# VRT Big Intercooler fitting big pictures



## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

alright so ive seen a lot of setups up here where ppl have cut away the front of the rebar support. im slightly confused on how they would fit the ic in the bumper as a good portion of the front rebar goes into the bumper

im currently outside looking at my options, id assume most of these setups were using smaller ICs, heres some pictures of the ic infront of my vr. think its roughly 28-30 long 12ish high 3 deep with 3 inch inlet and outlet. 


































fitting this intercooler is whats going to get the ball rolling for me as the rest of what 
needs to be done is fairly straight forward (crossing fingers) although i can forsee myself driving around for a week or too with a capped off interfooler hahahah

any thoughs and suggestions are very much appreciated. 

thanks


scott.


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## Rmeitz167 (Dec 16, 2007)

what setup are you running that you even need that big of an intercooler?


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## Weiss (Jun 21, 2004)

Rmeitz167 said:


> what setup are you running that you even need that big of an intercooler?


Seriously?

Here' I'll try to help you. Just try to cut out the inner portion of the bumper and leave the outer portion supporting the structure of the bumper itself.


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## VeeRar6ix (Apr 5, 2007)

600x300x75mm

Bumper, bumper support and cradle were chopped...


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## Soundwave_vr6 (Oct 1, 2007)

not sure on size but kinetics 24"x7.75"x2.75" (from website) a good chunk is behind the rebar still :|


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## therealvrt (Jul 21, 2004)

i have no pics but i took what seems to be the same intercooler as yours, chopped it to 10 inches tall. The cut out most off the middle of the rebar so now all that is left is to attach the bumper to , made some tabs and voila. the bottom of my intercooler sits above the bumper at the point where the vr6 lip attaches so no lower bumper mods required
this is on a non ac mk3 vr6t w/ euro rad suport and a cut up n/a rebar


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## Little Golf Mklll (Nov 27, 2007)

pics? Im thinking of running about the same size IC for my 16v setup


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## vw_owner (Dec 19, 2008)

i was actually looking into intercooler fitment as well last night. my original plan was to run it behind the rebar so i wouldn't have to cut much of the bumper up. i believe the specs are 27x6x2.5 with 2.5 inlet and outlet. i want to keep the vertical fins in the center of the bumper, but thats not looking like an option. my setup is a 1.8T MK3 on standalone with euro rad support with rebar and bumper


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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

ok so im thinking this is gonna turn into a bit of a intercooler fittment thread as i havent really seen one on the mk3's, just a bunch of pictures of the final product. i understand its not the easyiest to do a diy on as they come in all shapes and sizes but this will hopefully help some ppl out with larger coolers.

right now ive got a na rebar/upper rad support off another car i had, very good idea to have a second so you wont have down time while cutting, unfortunately ill most likely have the front of the car off 3 or 4 more times before it fits properly.

Anyways i had some time today at work today, and i started cutting away at the back of the rebar. 
In the first picture you can see i cut pretty low, i now believe that i might be better off cutting higher up but the upper support is in the way, so the plan is to weld the upper suport to the rebar (RED lines). the yellow represents the tabs that will be welded in to hold the intercooler in place(these will most likely be higher than seen here










these next 2 pictures just show how deep the cuts were, the v in red next to the L shows approx how high the lower edge goes over the cut(second picture shows the same thing but looking from bottom up), ill prob end up trimming this back a bit although i may not need to as the cooler might be able to sit forward a bit.


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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

the lower line in the last picture actually sits about half an inch higher than the upper line,


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## TBT-Syncro (Apr 28, 2001)

my build thread is listed in my sig. there are some pics in there that may help.


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## DannyLo (Aug 2, 2006)

not as big of an intercooler as yours, but mine did require cutting to fit. I just sectioned, and re-welded it to reinforce it so it's still useful in a collision.


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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

ok so i cut more off the rebar today, i would have gotten some fittment pictures but i passed out earlier, so ill get them tomorrow when i go to check clearances on the car.


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## Little Golf Mklll (Nov 27, 2007)

Is that a vibrant intercooler?


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## vwgolfracer26 (Nov 3, 2003)

you should see how much cutting i am doing to try and fit my 600hp precision intercooler. ill take a pic when im done. Im going to have to mount it upside down..


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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

how big is that 600hp IC


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## charlie hayes (Jun 4, 2007)

Just get rid of the rebar and your fine. I mocked my front mount today and it fits fine with nothing. 600hp should be easy broke_rado fit the 750hp one with no problems.


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## Rmeitz167 (Dec 16, 2007)

Still wandering what the point of the huge core is... Unless you over 400whp i see no need or reason to run that big


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## pimS (Jan 7, 2009)

I have the exact same core










made a bracket to hang it up on 2 points of the rad-support


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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

Rmeitz167 said:


> Still wandering what the point of the huge core is... Unless you over 400whp i see no need or reason to run that big


wanna trade then? i never said how much i was going to run. i only like doing things once


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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

pimS said:


> I have the exact same core
> made a bracket to hang it up on 2 points of the rad-support


what rad support is that? im assuming you cut out the mounting points it uses to attach to the rebar. One thing about that though, isnt that all hidden behind the bumper? im speaking in air flow concern.


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## pimS (Jan 7, 2009)

yeah, i'm still thinking about relocating my licenceplate and making an air intake


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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

mad loaft action, on my behalf. looks like my cutting will do the trick, just have to lob off the 2 round points on the lower rad support, woulda taken some pictures yesterday when i was checking out the clearances but yeah, hung over girlfriend needed me to go get her so she could sleep at my house for some reason lol.

tomorrow ill have update pictures.  hopefully


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## vwgolfracer26 (Nov 3, 2003)

dont you need to keep some of the rebar. doesn't it tie the front of the car together.


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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

vwgolfracer26 said:


> dont you need to keep some of the rebar. doesn't it tie the front of the car together.


yeah im pretty sure you have to keep the ends where the bumper is fasened to the frame rails


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## all-starr-me (Jul 14, 2003)

pims has a euro radiator support, much different.

you cut all the rad support bacing to the rebar without bracing it or attaching a new cross support somewhere else your rad support will sag and you hood will never latch properly. rebrace it before you start cutting or you will not get it right.


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## 1098lover (May 16, 2009)

*Looks like mine*


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## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

With the intercooler in your pics, you will have no choice but to cut away the rebar. Normally we try and leave the top of the rebar intact so that there is support for the bumper, (or else it will sag and look rediculous). We usually do not have trouble fitting a 12" high intercooler.

The real challenge on an MK3 is getting air to the top of the intercooler. If you don't want to cut your bumper cover, you're basically limited to the the opening at the bottom. Otherwise, you can run a small splitter that will direct some of the airflow upwards, or run ducts, or even "speed holes".

If cut out the slats that hold the bottom of the bumper cover, it will sag and that looks super ghetto IMO.

On a VR6, you're kind of limited by the fact that you cannot really move the rad backwards. On a 4-cyl we move it back and put the IC behind the rebar. The following pics are of a 22x9x3" IC.




























Same intercooler, but on a car with AC, and rebar cut out.



















My philosophy has changed a lot with regards to FMICs. I now use higher-quality intercoolers, which are usually smaller for the same power goals. A good Garrett or Precision core makes a huge difference, power wise.

Hope that helps!


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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

ive thought about moving the rad back, there is a bit of space all that needs to be done is make a bracket to mount it on a half inch to a inch back.

ive been busy recently and havent had time to finish this up but hopefully tomorrow ill have the update, just need to cut the bumps off the front of the lower rad support and then it should just slide right up into place. fingers crossed


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## Powdered Toast Man (Feb 16, 2010)

you funny guys with your small intercoolers.... try figuring something like this out.


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## syracusegli (Jan 22, 2005)

omg! ^ need more pics


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## 69bug (Aug 10, 2002)

here are some pics of my aba 2.0t intercooler set up. i think the dimensions are 27x7x2 with 2.5 inlet and outlet ports. here is an option, installing a r32 bumper cover like i did.



















i do plan on going back to my OEM bumper and installing a 27x6x2 so i don't have to cut into the lower section where the air dam attaches.


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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

finally got up off my ass and did some work

basically i was crafty cutting the rebar. i welded the top support to the rebar. starting to really hate on the the passenger side were it gets narrow. highly considering cutting the front out like in post 2 or 3


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## TIGninja (Mar 21, 2010)

You would be better off running non intercooled rather then having that POS cooler on the car. This is one of the worst coolers ever built.


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## syracusegli (Jan 22, 2005)

^ j/w why you say that tigninja?


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## TIGninja (Mar 21, 2010)

Because they are extruded tubes. Good coolers have offset braised in turbulators.


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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

TIGninja said:


> Because they are extruded tubes. Good coolers have offset braised in turbulators.


fire an example picture referencing the difference, whats the outcome difference though, were talking heat exchanging so whats the projected difference in efficiency.


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## TIGninja (Mar 21, 2010)




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## TIGninja (Mar 21, 2010)

And as far as how much more efficient the coolers are depends alot on your set up and how much boost you are running and how big your turbo is. Obviously the more boost you run the more of an advantage a quality intercooler is going to be.


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## syracusegli (Jan 22, 2005)

so i guess the one on the right is better? 
i have an oemi diesel mercedes core that i kept that looks like the one of the left..i kept it thinking that.. its oem.. it cant be thaaat bad.. plus its a decent size


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## Powdered Toast Man (Feb 16, 2010)

syracusegli said:


> ^ j/w why you say that tigninja?


 
cuz Chuck knows stuff..... thats why. he's old school unlike many here.


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## TBT-Syncro (Apr 28, 2001)

TIGninja said:


> And as far as how much more efficient the coolers are depends alot on your set up and how much boost you are running and how big your turbo is. Obviously the more boost you run the more of an advantage a quality intercooler is going to be.


 and local climate/conditions have a huge impact as well. 

If you go to the Supra forums, you'll find lots of guys making 700hp on "crap"" intercoolers. 

realistically the one shown is going to be fine for the boost levels that most of us run. 

when in doubt, log your IAT


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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

found a solution.... found this at the junkers, paid 56 bones for it. had to cut right to the top of the rebar and grind down the mounting point on the bottom of the ic but i fits better than a penis to a vagina....


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## 16V VW (Aug 1, 2004)

what size fogs do you plan on running on the sides of the intercooler? 4x9? or ya putting outdoor speakers in there?


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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

haha theres to much light coming off the front end of the car already, speakers eh, thats a first


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## B4WrNd (Nov 15, 2004)




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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

bam, and there it is. paint is a touch off colour but what ever.


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## vwgolfracer26 (Nov 3, 2003)

My test fit of the stock bumper. Im going to cut and then get my euro bumper painted soon.
Its a 600 hp precision core. I had to cut out alot of the euro rebar and some of the euro rad support.


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