2007

I bought mine 5+ years ago. I was as happy as could be.

**Halon** · 02-14-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by b00stcreep21

As far as cores go, the cheap ebay intercoolers do work, but will not perform as well as a known, name brand core like garrett. For the power levels your looking at, keeping the stock turbo and all, that would probably be your best bet. I personally would NOT recommend a cheapo ebay core for anything over 250 whp though. As far as piping goes, there are places that make kits, but unless you buy the intercooler that goes with that kit it's probably not going to be a direct bolt up. We can also fab all the piping you would ever need at LSE performance as well, just give us a call anytime we're open and we'd be more than happy to quote ya out :::end shameless plug:::

I don't agree with grouping all intercoolers boughten on ebay into one category. Some will suck, some won't. Maybe when I get home, I'll post up the pictures of the inside of my core, so all those who keep chirping "EBAY INTERCOOLERS SUCK, THEY HAVE NO TURBULATORS" will finally shut up. Just like anything on ebay, somethings are crap quality, and some are good. You just have to look at what you're buying, and figure out which of the 2 it is, good or crap.

I personally run an ebay core, and made my own piping in case you haven't figured that out already. Bar & Plate, tons of turbulators (offset, not perfectly allignt turbulators like some of the crap ones have), 24x12x3 with 3" inlet/outlets. I have 2 buddies running the same core on their evo's.

Pushit2.0 · 02-14-2007

There are a lot of different types of turbulators, but Ebay for life.

~John

tnm27 · 02-14-2007

I'm gonna call LSE for there quotes and prices. i did so some searching on Ebay and they seem pretty alright. it would be nice HALON if u post up some pictures of yours? and from which buyers did u guys buy your ebay ones off of? i at least want a good one. so any one you guys recommend?

niterydr · 02-14-2007

My advice is no good, please delete.

b00stcreep21 · 02-14-2007

There wasn't anyone in this thread that said e-bay intercoolers would suck. They work just fine......to a certain point. When I get some time to actually get my car running, I'm planning on doing a side by side comparisson with dyno numbers so this argument can actually have some facts and testing involved

**Halon** · 02-15-2007

That's all I have for pictures. I wish I had better ones.

And for them being good only up to a point, does a Garrett stamp make them instantly better or something, and more capable? Tell me what makes a Garrett core better and more capable then the one I have on my car? You guys were quick to jump and say my core was heatsoaked the day on the dyno when it started to sputter slightly at 7k+ RPM's, and I'd bet my arse that it's because you know it was from ebay. And when I went and put my hand on the freezing cold end tank and UIC pipe, I questioned it instantly, and we found the problem ended up being solved with a new set of spark plugs.

You're going to do a back to back test. Great, with what, one style of ebay intercooler? That tiny one you still have laying around that's a tube and fin? And then state that all ebay cores are as equal and crappy as your tiny tube and fin JRC core because you compare it to a larger bar and plate Spearco one? You group everything sold on ebay into one group, and that's crap. I swear I could buy a used FP turbo off ebay, and if i installed it and said nothing as to what kind of turbo it was but only that I bought it off ebay, some of you would say it looks like absolute crap and point out apparent flaws, just because I mention Ebay.

**Halon** · 02-15-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by niterydr

All Chris was getting at is that E-Bay can be very deceptive on products. Getting a "good" intercooler on there is kind of like finding a needle in a haystack. Yes it can be done, but why bother when proven options are readily available from dependable sources.

I bother because I got it for cheap, and I like the DIY route. So in my mind, it was why spend 800 or whatever on a kit, when I bought the core, built and powder coated the pipe myself, and paid no more then like 400 bucks, and had fun doing it!!

All I'M getting at, is don't lump every single thing on ebay into one category of "CRAP". If that's the case, then I guess I have some crappy block off plates on 2 of my cars that I saw were for sale on ebay. Know anything about those? They sure seem nice to me, and fit perfectly and work like a charm, but OMG they are on EBAY so they must suck a big one!

I just don't see why my ebay china core will perform worse then Chris's Garrett chinese made core.

**1ViciousGSX** · 02-15-2007

Damn Halon, you look fucking OLD!!!

Nice cast tanks, what name is that stamped on the side?

**Halon** · 02-15-2007

Hyperflow.

Here it is on one of my friends car. Yup, just another POS crap intercooler because of where it was purchased. Don't mind the fact that he's making mid 300's HP on the stock turbo, or wait... That must be impossible, because with it being purchased from ebay, and the lack of garrett stamp, this thing shouldn't be good past 250.

niterydr · 02-15-2007

My advice is no good, please delete.

b00stcreep21 · 02-15-2007

This is the last post I'm going to make in this thread, or even on the subject because apparently an experienced, and educated insight on something doesn't mean shit now adays.

Yes, your intercooler has plenty of turbulators. A garrett core (and other known well performing cores) have a different turbulator design that look similar to yours, but DO NOT perform like yours. Why is this? Because the entire reason turbulators are there are to slow down the movment of air through the intercooler. (stays in the intercooler longer, gets cooled off more) So tell me, if you can see through your intercooler (like most of the cores bought off ebay), how much do you think it's going to slow the air down compared to a core that when you look through it, you can't even see light?

Brandon, your argument about everyone saying "EVERYTHING ON EBAY IS FUCKING CRAP OMGZ!!" is gettin really old, ESPECIALLY when no one has even said anything close to that in this entire thread. Incase you didn't know, EBAY isn't a company that makes products, so I'm not lumping everything into one category. Obviously ebay has good products listed for sale, you just have to find them. There, I said it. Happy now? No one on here was bashing your intercooler, or bashing on you, so there really isn't a need to get all hot and bothered about it.

As far as my testing goes, the plan is to test a cheap-o no name brand off e-bay of the same core dimentions with a garret core of the same size, with the same end tank design, turbo setup, boost level, tuning, blah blah blah, and tune it to the ragged edge and see where the dust settles. So, until I find deffinitive evidence from my future testing, or from other places doing the same for or against a garret/no name core, my opinions in this post stand.

I'm not hating on you, or your car in any way, shape, or form, the only reason I'm posting all this is because I genuinly believe there is alot of misconception about intercoolers, and this exact argument these days

niterydr · 02-15-2007

My advice is no good, please delete.

**Halon** · 02-15-2007

Josh, this wasn't meant to be about LSE, and I apologize for making it sound like I did. But with that being said:

He said they are only good to a certain point, a point of 250hp, in which he said he wouldn't recommend one off ebay, which is completely bogus and 100% false. It's not right to group all intercoolers on ebay into falling into that one category. I will never know if mine is good up to 1300hp, nor do I care, nor do I highly doubt the one who started this thread cares. I don't think even 1% of the people here care if their core is good up to 1300hp. What I do think matters, is that some work, and they work well, as long as you get ones that are decent, and you have to know what you're looking for. My turbulators are just as staggered as yours. I fully understand their purpose. They slow down, and "turbulate" the air so that more air becomes in contact with the surface of the aluminum, and so more air is cooled. I would love to test the PSI drop of my core, but I have no way to do this. My turbulators are just as staggered as the ones on yours. They are not perfectly alligned the entire way like some off ebay were. That picture I have doesn't show it well, but just to show the fellow audience, I will take off my piping and show you a better photo of the inside of my 2 year old core, so it may not bling like the one in your picture. I have a date right now though, so that picture will have to wait until tomorrow.