The HDi SF5 Specific Front Mount Intercooler Kit - Finally installed

[uwantsumbeef]

hey guys, finally got the front mount kit sorted and installed and i can notice the difference already over the top mount and even more so over the cheap DSR kit i use to have installed. If anyone is considering purchasing a front mount kit i would highly recommend the HDi kit, fits and performs well and has consistant 2.5" pipes all the way around unlike the DSR kit which was 3" in places, 2.5" in others and even got down to 2". Here are some rough pics and ill be uploading more in the futute once the cars a bit cleaner.

thanks

[nt_a_foz]

hmmm i like that piping style going over the back from the turbo....Seems much nicer/tideyr than teh other way..

Can i just ask how is that intercooler goign to do anyhting as its totally covered..

Youd be better wtih the factory top mount over that

[uwantsumbeef]

 nt_a_foz said:

hmmm i like that piping style going over the back from the turbo....Seems much nicer/tideyr than teh other way..

Can i just ask how is that intercooler goign to do anyhting as its totally covered..

Youd be better wtih the factory top mount over that

i doubt that very much, HDi have it dyno'd at +30kw with the same bumper setup as mine. The core is actually pretty small (HDi 580 x 210 x 100mm rather than the 600x300x50 DSR kit) so only about half is exposed but it is at least twice as thick in size. but the way the bumper is setup it actually pushes air up into the whole core.

Not the best pics of the front either, didnt really wanna have to get down on all 4s. The pics are taken slightly higher than at even level with the intake

[Koom]

 uwantsumbeef said:

hey guys, finally got the front mount kit sorted and installed and i can notice the difference already over the top mount and even more so over the cheap DSR kit i use to have installed. If anyone is considering purchasing a front mount kit i would highly recommend the HDi kit, fits and performs well and has consistant 2.5" pipes all the way around unlike the DSR kit which was 3" in places, 2.5" in others and even got down to 2". Here are some rough pics and ill be uploading more in the futute once the cars a bit cleaner.

Are you trying to tell us that having differing sized tubing on the DSR kit is a downside?

From memory, the DSR kit is 2" off the turbo to keep the velocity up and to match the outlet of the compressor. As the compressed (and now hot) air expands, the piping changes to 2.5" (although DSR really could do with die grinding out the bit where it changes to make it a nice smooth transition) to allow the air to expand and keep velocity at a similar speed. Then as it goes into the core of the cooler, it goes up again to 3" which begins to slow the velocity of the air as it enters the manifold part of the core before going through the core itself. As the air leaves the core it speeds up (as it goes back from the 600x50 area of the manifold part down to the 2.5" tubing) to head back towards the throttle body where the piping is kept about the same diamter as the throat of the throttle body so the velocity shouldn't have to change dramatically as it goes through the throttle body.

Another note, by the dimensions you gave as a comparision, your core is 35% bigger. Having a thicker core makes it less efficient than a thinner one with the same internal volume. But that is only as long as you have sufficient airflow over the face of both of those sizes. So in your case, your core is probably the better option. But having a big frontal area core with only a small hole to feed air into it isn't a bad thing anyway as the airflow will slow down as it goes through the core and the longer time spent passing through the core will allow it to transfer more heat.

[Koom]

I do like how the HDi kit has done away with the tight bend right out of the turbo though. But the major downside of that is that the cool side (slow air too) is now passing over the top of the turbo whereas it used to be the hot (fast) air going over the turbo and still got to pass through the core and cool down.

[nt_a_foz]

 Koom said:

I do like how the HDi kit has done away with the tight bend right out of the turbo though. But the major downside of that is that the cool side (slow air too) is now passing over the top of the turbo whereas it used to be the hot (fast) air going over the turbo and still got to pass through the core and cool down.

I agree its good and bad at the same time..

TBH id prefer the cold air like DSR kits coming from the otehrsdie.

[Guest]

On a slightly unrelated note, uwantsomebeef, where did you score the spotlight covers from???? Mat wants!!!!!!

[Koom]

 nt_a_foz']

[quote name='Koom said:

I do like how the HDi kit has done away with the tight bend right out of the turbo though. But the major downside of that is that the cool side (slow air too) is now passing over the top of the turbo whereas it used to be the hot (fast) air going over the turbo and still got to pass through the core and cool down.

/quote]

I agree its good and bad at the same time..

TBH id prefer the cold air like DSR kits coming from the otehrsdie.

Could be a good basis for a flipped manifold kit if you're not going to twist the turbo aswell. Will have the straight shot out of the turbo and then keep the cold side away from the turbo.

[nt_a_foz]

hmmm would be easy on that 2 being v3/4 straight flip...

That would be a good idea koomy

[uwantsumbeef]

 matdaymon said:

On a slightly unrelated note, uwantsomebeef, where did you score the spotlight covers from???? Mat wants!!!!!!

geniuine STi covers, got a whole new bumper from an 01 Sti Forester, came with covers but since the bumpers been re-painted i lost the STi print on them

[Dv8er - FSTWRX]

So maybe some of this http://www.drivenperformance.co.nz/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=1487

where the intercooler piping goes over the turbo? ??? Wonder if it works ???