Intercooler Question

[dgallo]

I have heard that you can put a Intercooler from an 87-88 Turbocoupe in an SVO and gain some performance. Is this true? If so does it require modifications to make it fit? Is the performance gain worth the effort?? Thanks guys.

Dan

[gbeaird]

While there may be some notable gain showing on a dyno, for an otherwise stock engine, I felt no detectable gain in performance after installing mine. It is a little bigger, so it _should_ provide cooling for a little longer during a hard driving session, and provide better breathing for more mid-range and top-end performance. I just did it mainly because I thought I might be doing more mods later, and had the cooler already.

You will have to fab up your own set of mounting brackets. Without them, the weight of the IC will be resting on the turbo, possibly causing further stress on the turbo and exhaust system.

With that said, I will tell you that ours is mounted with no supports. We have had it that way for over two years. YMMV.

You will have to get a different set of inlet and outlet hoses. Paul Becker at SVPU, and Jim Whelan at Motion Dynamics, can set you up. You can also go to a local parts house and get some marine exhaust hose. It is the stiff straight stuff. It worked for me.

Since the TC IC has no 'lips' to hold the hoses in place, you will want to get 6 short round-head sheetmetal screws. Drill some small holes so you don't crack the aluminum of the IC inlet and outlet and space them evenly around both the inlet and outlet of the IC, protruding into the IC necks, heads facing out. I use two clamps to make sure the hoses stay put.

Hope this helps. Have fun with your mods.

Gene Beaird
86 2R SVO
Pearland, Texas

[dgallo]

Intercooler

Gene, thanks for the response. With your comments in mind, I think I will pass on changing the Intercooler. My car is pretty much stock, and I prefer to keep most of the originality in tact. I was considering doing the exhaust with a 3" down pipe, Hi-Flow CAT, and 2 1/2" mufflers w/pipes but I have yet to find a complete system that bolts on without a lot of work. I have read many of the forums on SVOCA regarding exhaust systems, but have yet been able to find anyone's comments that has the perfect recipe for a complete exhaust. I also have read about Tiny Avengers Throttle Body kit that seems to work pretty well also. I think the combination of that and a good exhaust system will make an SVO a good runner. I'd like to hear from anyone that has a parts list for a good complete exhausts system.

Dan

[lonchair]

I used a T Bird intercooler cause I didn't want to mess the SVO one up by installing a fitting for a bypass valve.

As for hose clamps gripping, I had a bead welded around the inlet and outlet openings. These provided enough grip for the hoseclamps that I did not have to use the factory TB mounting bracket. I ran around with 18 psi boost and never had one pop off.

[bigwingsaleen]

exhaust

Most any 5.0 catback systems will work on the dual exhaust SVO's without much modification at all. Talk to Paul Becker at SVPU for his recommondations. http://www.svpu.com

[SVOMARK]

Torbo Coupe IC

Remembering my days in thermodynamics class, I recall that air is a terrible heat tranfer agent. The VOLUME of air is critical to the performance of the IC. The SVO hood design forces air through the IC. If the hood to IC seal is poor, then the volume of air will be decreased, thus decreasing the cooling capabilities of the IC. The TC IC's I have seen on SVO's do not adequately seal around the hood scoop. This imperfect seal is detremental to the cooling capabilities of the IC. The TC IC is definately larger and in theory could produce a cooler inlet air temeprature, but if the hood to IC seal has any leaks then the volume of air being forced across the cooling fins will be less.

The question then becomes will the increase in size of the TC IC overcome the inefficencies of the seal between the hood and IC.

I don't think it will. But, I could be wrong.

Maybe someone else can shed some light on the subject with some concrete evidence.

[SVOeric]

I was planning to bring that up Mark, but you did a EXCELENT job on your description.

Some SVO Owners have actually reported  a slight loss of HP from this swap, after the engine was warmed up.

Mark --

you being the thermodynamics expert         

I have always thought that above about 50 mph, air actually comes in from the bottom front of the car, and out of the scoop.  Being that heat rises, this would make getting rid of the heat easier than trying to drive it down.  Am I nuts ???

[SVOMARK]

Intercooler Question

Interesting theory.

If that were true then the the scoop ought to face towards the back of the car creating a further suction on the IC since the SVO was hopefully made to go faster than 50 mph. Do you agree?

Better yet, should we have a scoop that rotates 180 degrees or flip flops depending upon speed. HMMMMMMMMMM.... Now that's an idea!

I do not believe that's the case. I believe the scoop focuses and forces the air into the top of the IC and out the bottom at all speeds. Of course, I could be wrong. Funny things happen as speed increases and additional turbulance is created. Just ask the engineers at Audi.

[SVOeric]

Know anyone with a wind tunnel that will let us test

 

[SVOMARK]

Intercooler Question

One more thing about your theory. If the air actually reverses direction, then at some speed there would be no air passing through the IC. The presure at the throut of the scoop would equal the presure behind the scoop and the there would be no cooling at all. OOH the horrors that could create.

Just a thought.

[svocudd]

Reverse flow

Eric isnt the first person I have heard mention that at high speed (exactly what that speed is , I have never heard) that the underhood pressure becomes greater than the pressure at the opening of the hood scoop, hence the supposed backflow. All the more reason the go with a T-bird intercooler that has been converted to Air to Water. I saw one on some merkur dudes webpage. Very cool (literally)



Cudd

[140cilx]

You guys can copy my Turbocoupe IC seal. It's embarrassing and will be ridiculed at the SVO reunion. I took that Foam Pipe Wrap Insulation (it is slitted to slide over a pipe) and slid it around the IC in 2 layers. Perfect Seal, free (had some) and is completely dog ugly, but like said, no air can by-pass the IC as it seeks an easier passage to travel, it's forced through (in whichever direction it's flowing ).

*I think I'll put a Ford sticker on it 'fore I head to AL. :p

[1HOTSVO]

SVO in Wind Tunnel...

I have not done it myself but spoke to a few buddies that snuck their SVO in a wind tunnel down in San Jose, CA (can not mention company in) and low and behold our assumption was correct...
The induction on the SVO hood scoop was cool looking but not thought out very well. The air inducted is not increased much at higher speeds. The air brakes so hard on the front of the car the by the time it get to the scoop it is nearly a low-pressure zone. It is not as low pressure as a cowl induction, but it is not much better. There was air going in but if you are expecting to make a lot of power to an IC that is fed by the hood scoop, don't bother.
We found that because the fox body plows though the air that front mounting an IC would really do the most good. With some help I found that a Spearco 2-221 IC will work best for the SVO.

Forget about the "Spearco SVO Kit" it pushes air up into the engine cell so bad that it makes it unstable at high speeds. The car is nearly floating on the front wheels.

Lowering the car helps, but unless you redesign the front end making it not longer a true SVO the options are limited.
So, find a balance between, looks and performance. Sometime ugly goes faster, like the rigged hood seal mentioned. Works great, looks bad.

Everyone will find their own balance, what's yours?!
Have fun! Good Luck!
Brian

[gbeaird]

I kind of figured this was what happened, with that sharp upturned front section of the hood. Kind of makes separating the turbo from the bottom of the IC with a sheet of metal more important. I may look into this more, since our SVO is now retired from G Stock class autocrossing. I believe a heat shield is allowed in ESP/CP.

Gene Beaird
86 2R SVO
Pearland, Texas