Intercooler: Alternative way to build it

Since it’s hard to find a few supplies here this is my alternative way to built an intercooler. May be this is a very simple ‘How to’ but hope can give you some ideas

These are tools and supplies needed:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/kalam2b/intercooler/toolslow.jpg

1. Household aluminum foil
2. Plastic card – styrene sheet (in this case, I’m using ice-cream container since it’s hard to find styrene sheet in Malaysia)
3. Glue
4. Cutter
5. Scissor
6. Double sided tape
7. Tamiya Epoxy Putty (blue/green)
8. Kits’ sprue
9. Straw
10. Any cylindrical can


Phase 1: Mix some putty and flatten it on aluminum foil using any cylindrical can.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/kalam2b/intercooler/puttyrolllow.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/kalam2b/intercooler/puttyroll2low.jpg

Phase 2: Roll a screwdriver or any tools that’s have vertical line on it to form intercooler sills. Then let it dry and hardened.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/kalam2b/intercooler/screwrolllow.jpg

Cut the hardened putty to your acquired size.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/kalam2b/intercooler/cutlow.jpg

Phase 3: Cut the styrene sheet (plastic card) to form an intercooler body.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/kalam2b/intercooler/plasticlow.jpg

Glue it. Then put some putty to smooth up the surface.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/kalam2b/intercooler/gluelow.jpg


Phase 4: Paint it. Cut 2 small pieces of straw to form a hose bracket.

There you go…finished intercooler. I used aluminum foil and double sided tape to make hose ties.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/kalam2b/intercooler/finishlow.jpg


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/kalam2b/intercooler/finishhoselow.jpg

That’s more like it, bigger intercoola’..
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/kalam2b/intercooler/frontlow.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/kalam2b/intercooler/front2low.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/kalam2b/intercooler/belowlow.jpg


Thanks, hope you enjoy it

Great !!

hey... good idea... especially since the only grooved plastic card i can find around here is like $7 a sheet.

man, that is pretty awesome

Thats a good alternative.

Nice....

have u had any problems with the putty cracking?

I like it!:) Great stuff!!:sunglasse

one thing I'm lost on the dubbing back on the air tub from the left to the Right side. It looks "SWEET" but if you have a Skyline the air intake is on the leftside. now I'm not putting down on it. It's just that at the Shows hear that I attend the judges would look at my car and try to pic out whats rong with it. That takes points off if you can't tell thim why your piping runs that way. Yea the Judges are that(Particular) about things. But still thats the Best Intercooler HOW-TO yet. Keep up the great work :smokin:

It depents. It looks like this car doesn't have RB26DETT. On that engine, the intake is on left side. But this Skyline looks like having RB25 or something. Its intake manifold is built so, that the air comes from right side. So it looks like kalam2b built his intercooler right.

Great tutorial Kalam. Now I don't have to cast intercoolers anymore :biggrin: . Since we're in the same country, I know how hard it is to find plastic card. I know of a place that sells them but it is so expensive.

Let me add a tip to this great tutorial.
When you roll a cylindrical object to flatten the putty, place a set of plastic (or metal) rods of, say 2.0 mm diameter on both sides of the putty. That way, you get a uniform thickness. Of course, they can be pieces of plastic sheet or anything of the same height. Then, when you roll a screw driver (or pin-vice) to leave patterns on the putty, you can use slightly smaller rods.

have u had any problems with the putty cracking?

From my experiences with Epoxy putty, it doesn't crack once it's cured.

Nice job, to the original poster. Nice way to use your head.

Nice one, I might try that! Thanks for sharing~!

Thanx!I want an larger intercooler to my Skyline. And now I know how I will do. Thanx!:D

nice one

Added to ScaleWiki

This is a great Tut. Thanks for the tips!

Great "how-to." Definatly worth a shot. :bigthumb:

I used this method today, I have to tell ya, its fantastic. I will post a few photos later.

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. :)

AstroRide44: As for now I never had problems with putty cracking.

white_R34: Attentive and observant, I like it, it'll improve our skill. :D .Yupp rb26dett throttle body/air intake sit at the left side, but since this kit didn't have the engine I just like to try something different. Well, I think it was more dramatic IMHO.

hirofkd: Thanks, great tips. I'll try it on my next intercooler. :)

Vric: thanks, Resourceful ScaleWiki. B-)

Feint Motion: Good Luck. :)


thanks again..

Well heres mine, I did it less than 2 hours. I still need to clean it up a bit. (IE better tubing)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/FeintMotion/HPIM1711.jpg
This is for my eclipse.
Thanks for the neat tutorial!

wow nice intercooler there..............

Not bad at all! Looks very nice :smokin: