standard intercooler vs after market top mount

[Carl M]

I currently have the little black top mount intercooler which also has little room for aftermarket BOV , im looking at replacing for either the larger sti version or the after market ones listed on trade me , im not sure on options ,but not really wanting to go to front mount and suggestions?

[Guest]

The bigger top mounts are very good from wat ive heard. But I think to make it fit standard it\'s a bit of a mission. I\'m talking about the aftermarket ones btw not the Sti ones. There\'s someone selling the y pipe in the sell parts section I think. Heard that\'s a good upgrade too if you choose to go with Sti top mount

[Carl M]

im pretty fresh to the whole wrx thing , really just caught the bug and seen the light lol with the y pipe is that different to what i currently have and whats the benefit?

thank for your help..

[94 Leone]

The Y-pipe goes from turbo to the two inlets for air in the intercooler if you get a silicone one, the air travels through it faster than the corrugated plastic ones, and if you\'re upgrading to a larger TMIC, it\'s likely you\'ll have to change Y-pipes.

-or modify the one that\'s on your car now(like I modified the v5 y-pipe I got for my single turbo conversion with the V7 tmic I cut where it straightens off, and attached on (unused and cut to length) truck radiator hose so that the Y-pipe reaches the turbo.

[Carl M]

thanks dude, any problems other than the y pipe i need to know before upgrading to a sti top mount?

[94 Leone]

the brackets are different; if it doesn\'t come with mounting brackets, you\'ll need scrap metal, a welder and an angle grinder handy. primer or zinc as well if you want it pretty. if you do one of the mounts how i\'ve done it in my car; you\'ll just need a small piece of scrap metal with two holes and two nuts and bolts for ease of work. and the other side (passengers side) has to be cut and bent to the right place, as the larger intercooler will be in the way of where it went before, but the mount is generally closer to the manifold, so you shouldn\'t need scrap metal for that, I\'ll try find some pics of mine, it\'s only a v7 wrx tmic, not STi. but I think it shows the mods.

[Carl M]

that would be great , cheers

[94 Leone]

you can see on the left how we\'ve just drilled and bumped there; it is a lot tidier now though lol. and on the right hand side, you can clearly see all the cut bend welding we\'ve done lol, but it sits fine like that.

Just remember to take some measurements beforehand. : excuse the messiness of the engine bay sorry lol

the silver stuff on intake is nickel anti-seize; kinda spilled it lol

and down here just shows a close up of the radiator hose on the turbo(and the blocked off breather... because it\'s somewhere else.

we did shimmy it accross a bit further but it seems fine there for now.

[Marky]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=530400157

That\'s mine - I\'m just asking for offers on here tho, just chucked a hundy on it on TM as seems to be approx going rate

And here is some info which would be very relevant to you

http://autospeed.com/cms/title_TopMount-Trial-Part-Two/A_1619/article.html

Take what you will from it

p.s that V7 cooler legitimately looks smaller than a v5/6/b4 one, might just be the change in position tho

[94 Leone]

oh, it\'s massive compared to the v5/6 one lol, just cos my dad and I are Brofessionals,and the v5/6 ones are more centred. also, it\'s wider and longer; I know because I HAD to modify the Y pipe so it would reach, it has the same width orientation; just sits farther back. because it\'s longer lol \'bout the same depth I think?

[Marky]

You\'re right - it\'s just the perspective

V5/6 WRX / STi= 37.5 x 14.5 x 6.2cm

V7 WRX= 41.5 x 15 x 6.2cm

V7 STi = 50 x 18.5 x 9cm

LOL at brofessionals - never heard that before, poaching it

[94 Leone]

I stole it off Gish. lol

it\'s a good one.

but yeah; if you\'re modding the standard Y-pipe; make sure it sits flat or you will get boost leaks lol; i changed the Y-pipe set up twice to make it work without boost leaks(I\'m too cheap to buy a GDB Y-pipe lol)

[QBALLZ]

Sorry to hijack this thread but one thing I did notice with mine is the absolute mission it is to check gearbox fluid level. Not a major but when it does come time, I have to take the dam thing out. Anyone else found a way round this?

[QBALLZ]

Sorry I should have mentioned that I have an aftermarket top mount.

[paulngui]

 Marky said:

LOL at brofessionals - never heard that before, poaching it

I just know it from the sports show "Code" on Maori TV. Really entertaining show

[94 Leone]

 QBALLZ said:

Sorry to hijack this thread but one thing I did notice with mine is the absolute mission it is to check gearbox fluid level. Not a major but when it does come time, I have to take the dam thing out. Anyone else found a way round this?

I used this trick called \'small hands\' lol, nothing you can do really. mine is ST so, anything tmic related is easier than before.

[Stoffa]

Im seeing a bit of misinformation around tmic upgrades on CS lately so heres a step by step guide for a v5/6 upgrade to a v7/8 sti TMIC

http://www.scoobypedia.co.uk/index.php/Knowledge/STi8IntercoolerOntoMY00Classic

A v7 TMIC will come with a ypipe that will fit perfectly so I wouldn\'t bother buying a seperate one as the v7/8 sti y pipe works fine

[94 Leone]

Yeah, I had already bought the v5/6 y-pipe and was too cheap to buy a gdb y-pipe, but if he\'s not changing Y-pipes(or the new tmiic doesn\'t come with one) he\'ll need to mod it, or get a gd Y-pipe. As the gc ones don\'t reach.

It\'s a really straightforward mod, pretty simple (a lot easier if you\'ve got the tools)

[urabus4]

I just fitted one of those chinese ones last week, i had to cut 10mm of the length of the y pipe (distance towards motor) and modify angle brackets on intercooler. Doesnt line up with throttle bodie to well but still works, modified rubber under scoop to get air all over intercooer. The only issue now is one of the breather tubes keeps popping of as its a bit of a stretch, i am just going to put a drop of glue on it. Hope that helps, its not as bad as it sounds, i like it cause you can still run strut brace, others i have seen dont allow this.

[boon]

Or you could get a Process West, get millimetre perfect fitment and superb cooling...

(It will cost you exactly one testicle though)

[wrxguy]

 boon said:

Or you could get a Process West, get millimetre perfect fitment and superb cooling...

(It will cost you exactly one testicle though)

Ive got a missus & kids, a house, and dog. Got my project subi, so i guess i can do without 1 testicle .... sounds like a deal!

[BT]

 boon said:

Or you could get a Process West, get millimetre perfect fitment and superb cooling...

(It will cost you exactly one testicle though)

He speaks the truth... Quality is worth it though!

[wrxguy]

 BT']

[quote name='boon said:

Or you could get a Process West, get millimetre perfect fitment and superb cooling...

(It will cost you exactly one testicle though)

/quote]

He speaks the truth... Quality is worth it though!

HEY BT

LOL, I just read the story in performance car they did on you! Was flicking thru a mag at the tyre shop, if it wasnt for the side on view of the car in your id photo i wouldnt have recognised you!

[Carl M]

sure my testicle worth more than that