VWDiesel.net The IDI, TDI, and mTDI source.
Engine Specific Info and Questions => IDI Engine => Topic started by: moTthediesel on April 05, 2009, 08:09:38 pm
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Spent the last couple days installing a 944 turbo intercooler into my 356 project car. I had originally intended to use a Buick GS cooler that I had around, but I couldn't make it fit. After doing a little research it seemed like the long but narrow 944 turbo unit would fit in the spot I had available.
I found one on fleabay and sure enough, it was a perfect fit in the available space. For the rear mount I welded a couple of tabs on the trailer hitch cross tube that I had added to mount the radiator and exhaust hangers. The front was a little trickier and required an X-tube stand off from the rear transmission mount, and then it was bolted on with 5/16" rubber isolators.
Front mount
(http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu236/motthediesel/2004_0101paintedparts0016.jpg)
The next trick was to plumb it up. The intercooler is 2-1/2" OD both ends. I bought one of those cheap ($60) aluminum tube and connector kits from ebay. The aluminum tubes of various bends are fine, the silicone sleeves are pretty cheesy though, ya get what ya pay for --
Connecting the itty-bitty VNT15 discharge to the i.c. would be tricky, we only have about a foot distance to cover, but would need to transition from 1-1/2" to 2-1/2" and change direction twice in that space! I could use one of the 90 degree elbows from the kit, but we'd also need a cone and a tight 90 deg 1-1/2" el. The cone I could roll, but what to use for that elbow? It's back once again to the plumbing department for a brass sink drain tube. Pretty thin wall, but probably fine for the pressures we're talking about. So we rolled a cone from 20ga, welded one end to a 2-1/2" tube, the other to a steel sleeve that would fit over the brass tubing.
transition pieces
(http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu236/motthediesel/2004_0101paintedparts0018.jpg)
After sweating the elbow on, we formed a clamping bead and painted it.
finished fitting
(http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu236/motthediesel/2004_0101paintedparts0010.jpg)
For the other end, we fab up a flange to go onto the intake manifold.
intake flange
(http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu236/motthediesel/2004_0101intercooler0004.jpg)
So we just had a couple of lengths of tube to cut and bead and we're all set. Here's a picture of a tube, and of a Vice-Grip beading tool, like the one Jake (fspGTD) made, works great, a good way to develop your grip strength too!
beading tool
(http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu236/motthediesel/2004_0101intercooler0002.jpg)
And here it is all done.
(http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu236/motthediesel/2004_0101intercooler0001.jpg)
Next we plumb the cooling system and do some wiring and then it will be time to start it up!
moT
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I like the results !! I need to modifly one of my vise-grips and do the same !! Beats welding a bead all the way around.