Turbo intercooler in place of aftermarket intake

Anson Moy · 11-10-2001, 02:57 AM

I have a question I've been thinking about for a long time. Is it feasible to install a turbo intercooler without a turbo (probably add on later)? Taking out the hood scoop panel and using the intercooler like an aftermarket intake system? I know this sounds funny.

Has anybody done this before? Will this work better than the aftermarket intake system?

* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

bsquare · 11-10-2001, 03:15 AM

An intercooler that uses outside air can't cool the charge below ambient temperature. Its purpose in forced induction applications is to compensate for the heat of the intake charge that goes along with it being compressed (the compression raises the temp hundreds of degrees). A normal intake will be better.

Ben

Anson Moy · 11-10-2001, 03:21 AM

Got it. Thanks so much for clearing this up.

Talking about aftermarket intake, which is best in performance for the money?

bsquare · 11-10-2001, 03:26 AM

GanzFlow with a K&N filter in the stock air box.

Ben

Keiho · 11-10-2001, 04:49 AM

Don't want to step on any toes...but...

Best bang for the buck would have to be the PDM Racing intake. Pretty much identical in specs to the Ganzflow, but cheaper to begin with, and now with the piss poor Canadian currency it'll be even cheaper for you Americans.

Andrew · 11-10-2001, 05:03 AM

i believe this has been discussed before. someone mentioned that a muscle car guy used an IC after the intake and found small gains. or something to that degree. the consensus was that its a waste of money.

bsquare · 11-10-2001, 05:16 AM

I really prefer the GanzFlow because it maintains the stock airbox and that has an extremely positive effect on throttle response and low end performance.

Ben

Panzer1939 · 11-10-2001, 08:27 AM

Love my Cobb CAI.

Tim Albert
American Citizen

Keiho · 11-10-2001, 03:06 PM

bsquare: That's what the PDM Racing is to. Like I said, it is virtually identical to the Ganzflow. In fact I think PDM was the first to run with a 3" cold air pipe.

Anson Moy · 11-10-2001, 08:23 PM

Despite you guys arguing over which is best, I just went out and made my own homemade intake.

All I need was 10mm and 11mm sockets, socket wrench, flat head screwdriver, scissor, 4" hose clamp and a 3" flexible/extendable aluminum dryer air
duct.

Pulled the aluminum from the airbox to the fender
and all the way to the bumper's air duct under fog lamp. I hope
mice or birdie will not nest in there overnight.

I'm missing a K&N oem flat panel filter though

DustinR · 11-10-2001, 09:09 PM

Ill second the love for Cobb CAI

ImprezaRS dot com · 11-11-2001, 12:59 AM

Thanks Keiho, I didn't need the extra GanzFlow customers with the US economy doing so well

Larry

Kevin Thomas · 11-11-2001, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Anson Moy
I have a question I've been thinking about for a long time. Is it feasible to install a turbo intercooler without a turbo (probably add on later)? Taking out the hood scoop panel and using the intercooler like an aftermarket intake system? I know this sounds funny. Has anybody done this before? Will this work better than the aftermarket intake system?

Truthfully Anson, no-one here can answer this. Why don't you try it out and report your findings to us. We can decipher and theorize why we think it will or will not work but in application on a normally aspirated Scooby, we don't know. It may very well be a good idea for some miscellaneous reason. So go and try it out and let us know what you think of it. I'm sure no-one thought that a 2.5RS could gain 15hp+ from just an intake change.

Sometimes you just never know until you try.

And yes, someone here as already did something similar to what you are talking about. They didn't use an intercooler but the stock intake air plenum housing. They cut the top half of it off and installed a filter of sorts over the bottom half. It got pretty dirty (they had pics of it on here) but they liked it a lot. I'm not sure if they were the only ones to do this modification either. Good luck!

Keiho · 11-11-2001, 01:37 AM

Larry: No worries...I'm sure people will still buy from you anyway. I know I would if I lived in the States, less hassles with customs/taxes. I most certainly didn't mean to "take customers" away from you!

If I came off as that I apologize.

Richard L. · 11-11-2001, 01:53 AM

Here is a pic of my 3" PDM intake:

It looks great, fits great, and sounds great.

--
Richard
http://www.whitetyphoon.com/impreza/

Anson Moy · 11-11-2001, 06:26 PM

Kevin,

Yeah, I've thought of trying that out but Bsquare said it's not feasible. Scroll all the way up and read his post and let me know what you think.

An intercooler is not cheap though.

I will keep trying to find a bargain intercooler though.

Will let you guys know if I do have a chance to try out this experiment.

Anybody got a intercooler lying around collecting dusts?

Quote:

Originally posted by Kevin Thomas

Truthfully Anson, no-one here can answer this. Why don't you try it out and report your findings to us. We can decipher and theorize why we think it will or will not work but in application on a normally aspirated Scooby, we don't know. It may very well be a good idea for some miscellaneous reason. So go and try it out and let us know what you think of it. I'm sure no-one thought that a 2.5RS could gain 15hp+ from just an intake change.

Sometimes you just never know until you try.

And yes, someone here as already did something similar to what you are talking about. They didn't use an intercooler but the stock intake air plenum housing. They cut the top half of it off and installed a filter of sorts over the bottom half. It got pretty dirty (they had pics of it on here) but they liked it a lot. I'm not sure if they were the only ones to do this modification either. Good luck!

11-10-2001, 02:57 AM	#1
Anson Moy Scooby Newbie Member#: 9451 Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Beaverton, Oregon Vehicle: 2001 RS Saloon Deep Mica Blue	Turbo intercooler in place of aftermarket intake I have a question I've been thinking about for a long time. Is it feasible to install a turbo intercooler without a turbo (probably add on later)? Taking out the hood scoop panel and using the intercooler like an aftermarket intake system? I know this sounds funny. Has anybody done this before? Will this work better than the aftermarket intake system? * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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11-10-2001, 03:15 AM	#2
bsquare Scooby Specialist Member#: 1911 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Vehicle: 2000 Impreza 2.5RS Silverthorn Metallic	An intercooler that uses outside air can't cool the charge below ambient temperature. Its purpose in forced induction applications is to compensate for the heat of the intake charge that goes along with it being compressed (the compression raises the temp hundreds of degrees). A normal intake will be better. Ben

11-10-2001, 03:21 AM	#3
Anson Moy Scooby Newbie Member#: 9451 Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Beaverton, Oregon Vehicle: 2001 RS Saloon Deep Mica Blue	Got it. Thanks so much for clearing this up. Talking about aftermarket intake, which is best in performance for the money?

11-10-2001, 03:26 AM	#4
bsquare Scooby Specialist Member#: 1911 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Vehicle: 2000 Impreza 2.5RS Silverthorn Metallic	GanzFlow with a K&N filter in the stock air box. Ben

11-10-2001, 04:49 AM	#5
Keiho Sea to Sky - OWNED Moderator Member#: 610 Join Date: Dec 1999 Chapter/Region: VIC Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Vehicle: 2003 Lexus IS300 Graphite Gray Pearl	Don't want to step on any toes...but... Best bang for the buck would have to be the PDM Racing intake. Pretty much identical in specs to the Ganzflow, but cheaper to begin with, and now with the piss poor Canadian currency it'll be even cheaper for you Americans.

11-10-2001, 05:03 AM	#6
Andrew Scooby Specialist Member#: 1170 Join Date: Mar 2000 Chapter/Region: BAIC Location: San Jose, CA Vehicle: 2005 STi White	i believe this has been discussed before. someone mentioned that a muscle car guy used an IC after the intake and found small gains. or something to that degree. the consensus was that its a waste of money.

11-10-2001, 05:16 AM	#7
bsquare Scooby Specialist Member#: 1911 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Vehicle: 2000 Impreza 2.5RS Silverthorn Metallic	I really prefer the GanzFlow because it maintains the stock airbox and that has an extremely positive effect on throttle response and low end performance. Ben

11-10-2001, 08:27 AM	#8
Panzer1939 Scooby Newbie Member#: 2427 Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Downers Grove, IL USA	Love my Cobb CAI. Tim Albert American Citizen

11-10-2001, 03:06 PM	#9
Keiho Sea to Sky - OWNED Moderator Member#: 610 Join Date: Dec 1999 Chapter/Region: VIC Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Vehicle: 2003 Lexus IS300 Graphite Gray Pearl	bsquare: That's what the PDM Racing is to. Like I said, it is virtually identical to the Ganzflow. In fact I think PDM was the first to run with a 3" cold air pipe.

11-10-2001, 08:23 PM	#10
Anson Moy Scooby Newbie Member#: 9451 Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Beaverton, Oregon Vehicle: 2001 RS Saloon Deep Mica Blue	Despite you guys arguing over which is best, I just went out and made my own homemade intake. All I need was 10mm and 11mm sockets, socket wrench, flat head screwdriver, scissor, 4" hose clamp and a 3" flexible/extendable aluminum dryer air duct. Pulled the aluminum from the airbox to the fender and all the way to the bumper's air duct under fog lamp. I hope mice or birdie will not nest in there overnight. I'm missing a K&N oem flat panel filter though

11-10-2001, 09:09 PM	#11
DustinR Scooby Specialist Member#: 8264 Join Date: Jul 2001 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: Burlington, VT Vehicle: 2001 Impreza 2.5 RS 95 Impreza 1.8 Coupe	Ill second the love for Cobb CAI

11-11-2001, 12:59 AM	#12
ImprezaRS dot com over boosted again Moderator Member#: 1458 Join Date: May 2000 Chapter/Region: RMIC Location: Colorado Springs CO USA Vehicle: 2006 B9 Tribeca LTD 2005 Impreza 2.5 RS	Thanks Keiho, I didn't need the extra GanzFlow customers with the US economy doing so well Larry

11-11-2001, 01:37 AM	#14
Keiho Sea to Sky - OWNED Moderator Member#: 610 Join Date: Dec 1999 Chapter/Region: VIC Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Vehicle: 2003 Lexus IS300 Graphite Gray Pearl	Larry: No worries...I'm sure people will still buy from you anyway. I know I would if I lived in the States, less hassles with customs/taxes. I most certainly didn't mean to "take customers" away from you! If I came off as that I apologize.

11-11-2001, 01:53 AM	#15
Richard L. Scooby Specialist Member#: 8465 Join Date: Jul 2001 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: Puget Sound, WA Vehicle: '00 2.5RS Coupe, AW '93 GMC Typhoon AWD	Here is a pic of my 3" PDM intake: It looks great, fits great, and sounds great. -- Richard http://www.whitetyphoon.com/impreza/