Was just thinkin bout me Subaru days and was wondering is it possible or just stupid of been done to mount an intercooler on top same as imprezas as this way pipework is literally nothing granted some sort of air hole will be needed in Bonnet but would stand to reason would be better for performance?

Not saying I'm doing it just wondered if anyone had done it or thought about it that's all . I like the idea just not the vent in bonnet thing

Heat rises from the engine and ends up heating up the intercooler, I think Subaru used it because it made the pipework short and cheap to produce, a front mounted intercooler is so much more efficient.

Works ok at speed due to the air flow forces the heat down over the engine and out the bottom and sides, big problem is after a run when sat at traffic lights, all that heat comes straight up and heat soaks the intercooler so you are down on power when you take off again. That's why some go to the extent of having front mount (or twin side mounts) with electric fans and water spray to aid the quick recovery

Fairplay deano you are full of ideas. Keep them coming, its always good to see new ideas floating around.

Was just thinkin bout me Subaru days and was wondering is it possible or just stupid of been done to mount an intercooler on top same as imprezas as this way pipework is literally nothing granted some sort of air hole will be needed in Bonnet but would stand to reason would be better for performance?

Not saying I'm doing it just wondered if anyone had done it or thought about it that's all . I like the idea just not the vent in bonnet thing

Alternative is an AWIC... Keeps the air path short. Problem is that diesels are almost always on boost. Boost = heat = running a large pump constantly to keep the water cool. Expensive and noisy and heavy and possibly unreliable. Though I did ponder a PWR chargecooler for a while... Prices of pumps capable of 20+ litres per minute are not insignificant.

Better option would be to figure a way to minimise the air path and remove unneccessary 90 degree bends.

J.

Stupid, and been done

Subaru was an afterthought, spoke to a mechanic who hates working on top mounts but the one on the Gti-r Pulsar is the worst aparantly. Front mounted makes more sense if you think about it.

I know guys who have 400bhp+ in subarus running thick top mounts. And joe thanks buddy was just an idea as it works for subarus I know people say about heat soak etc but they use them even now on the new models so obviously it isnt broke so don't fix it type of idea

Pipework would literally be inches as oppose to feet would stand to reason using a thick impreza cooler would be ideal or a chargecooler from a Celica gt4 . The only downside I can think really is a vent in the bonnet but if your interested in performance over style then result lol

And the reason mechanics say rubbish like that is so the can charge more money that's fact as taking an intercooler off a scooby takes less than 5 minutes there a doddle general day to day mechanics won't touch subarus as they don't understand them and majority of them don't know what there working on in reality there one of the easiest cars to work on I think and I'm no mechanic but I can strip and take out an engine in less than 2 hours

Edited 1 February, 201313 yr by Big deano

the other possible donor car for a top mount intercooler is a Peugeot 306 turbo diesel, should be a lot easier and cheaper to find one from a breakers yard, remember with diesels the boost levels are far higher than a turbocharged petrol engine so you need a good strong reliable intercooler core to withstand the boost pressures.

also some of the big 4x4 vehicles have them too like the Nissan patrol and some of the isuzu stuff as well

it doesn't have to cost you a fortune to take on something like that, I'm pretty sure a 'tuning' company will extract a few hundred quid for the privilege but I reckon a good £30 will buy you a good top mount interccoler from a breakers yard, then all you would need is a few silicon elbows off eBay and bobs your uncle... also you could try making a heat shield to go between the engine and intercooler, maybe something like a piece of stainless steel plate bent to shape and painted matt black.

If it keeps IAT down then does it really matter where it's fitted?

If it keeps IAT down then does it really matter where it's fitted?

no not really, but the most obvious place is at the front of the car for optimum airflow, after all it is the air that takes the heat away from the core..one of the fundamental laws of physics is that heat rises so obviously it will be less efficient stuck on top of the engine, but that said it shouldn't be dismissed as a possible option to try out, the less elbows and pipework you have in the intercooler ducting the better, for every 90 degree bend you loose 5% of your boost pressure.. Also another point here is that diesel engines run a lot cooler than petrol engines anyway.

I was going to say 306 dturbo i remember mine had a vent thing running from the front grill under the bonnet to the cooler so it didnt need a scoop.

most 4x4's run them like old pajeros..

it is an option tho for tuners on a very tight budget as opposed to a front mount. again an intercooler can be picked up £20-30 and a few pipes/bends £20-30 stands to reason less bends and extremily short piping should not just in theory but just general laws of physics will work well

hey just an idea never know it might pop on someones car as its got to be a better option rather than the corner with minimal airflow

and lofty where have you sdeen this done?