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Running an intercooler?


GONZO97
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Right, unless you have a turbo, an intercooler will do nothing but hurt your performance because of the extra pressure drop of pulling the air through said intercooler. Without a turbo, your intake air is already as cool as it is going to get. Turbos use an intercooler to reject or 'knock out' the heat of compression when they are in boost.

 

Now...with that said...if you are going to add a turbo, then that is a whole different (and much more exciting story!). In that case nasioc's bolt on forced induction forum would probably be helpful.

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if you live where there are a lot of soobs in wrecking yards - probably easiest to swap in a turbo plant from and wrecked WRX.

 

This is what i have heard also, now would i be taking just the turbo or the entire engine and having to do an entire swap?

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I am a big fat meany.

 

oh yeah.

I think CA is a place to not even look at modding a car. just due to the emissions/inspections. Go ahead, do it, then you have to move, or sell the car.

 

You can mod here you just have to know how to do it without getting caught

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This is what i have heard also, now would i be taking just the turbo or the entire engine and having to do an entire swap?

 

People have done it both ways. Just adding a turbo (and ancillary parts uppipe, downpipe etc) has been done; generally people will say you can go up to 8 psig boost on the stock n/a engine. Because the turbo engine is not simply the n/a engine with a turbo on it; there are sometimes other differences internally such as oil misted piston skirts, etc.

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People have done it both ways. Just adding a turbo (and ancillary parts uppipe, downpipe etc) has been done; generally people will say you can go up to 8 psig boost on the stock n/a engine. Because the turbo engine is not simply the n/a engine with a turbo on it; there are sometimes other differences internally such as oil misted piston skirts, etc.

 

so running the turbo and controlling the psi should help? I was talking to a buddy and he mentioned that i would also have to switch out the CPU being that id be running a different component, and the mixtures would need to be correct. Idk how valid this is but was curious what you think?

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I don't really know the details of bolting on a turbo to the n/a engine; the forum with that description on nasioc has people who do that regularly. For someone mechanically experienced it probably wouldn't be too big a deal to get it to work, but really if you want a turbo Subaru, it's going to be far easier and possibly even cheaper to simply buy a Subaru with a turbo in it, though they are quite a bit more rare than the n/a versions.

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Thats the thing too, i love the reliability of the EJ22 so i dont want to change from that, but i would like to make this car as fast as possible without losing the reliability of the engine, any ideas how to accomplish this? Ive heard things like freeing up the intake, new exhaust, and new cams, but is there any other options?

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Thats the thing too, i love the reliability of the EJ22 so i dont want to change from that, but i would like to make this car as fast as possible without losing the reliability of the engine, any ideas how to accomplish this? Ive heard things like freeing up the intake, new exhaust, and new cams, but is there any other options?

 

 

Before I had the opportunity to spend enough to get my WRX, I was trying to research what you seem to want to do - boosting performance of an NA engine (I was shopping for an OBS) but, there just isn't much. Easiest is to find a good intake and exhaust combo, but reducing unsprung rotating mass might be next (lighter rims and tires) then, maybe reduce rotating mass (lightweight flywheel, maybe alloy pulleys) then, reduce mass, take out anything you don't need - back seat, spare tire, tools - w'ever. maybe Sparco or other seats are lighter than stock??? dunno. There might be some way to buildup the internals for more compression and run avgas or something crazy like that. But - the crazier you get, the more likely you compromise the reliability. On the highways, really, you can't safely/legally utilize much of the POWER, but, you can do some mods and make the car more 'tossable'. The guy that holds the record at a local track drives 134hp Miata. And he can beat the pants off of all the torque monsters that show up - vettes, Mustangs, you name it. he also owns a Gallardo. So, you might actually check into a local HDPE or autoX track experience. Or go rallycross with it. Then you're looking at brake and suspension mods. Soobs are not good candidates for 1/8 - 1/4 mile rockets. You can do it if you throw plenty of $$$$ at it, but you'd be better off with a Mustang if that's where you wanna be.

 

In addition to reading here, you might do some reading at NASIOC and at scoobymods.

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Before I had the opportunity to spend enough to get my WRX, I was trying to research what you seem to want to do - boosting performance of an NA engine (I was shopping for an OBS) but, there just isn't much. Easiest is to find a good intake and exhaust combo, but reducing unsprung rotating mass might be next (lighter rims and tires) then, maybe reduce rotating mass (lightweight flywheel, maybe alloy pulleys) then, reduce mass, take out anything you don't need - back seat, spare tire, tools - w'ever. maybe Sparco or other seats are lighter than stock??? dunno. There might be some way to buildup the internals for more compression and run avgas or something crazy like that. But - the crazier you get, the more likely you compromise the reliability. On the highways, really, you can't safely/legally utilize much of the POWER, but, you can do some mods and make the car more 'tossable'. The guy that holds the record at a local track drives 134hp Miata. And he can beat the pants off of all the torque monsters that show up - vettes, Mustangs, you name it. he also owns a Gallardo. So, you might actually check into a local HDPE or autoX track experience. Or go rallycross with it. Then you're looking at brake and suspension mods. Soobs are not good candidates for 1/8 - 1/4 mile rockets. You can do it if you throw plenty of $$$$ at it, but you'd be better off with a Mustang if that's where you wanna be.

 

In addition to reading here, you might do some reading at NASIOC and at scoobymods.

 

 

ive been reading for days, and i found a pretty good thread that im half way through that talks of putting a turbo on the EJ22 and running it at like 6-7PSI enough to get some boost but not enough to destroy the engine, which then you would run the intercooler to make sure that it stays cool and doesnt burn anything up, i have been reading and reading and i think that is what i am looking for, something to give me more boost and stuff, and then i would also change my suspension and brakes out and have a pretty decent all aroung vehicle in my opinion, what do you think about that? doable?

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CHEAP/FAST/RELIABLE

 

Pick 2

 

you really can't use the terms "as fast as possible" "turbo" "n/a" and "reliable in the same sentence, but go ahead slap a turbo on it, blow it up and repeat :popcorn:

 

Not trying to be negative but you know those Hondas you see around with the BIG FMIC and leaves a smoke trail from every red light..... yea there's a reason for that.

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ive been reading for days, and i found a pretty good thread that im half way through that talks of putting a turbo on the EJ22 and running it at like 6-7PSI enough to get some boost but not enough to destroy the engine, which then you would run the intercooler to make sure that it stays cool and doesnt burn anything up, i have been reading and reading and i think that is what i am looking for, something to give me more boost and stuff, and then i would also change my suspension and brakes out and have a pretty decent all aroung vehicle in my opinion, what do you think about that? doable?

 

 

I suppose if you approach it as a 'project'/'toy' it would be a lot of fun. But, IF you rely on it as your daily driver, I think you will have a lot of frustration ahead of you. Just be prepared, have a Plan B at every step, and some back-up means of transportation. I wonder if CCR has an EJ22T short block you could start with?

 

anyway, I hope it goes smoothly. If you do get more ponies, do not neglect your braking upgrades!

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See when i say cheap or on a budget i mean i do want to save money, but i am also not scared to drop time and money into this, from what i have read though i can run a turbo at 6PSI and still not blow anything up and keep the engine reliable, of course im still doing research i never jump into anything without spending a ton of time reading and researching talking to other people and making sure i think of all possible outcomes. If i do actually do this there will be a detailed thread and if i do fail then i fail it happens. but i am definitely not scared to give it a try. I freed up my intake last night, and i can already feel the response from the pedal. i step on it to go and she scoots. it made a noticeable difference. Next step is to replace cams then put a new 2.25" exhaust from cat back with new magnaflow muffler

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I freed up my intake last night, and i can already feel the response from the pedal. i step on it to go and she scoots. it made a noticeable difference.

 

How did you do that? If you've just put a pod filter on the intake, you might have to rethink that. There's proof (although I don't have it on me, its around the site somewhere) that the original intake is pretty much the best you're gonna get with an EJ22, as its already a CAI. If you've put a pod filter in, you're pretty much just taking nice hot engine air in, and the added noise from the induction probably makes you think its going faster.

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How did you do that? If you've just put a pod filter on the intake, you might have to rethink that. There's proof (although I don't have it on me, its around the site somewhere) that the original intake is pretty much the best you're gonna get with an EJ22, as its already a CAI. If you've put a pod filter in, you're pretty much just taking nice hot engine air in, and the added noise from the induction probably makes you think its going faster.

 

although the extra noise from the induction is nice that is not what im feeling, and the original intake is taking the air from the engine compartment as well, so i just free'd it up by taking the box and snorkel out making it a bit easier restriction wise, so the original intake isnt a true CAI like everyone thinks it is

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What on earth are you talking about??

 

the factory box pulls air from the inner fender well which is CAI. *unless* a PO has mangled that setup.

 

the only thing you've accomplished from your description is allow a greater chance of debris entering the intake while sucking in a whole lotta hot air. unless I miss understood what you did which I seriously hope I so.

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