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Thread: Intercooler upgrade/fix

  1. #1
    Registered User kbvagtech's Avatar
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    Intercooler upgrade/fix

    I decided to take care of my leaking intercoolers. After seeing some of my
    options(new stock, aftermarket, or jb weld) I figured Id just make my own.
    Picked up some Bell 3"x9"x10" cores and started cutting, fitting, and welding.
    Could have went with a 3.5 core, but o well. Still managed to keep the extra
    heat exchangers and all the stock ducting.










  2. #2
    Registered User 4everRS's Avatar
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    Great beads! Really nice work. Thanks for sharing
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  3. #3
    Registered User Zmey's Avatar
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    You just did what Apikol does and same bell cores, outstanding man.
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    Registered User Other_Erik's Avatar
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    Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought our IC's had some sort of secondary water cooler mounted to them? If you're running without those, why not go for a thicker core?

    Stock IC's are 9.8x8.1x2.6 core with a secondary 8x8x0.5 (again, if I'm recalling correctly) - you've got an awesome fit/finish going on there, but if you're rolling your own shouldn't you look for something a bit more hefty? Wags are 10x9.2x4", but with a different shroud, and I'm sure you don't want to fab your own there.

    Any chance you've got airflow numbers for those bell cores? Stockers are supposed to flow 3331cm^3 according to Wagner-Tuning
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  5. #5
    Registered User kbvagtech's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Other_Erik View Post
    Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought our IC's had some sort of secondary water cooler mounted to them? If you're running without those, why not go for a thicker core?

    Stock IC's are 9.8x8.1x2.6 core with a secondary 8x8x0.5 (again, if I'm recalling correctly) - you've got an awesome fit/finish going on there, but if you're rolling your own shouldn't you look for something a bit more hefty? Wags are 10x9.2x4", but with a different shroud, and I'm sure you don't want to fab your own there.

    Any chance you've got airflow numbers for those bell cores? Stockers are supposed to flow 3331cm^3 according to Wagner-Tuning
    Quote Originally Posted by Wagner Website
    High-performance 255mm x 230mm x 105mm Intercooler Core that flows 6158cm³ air volume vs. OEM 250mm x 205mm x 65mm, 3331cm cubic volume!

    I dont believe the numbers on wagners site are flow numbers, looks like it is just the volume that their core displaces. 25.5*23.0*10.5=6158, 25.0*20.5*6.5=3331. So if we are talking numbers like wagner, mine sit at 4424 cubic cm. Bell rates them at 482cfm.
    The next size thicker Bell core is 3.5"x9"x10" and is rated at 562cfm.

    I did keep the extra "hot climate" heat exchangers, i had thought about removing them, but they weren't leaking and I figured audi put them there for a reason. Plus I figure them plus all the tubing has to hold close to a gallon of coolant, which can only help cool the beast.

  6. #6
    Registered User marklar182's Avatar
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    Awesome work! Bell cores are the best, I have 4.5" Bell cores on my 300zx.
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  7. #7
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    Very nice work.
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  8. #8
    Registered User mik15's Avatar
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    that look great man, where can i buy the cores from and how much do they cost?
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  9. #9
    Registered User marklar182's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mik15 View Post
    that look great man, where can i buy the cores from and how much do they cost?
    You can buy directly from Bell Intercoolers.


    3.00

    9.00

    10.00
    CFM
    482

    $247.00
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  10. #10
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    Stock end tanks on thicker cores?

    Quote Originally Posted by kbvagtech View Post
    Picked up some Bell 3"x9"x10" cores and started cutting, fitting, and welding.
    Could have went with a 3.5 core, but o well. Still managed to keep the extra
    heat exchangers and all the stock ducting.
    With the end tanks coming of stock 2.6" thick cores, how would they fit on a 3.5" thick core?

  11. #11
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    RS6 stock core dimensions

    Quote Originally Posted by Other_Erik View Post
    Stock IC's are 9.8x8.1x2.6 core
    Just for me to visualize.
    Flow is "top to bottom" or in "long" direction

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/17go...ew?usp=sharing

    .

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by vtraudt View Post
    With the end tanks coming of stock 2.6" thick cores, how would they fit on a 3.5" thick core?
    I haven't done this myself (yet), but if you look at the pics, you can see that the mounting flange for the stock core is quite a bit wider than the core itself. You can use this space to fit a wider core and weld the new cores flush with the edge of the tanks.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by GreggPDX View Post
    I haven't done this myself (yet), but if you look at the pics, you can see that the mounting flange for the stock core is quite a bit wider than the core itself. You can use this space to fit a wider core and weld the new cores flush with the edge of the tanks.
    Thx. Need to see it in person (why would mounting flange for stock core be wider than core?).

  14. #14
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    There's a ton of pics in 1st post.
    First one shows dissected stockers, others - welded aftermarkets.
    Stock cores have a "skirt" surrounding them, which welds to end tanks (also where it leaks all the time).
    Aftermarket cores are usually designed a bit differently.

    Click image for larger version. 

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