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After long searches for the perfect Saab Setup, I decided that I want to keep my front strut bar, and found and purchased a 1995 JDM WRX intercooler and most hoses to connect it.

Now all I need is a little insight from Vikash or Jason on quirks or things to know about putting one of these in.

Of course many pics to come once it gets here, I just paypaled for it 20 mintues ago, but I"m excited and had to post.

PICS

http://quickdraw.dynu.com/intercooler

Let's see:

1. custom turbo to intercooler piping. You can use the idea of one of the board members on here to use a radiator hose.

2. Possible relocation of coolant overflow tank. Mine was rotated 90 degrees and used one of the bolt holes to attach it to the engine. Hoses will need to be adjusted.

3. Change the ac compressor hose to a N/A unit.

4. You might also want to get a wrx intercooler shroud to divert whatever air gets through that small hoodscoop to the intercooler.

Thanks Jason.

Overall was it an easy install?

I knew about the coolant tank relocation, however, didn't know about the A/C compressor hose, can you elaborate on that a little bit?

Once I get the Thing I'll obviously be able to see a bit more of what I need.

I didn't relocate my coolant tank. I just cut that corner's mounting tab off the intercooler so it wouldn't interfere with the tank.

I also didn't change the A/C hose. I unbolted the pitch stop mount and stuck the hose under it. I also moved the wiring harness going along the back of the firewall under the pitch stop mount, with some heater hose around it to give it some protection from chafing.

You have to do something about the ignitor. I made an extension harness and mounted it with a bracket on rear of the passenger side strut tower.

You also need to adjust the upper coolant line coming off the turbo; if you don't it will chafe against your intercooler hose. And if you're dumb enough to use braided hose you'll see a spectacular fountain of coolant quickly.

What I did for the coolant line was this:

The upper and lower coolant fittings are connected with a small strip of steel. I cut this strip. I then removed the upper fitting and reinstalled it angled 45 degrees towards the back of the car (be sure to use new annealed copper gaskets). I then had to cut away a little of the chimney to clear the fitting in its new location. The stock hose still fits, and it's out of the way of the intercooler.

Um, that's all I can think of at the moment...

Alright guys, thanks.

If your out hovering around your intercoolers with a camera I'd love to see some close up pics of a few angles. I'm sure I'll be able to install this over a period of time. but knowing what may happen first is always good.

Well, unfortunately mine's no longer in the car... I removed it when it ruptured that coolant line and then had enough trouble trying to make the hose fit again that I just went back to stock.

And mine's, well . . . in vgr3's possession.

You could check out my site for a picture of the unit in my car . . . I mean vrg3's car.

You can also see some pictures in the "boostjunkie is no more" thread.

Sigh. Even though I own the car and I'll make it work again, it's still sad.

Oh, and I don't think I recommend doing the turn-the-bottle-90-degrees method. The extra stress on the hose fittings can't be good; I saw a lot of what appeared to be either epoxy or silicone on the boostjunkie Legacy's bottle. It'd probably be best to relocate the bottle anyway, and maybe switch to a metal one from a WRX.

So that samco hose you bought was for the TD05-16G turbo.

This one is coming with factory hoses from turbo to IC, and from IC to TB.

How Differnent is the angle from the USDM turbo outlet compared to the 16G from the EJ20G?

I can't help but ask questions, but I know it'll help when I have the thing here....

The USDM compressor outlet is pointed about 45 degrees between upward and horizontal. All other Legacy/Impreza turbochargers (including the 16G) have it pointing almost horizontal -- maybe 5 degrees upwards.

Thanks again Vikash.
You subaru nerd.

I'll take that as a compliment.

Indeed you should.

In looking at the turbo to intercooler hose that came from factory I may not have much to fabricate for direct bolton to the turbo.

Maybe heat gunning the hose for a few minute will allow me to bend it in the right angle.

Test fitting begins soon.

Yeah, it's plausible that you could just make the plastic pipe bend the right way with some coercion. It's a really tough plastic, though; it took me suprisingly long to hacksaw through it.

Just so you know, it's not an STi intercooler. It's just the regular WRX one.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh

That better?

Using a heat gun would be difficult to evenly heat. Maybe put it in an oven first to get it relatively evenly heated so you can bend it with as little kinking as possible.

Steve

What are you guys doing about mounting the i/c? Are they self supporting by the time you clamp the inlet and outlet? Or has someone adapted or fabricated some brackets?

I may fab a bracket for the 1 rear support, but I don't intend on doing anything with the front 2.

I didn't mount mine at all. The inlet and outlet hoses kind of hold it in place, and the inlet end tank kind of rests on the part of the firewall that the ignitor used to be bolted to. It seemed okay.

vrg3 wrote:I didn't mount mine at all. The inlet and outlet hoses kind of hold it in place, and the inlet end tank kind of rests on the part of the firewall that the ignitor used to be bolted to. It seemed okay.

Didn't mount mine either. But the end tank didn't contact the firewall.

I guess it's technically not the firewall; it's the little platform that the ignitor mounts to.

Huh? What's up with Phils quote in your sig Vikash? I think I missed something.

This thread:

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=16347