R34 Stock Intercooler On R32

[Johnny Cash]

Again, title is self explanatory.

Just hooked up a 34 intercooler for my 32, and I'm wondering how hard it is to fit, and how much power

increase I can expect.

Can't imagine it cools a lot more than stock 32 ic, but should be better flow and able to handle 12psi without

any trouble?

Your thoughts...

[IanH]

Hiya mate - it'll take a lot of re-routing of your pipe work as the end-tank fitting face differently on the R34 SMIC to the R32's one.

Here's the pictures of whats needed

R32 SMIC and piework

R34 SMIC new modded Pipework

Cut a new hole here for a Cold Air Feed!

[Johnny Cash]

Hmm, now it seems like too much effort, might be easier to get a normal intercooler and get custom pipes

made up! I don't like the idea of having the modify an end tank.

So much for THAT idea!

[siddr20]

HOw about this for an r33??

Much modifications required to fit the 34 cooler?? Anyone does this before?? cheers for the help..

[TTT]

fmic kit from just jap costs about $500 these days.

why would you bother?

kit includes all pipes, fmic, rubber hoses, clamps, screws bolts etc..

just gotta cut a hole in your battery tray and trim back the fan blades a little.

[Tangles]

HOw about this for an r33??

Much modifications required to fit the 34 cooler?? Anyone does this before?? cheers for the help..

A R34 intercooler bolts straight up to a R33 / series 1 Stagea.

[Johnny Cash]

fmic kit from just jap costs about $500 these days.

why would you bother?

kit includes all pipes, fmic, rubber hoses, clamps, screws bolts etc..

just gotta cut a hole in your battery tray and trim back the fan blades a little.

A few reasons why I would bother:

Less lag from using a SMIC.

Less attraction to car by police and thieves.

Nothing in front of my radiator.

No cutting of the front bumper required.

NO cutting of engine bay or fan blade required.

Factory Nissan item so it's not defectable.

I only wanna run 12psi on stock RB20 Turbo so I don't need any bigger!

[TTT]

A few reasons why I would bother:

Less lag from using a SMIC.

Less attraction to car by police and thieves.

Nothing in front of my radiator.

No cutting of the front bumper required.

NO cutting of engine bay or fan blade required.

Factory Nissan item so it's not defectable.

I only wanna run 12psi on stock RB20 Turbo so I don't need any bigger!

lag is not that noticeable.

spray it black and put mesh in front

my water temps with fmic is no different then without

so you have to chop a bit why the big hassle?

you take off a few mm of each fan blade.. how is that bad.

it's an upgrade of a part that was supplied by the factory so it's NOT defectable.

12 psi is 2 over stock.. stick with your stock cooler then.

and believe me.. it never ends at 12 psi with stock turbo..

you will always want more and then have to do it all over for the cooler later on.

but don't let me talk you out of a waste of money.

[Johnny Cash]

Mate, if thats how you like to play, go nuts. But half the things you just said scared me, and the other half made me wonder what your understanding of car modifications is like - no offence...

I mean, "it's an upgrade of a part that was supplied by the factory so it's NOT defectable". Isn't a HKS SSQV an upgrade of stock BOV, and isn't a carbon bonnet and upgrade of a stock bonnet?

Come on man...

[JeeTeeEss25Tee]

If you are not going for major upgrades (bigger turbo, etc) then R34 SMIC would be sufficient. But like GTST said FMIC full kits are so cheap these days and all the pipings already done and can be installed with few modifications/cuttings. Ask yourself the hassles of custome pipings and modifying endtank would justify the saving you get from having a R34 SMIC?

[Johnny Cash]

Also have to think of the fact that with a Nissan intercooler, you know what you're getting. But with the aftermarket jobs you're seeing on eBay and on the forums, who knows how they're made or what they're made of?

Don't get me wrong, I'd love a nice FMIC, but if I did get one, it would have to be a Trust or Blitz setup. And I don't fancy spending the odd $1300+ postage for those, and in any event, dont need something that can handle so much power.

All I'm looking to do after the intercooler is split dump and front pipe, then up the boost to 12psi. That's as quick as she's gonna get while I own it.

Thanks anyway tho,

Adrian.

[ross80]

thats different mate.

Carbon fibre bonnets are frowned on, because of the way they shatter in an event of an accident and go into splinters. Blow off valves are not popular with police because of their general increase in volume.

I agree with gtst, if it matters. Not that I really care but, as a rule if your modifying your skyline, you will get bored of your current mods. When you do, your 34 cooler will be the first thing out the door.

If you dont think you will get bored go for it. I said I was going to keep my 33 standard. Then my mate bought a gtr, then another bought a wrx sti. Plus its a selling point if you sell your car having a front mount.

My hybrid one cost me $800 dollors through a mate at repco. He installed it in about 2hours!

Sounds like someone is a tight ass!

[Johnny Cash]

"Sounds like someone is a tight ass!", how right you are!

But for good reason, I think. If I start going nuts (e.g. FMIC, RB25 turbo with rebuild, fuel pump and pressure regulator, PFC with controller, fancy bride seats and GTR nose), it's all gonna cost WAAAAY too much, and I'll be just like every other sucker trying to sell a GTS-T they spent $20,000 on for $12,000. I'd rather just do R34 ic upgrade, full turbo back exhaust, and cruise it around like that.

Then get something like an Evo VI or FD RX-7 a few years down the track with the money I didn't spend on my GTS-T.

Just a thought...

[Tangles]

meh - I had a R34 GTT intercooler as an upgrade from the R33 unit. Had it on the car for around 3 months only.

Then bought a 2nd hand Apex'i intercooler off ebay direct from Japan, cost $500 delivered. Awesome condition, meant for the 180SX but does the job.

Made up the pipes needed (it was a side return feed, so that all the pipes go back thru the original 'factory supplied' holes - NO hassle) from a pipe kit again off ebay.

All up cost $650 plus time to cut the pipes to length, didnt have to cut anything on the car at all. So maybe look for an intercooler with return feed pipes (ie one off the side & the other going back behind the 'cooler; see pic).

Easy, and has the potential to support the car when I have a hiflow turbo job finalised. Easy.

Edited February 27, 2006 by bwilkeson

[Johnny Cash]

Nice, I LOVE apexi intercoolers. You got it really cheap too.

I got the R34 Intercooler with the airduct and all the bits and pieces for $70 though, so I can't afford to complain.

...but it's no Apexi =(

[D-limo]

Nice, I LOVE apexi intercoolers. You got it really cheap too.

I got the R34 Intercooler with the airduct and all the bits and pieces for $70 though, so I can't afford to complain.

...but it's no Apexi =(

$70 is remarkebly cheap! All you need is to find a cheap metal fab place and get them to chop the inlet off and weld it on the other side... Then knock yourself up some mounts. Might get away with stocko one if ur tricky...

There are many god reasons for this to make sense over a cheaper and bigger kit. I.e less lag for stock turbo on 12 pound.. Lighter, Better quality, stealth, nad not too mention cheaper when fitted for like $120! makes a ARC sidemount look pretty stupid for $350

Oh and if you didn't know Johnny these flow 35% better than stock R33 coolers..

[ross80]

yeah good point Johnny.

My car has had over 15k spent on it and i wont be getting much off that back.

However it is a very fast and nice car to drive with a good stereo.

But yeah, sometimes i question whether or not i should have used that money and bought a lightly modded 33 gtr instead.

[TTT]

Mate, if thats how you like to play, go nuts. But half the things you just said scared me, and the other half made me wonder what your understanding of car modifications is like - no offence...

I mean, "it's an upgrade of a part that was supplied by the factory so it's NOT defectable". Isn't a HKS SSQV an upgrade of stock BOV, and isn't a carbon bonnet and upgrade of a stock bonnet?

Come on man...

hahahaha

if you think that changing the factory small heat sink to an aftermarket larger heat sink is the same as changing the factory plumback bov to an aftermarket atmo venting bov, then my advice is wasted.

it's your car mate.. I was simply trying to save you some money and time.

all the best.

[nissky]

Johnny, listen to these people and sell the r34 intercooler to me!

[sl33ek]

$70 is remarkebly cheap! All you need is to find a cheap metal fab place and get them to chop the inlet off and weld it on the other side... Then knock yourself up some mounts. Might get away with stocko one if ur tricky...

There are many god reasons for this to make sense over a cheaper and bigger kit. I.e less lag for stock turbo on 12 pound.. Lighter, Better quality, stealth, nad not too mention cheaper when fitted for like $120! makes a ARC sidemount look pretty stupid for $350

Oh and if you didn't know Johnny these flow 35% better than stock R33 coolers..

Yes that is dirt cheap. A month ago a well known Jap spares shop in lansvale quoted me $350 for an R34 GTT intercooler.

Edited February 27, 2006 by Gengis