Spent about 45 minutes last night carefully straightening out all the bent fins on my intercooler last night using a wooden cocktail stick. I reckon about 10-15% of the surface was squashed flat. Now, it looks almost like new.

Now it might be all in my head, but I'm sure the car is pulling a little stronger in the mid-range! A result of restoring my intercooler back to full efficiency? Can't have done any harm I suppose.

A.

 

Andrew,
Whats the mileage on the car?

 

Ive done the same myself Andrew and maybe your right!!

Cant be doing much good when they're all flat can it.

Scoobys seem to have really weak vanes in the I/C, always look really badly done to, maybe its those flies hitting it at Mach 2??

See ya Later

Rich

Counting down to K&N day!!

 

Mr Dixon,

Are you not aware that IM read this forum to note any extra curricular warranty work carried out on "their" cars whilst under our stewardship?

This is dangerous talk and could result in a nearby dealer to you losing their franchise! (Probably) Please delete this thread immediately!

Is there an (un)official Subaru cocktail stick in blue & yellow with logo from GGR or Scoobysport?

 

My intercooler is also looking a bit flat on my v.high milage scooby.

Some of the tops of the vanes are squashed and slightly broken, a few have fallen off! This is only the top 1mm of them howver. Like Andrew I will straighten some out, but some may have to be carefully removed as they clog others. Anyone else done this? Not ideal I know but removal may be the best option?

Once I have done this then a DIY mesh is in order becuase I am fed up with my lovley intercooler looking like a "bug barbque".

 

BarryK,

Not sure about GGR or Scoobysport but I have heard that there is an STI cocktail stick, its made from carbon fibre with STI engraved on the side and costs £65.00

Still not approved by IM though.

DaveW

 

(Sorry couldn't resist it .. )

I'm now waiting for some funny STi owner saying ..

"I've heard something about now being able to get a P1 cocktail stick that costs 100 quid (though it's basically just an Sti stick rebadged P1) just because it's IM approved and has a 3 year warranty (which we can buy for the stick), what a rip off etc etc" ..



Ha ha.
Sonic.

 

I can fly to Holland and import a right handed stick in sonic blue for a saving of £25. All I have to do is pay the VAT when it gets here.

6 to 8 month wait though.

Sorry Andrew. I know you'll see the funny side. At least it moves it to the top!

 

I have heard though, that the underseal on Dutch sticks is not complete, and soon results in bare wood being exposed.

 

And you have to get a Cat 1 alarm/immobiliser fitted...not sure which one to go for though...

 

Slightly seriously, but I heard somewhere that sticking a mesh over an IC can rob it of up to 25% of it's cooling efficiency.

Being silly, My car came with an official TRD stick for the IC. However, while immensely strong, it weighs a ton, and as a result doesn't perform much better than a scooby one, as well as being more difficult to control. Huge potential for performance upgrades though.

 

Be carefull importing those sticks folks!

Only EC approved ones conform to all European Community directives and must have the CE mark applied.

The STi ones don't have this but the P1's do. The Dutch imports have this mark as well so they are the best option if you are strapped for cash. IM can't touch you for using the Dutch tools

(Sounds like the Trunk Monkey's back)
Chris

[This message has been edited by CharlieWhiskey (edited 18-05-2000).]

 

Thanks for all the positive comments about my bargain tuning tip.

My car's a 42,500 mile MY97 UK Turbo. Looked like at some stage someone decided to draw pretty patterns on the intercooler with their fingers. I swear I could see a spanner shape in it too!

Reason I've been a bit quiet since my original post is that I found out I'd been using a (whisper it) grey import cocktail stick. Made in China apparantly. My sources tell me that although it looks and feels exactly like an officially imported cocktail stick, it is actually totally unsuitable for my car, and can lead to engine damage, loss of warranty, and nasty splinters in your fingers. So there.

However, you'll all be glad to know that I'm working on a few more budget tuning tricks. I'm brewing up a 'home made' octane booster using banana skins as I type ...

A.

 

Beef,

Loose 25% efficiency with an IC protector grill someones pulling the one with bells on mate, if you could addup the surface area of the wire mesh in one dimension you'd be lucky to get 1-2% of the surface area of the Intercooler (therefore doesn't block up 25%) .....ergo 25% just does not happen IMHO

 

not TOOOO aplicable to a subaru, but talking of budget bargain tips i have a charge air temp sensor that reads out in a little funky digital display. ANd if you want bargain prices u have come to the right place! it only cost me £13, its not exceptionally fast but myself and dumped from the rsowners site put it back to back with a profesional thermocouple and it read percet above 15 degrees. Below that it was 1 degree out.