31x18x4 intercooler install thread

[Lucky the Smiling Pirate]

Once upon a time, I bought this:
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n84/archlite/DSC01409.jpg

after deciding it wasn't big enough i went with something 6inches taller and an inch thicker:
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n84/archlite/IMG_0012.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n84/archlite/IMG_0013.jpg

anyway, after cutting out the stock radiator support crossmember:
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n84/archlite/radiatorcrossmembercrop.jpg

i jacked up the intercooler to the height i wanted and ended up with this:
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n84/archlite/intercooler1.jpg

Moving along, i first began by welding myself up a fork of 1 bar with 3 tines on it. I then welded the bar to the underside of the frame rails after some judicious surface grinding, bent the tines to angle and ended up with this:
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n84/archlite/intercooler2crop.jpg

removed the bar and tines, filled in the welds so they'd be permanent, tacked back on the bar and tines and welded in the first of the 3 cross bars that will support the new intercooler, along with the radiator and ac condenser:
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n84/archlite/intercooler3crop.jpg

it was around this time that I accidentally headbutted the driver's side bumper shock and decided it was time to stop working for the day:
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n84/archlite/headbutt.jpg

More pics as they become available:)

Well, it's been 3weeks since I did anything with this but it's now done!
nice close up view of the thing from the side:
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n84/archlite/closeupsideview.jpg

after my friend welded it in for me (I have tig skills but no tig, his mig, his welds) we had some 'fun'
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n84/archlite/elijahstanding.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n84/archlite/kylestanding.jpg

My shoes:-P
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n84/archlite/myshoes.jpg

and a pic of how everything'll line up assuming I don't have to do some cutting on the bracket to lower the radiator.
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n84/archlite/rackloaded.jpg

btw, the pic of me standing on the thing...that's supporting 220lbs!

[mikes02ls1]

Man is that thing going to have V-Tec?? Looks good now back to work I want to see the finish product!!!

[fige]

skinnnnhead

nice install

[RedFridge]

THAT IS SWEET!
It messes with my eyes.

Sorry about the noggin.

[Lucky the Smiling Pirate]

I'm thinkin about having the outlets on that intercooler cut and rewelded inward 30-45degrees...all depends on the relative costs in both time and money of paying the shop to do the mod, vs hacking up the whole front end support system to make room for the headlights. Meh, I'll worry about that once I get to the point where everything is bolted up and i know just what needs to be hacked.

[Stephen]

that pic of your head is like super emo. haha

[thelostartof]

You know if you tilt the rad backward(towards the engine) a few degrees you will not have to cut into the headlight brackets and still have loads of space for other parts.

looks good

pics of said new welder?

[Lucky the Smiling Pirate]

borrowed a friend's. we'll get that one you gave me going soon enough...just always issues with time.

as far as the rad being tilted, there's no where for it to go with that 4" in there. I could maybe tilt it a half inch:e-shrug: I expect to have this done next weekend.

[thelostartof]

tilt it towards the engine .. remember all of that free space between the rad and engine. there is loads of room there. either way you could always offset the elec fan like i did also

oh and did you reinstall the A/C and the lines before you test fit the IC to make sure all fit? or are you just going off memory. also watch out for where your intake will be along with batt for where to put the IC pipes.

if anything have someone weld on some tight fitting pipes on the end of the IC to help it clear those bends it needs to make

I have a 4" in mine and if i had time to do it again i bet i could do it w/o notching the headlight brackets. then again if you notch them it makes life much easier, just make sure you have the headlights that are going to be your final lights to test for clearance as my US spec lights fit fine, but the Euros make it a little hard to change the bulbs w/ the silicone bend on the one side. with the tight 90 i made on the other it is much easier

[Lord Tentacle]

crist that is a BIG inter cooler....
ebay or some other source?

[Lucky the Smiling Pirate]

yeh, ebay powerstroke replacement.

[thelostartof]

they show up on ebay all of the time, most are listed for GMC's for the turbo 4.3L

[GTJordan]

you look like that guy from myth busters....

[gotboost]

You're garage looks about as littered with random volvo parts as my carport does.....only yours is probably much, much warmer.

[Lucky the Smiling Pirate]

i really need to do some clean up in there. been working on 5 things at once in there and not cleaned up after any of it for 2months:omg:

[Lord_Athlon]

flip it over and run the piping chris style?

[Lucky the Smiling Pirate]

nah, I like top. plus there'd be no way to get the thing in if i went bottom on the design i've got.

[VolvoPunch]

Is that intercooler big enough? Nice install and it fits well, clean engine bay btw. What have you done with that b230 bottom end you got back from the shop recently?

[thelostartof]

i really need to do some clean up in there. been working on 5 things at once in there and not cleaned up after any of it for 2months:omg:

sounds like my excuse

[Lucky the Smiling Pirate]

it's assembled. waiting for the oiltrap return hose to come in before I put on the rear and front main seals and bolt oil pan on. jvab pistons and rods. That IC better be big enough cuz holy damn i don't think i could get any bigger:omg: starting out small on the turbo (hopin it'll dyno 325 to the wheels) but lookin to go bigger as soon as the drive train gets sorted out and I didn't want to hassle with fitting a small IC only to have to fit a bigger one later.

[maxman142001]

nice work man!

looks like its going to come out really clean, now for some bling intercooler pipes :)

[Lucky the Smiling Pirate]

yeh, someone find me a good price on 3inch polished aluminum pipes:-D

[Lucky the Smiling Pirate]

tilt it towards the engine .. remember all of that free space between the rad and engine. there is loads of room there. either way you could always offset the elec fan like i did also

oh and did you reinstall the A/C and the lines before you test fit the IC to make sure all fit? or are you just going off memory. also watch out for where your intake will be along with batt for where to put the IC pipes.

if anything have someone weld on some tight fitting pipes on the end of the IC to help it clear those bends it needs to make

I have a 4" in mine and if i had time to do it again i bet i could do it w/o notching the headlight brackets. then again if you notch them it makes life much easier, just make sure you have the headlights that are going to be your final lights to test for clearance as my US spec lights fit fine, but the Euros make it a little hard to change the bulbs w/ the silicone bend on the one side. with the tight 90 i made on the other it is much easier

I WILL be offsetting the e-fan and even then I expect only to have 1/2-3/4" clearance between the waterpump and the efan shroud. I am just going off of memory as far as the ac lines go, but i put my ac condenser back on the cross member before i cut it out to get a good idea of where it sits stock...shouldn't have too much issue replacing the ac lines.

headlights are w/fog ecodes, should work out okay. as far as battery, I'm considering putting it back behind my driver's seat...we'll see.

[kyote]

You have Adam Savage's hair color and face and Jamie Hyneman's facial hair and hair cut (or lack-of-hair cut).

[BB-Q]

Nice work. Reminds me of someone else's intercooler install...........;-)

[Dr Dokeh]

Crikey that's a biggun.

[Colli]

SIC! Nice work.

[Lucky the Smiling Pirate]

updated pics!