Turbo M30 E30 intercooler

[Topper325]

Hey guys and gals,

I'm trying to figure out the optimal routing of an intercooler for an m30 engine in an e30 chassis. I'm hoping you can help me out even though we only share an engine and not a chassis in common. I haven't swapped the m30 in yet as I am currently rebuilding it (struggling with the crankshaft "Jesus" nut LOL). I'm spitballing different ideas for an intercooler. I want to mount it like this:

https://imgur.com/a/uOpMhqW

However, with the M30 TB being on the "wrong" side, it seems like routing plumbing for this would be ridiculously long. I would think about flipping the TB, but I'm probably going to upgrade to a Miller Powerfold and I'd rather not cut into that. (why they didn't put the throttle body on the optimal side during their design process is beyond me.) My current favorite plan is to use an intercooler with the inlet and outlet on the same side. I would have the in pipe go directly down from the turbo, then forward to the intercooler, and have the out pipes go from the intercooler under the headlights to the TB.

Question 1: Is this a viable plan, or am I missing something?

Question 2: I see the recommended size for an E30 intercooler as 18x12x3. Is this measuring with the inlet and outlet connectors, or just the "radiator" part?

Thank you so much. I may end up using this thread as an update log on the Turbo project.

[Shadow]

hi
i am a fellow e30 person.
just look at google pictures. it's that simple.

on the cooler. whatever fits, bigger is better is the truth.

The piping is going to be something like this




here's mine it's like 24x12
the sizing is for the core

Intercooler by jet jones, on Flickr

[Shadow]

woah that box miller welded on the stock intake is $500

just save it and spend it on something that matters instead.

[tschultz]

Best I can say is look at the size core you want and then try to mock up a cardboard sample and see if you can find piping locations.

This is what I did on my E24 which may give you some ideas. Turbo is bottom mount.

[Topper325]

woah that box miller welded on the stock intake is $500

just save it and spend it on something that matters instead.

Thanks for the reply. I have been a little skeptical of the powerfold, but kept it in my plans because of the dyno results on their site, and testimony from a few users. However, I'm seeing more and more negative responses about it, and it is indeed quite pricy. I think I'll look more into it, but I'll skip out on it for now.

As to the intercooler, thank you for the size and pictures--I'll use them for reference.

Best I can say is look at the size core you want and then try to mock up a cardboard sample and see if you can find piping locations.

This is what I did on my E24 which may give you some ideas. Turbo is bottom mount.
pics cut for size

Thanks for the response. I will use your pictures for reference. However, I can see that your pipe from intercooler--->Throttle Body has to reach around the manifold and then make a "U-turn." While this seems to be a common setup, I'd like to avoid such a long pipe, both to decrease the distance air has to travel and for my own vain aesthetic reasons . I'm going to attempt a cardboard mock-up of the intercooler I'm looking at tonight, although I've never been greatly skilled at arts and crafts.

Thanks for your advice gents. I'll update later with my findings from my mock up.

[Shadow]

Don't trust the miller dyno i don't even want to begin to hate on them.
one of the packages on the m20 include like a CAI and their MAF tune picks up 30hp or something insane like that, yeah freaking right.


Also, don't worry about the bend or length of the pipes it's 100% because u don't like the look
Air is moving at the speed of sound and being pressurized
you can only measure that shit using calculus. don't even worry about it.


oh yeah right here.

https://www.millerperformancecars.com/s ... sik-detail

The PSIK saves a ton of weight compared to stock

Offers gains of 25+ HP and 25+ Ft Lbs of torque over stock!

[tschultz]

I looked into pipe lengths as well and came to the same conclusion as Shadow.

The volume of air in your piping lengths vs the CFM of air travelling through them when under boost is a minimal amount. Any realistic extra volume of pipe is not going to make a measurable difference in response. For this reason, what you can make fit should be prioritized with the biggest intercooler you can fit (rather than minimizing intercooler pipe length).

Your engine's compression ratio and boost level will have a much bigger impact on throttle response and spool than IC piping.

I do think keeping your BOV as close to the throttle plate as possible is a good idea. I also think a flipped throttle body is more about convenience with charge piping rather than much of a performance benefit. Maybe there is some temperature benefit in the pressurized air not sitting over the head.

[Topper325]

Don't trust the miller dyno i don't even want to begin to hate on them.
one of the packages on the m20 include like a CAI and their MAF tune picks up 30hp or something insane like that, yeah freaking right.


Also, don't worry about the bend or length of the pipes it's 100% because u don't like the look
Air is moving at the speed of sound and being pressurized
you can only measure that shit using calculus. don't even worry about it.


oh yeah right here.

https://www.millerperformancecars.com/s ... sik-detail

The PSIK saves a ton of weight compared to stock

Offers gains of 25+ HP and 25+ Ft Lbs of torque over stock!

Definitely skipping the Miller intake then.

Also, I feel lied to about the pipe length! I was told that longer pipes created more lag. I have the critical thinking of a blond in a blond joke sometimes.

I talked to a machine shop the other day, and I'm taking the intake to them to get a quote on swapping the TB to the driver side and using a two sided intercooler. It seems simpler and probably a good bit easier to route as well.

I looked into pipe lengths as well and came to the same conclusion as Shadow.

The volume of air in your piping lengths vs the CFM of air travelling through them when under boost is a minimal amount. Any realistic extra volume of pipe is not going to make a measurable difference in response. For this reason, what that you can make work should be prioritized with the biggest intercooler you can fit (rather than minimizing intercooler pipe length).

Your engine's compression ratio and boost level will have a much bigger impact on throttle response and spool than IC piping.

I do think keeping your BOV as close to the throttle plate as possible is a good idea. I also think a flipped throttle body is more about convenience with charge piping rather than much of a performance benefit. Maybe there is some temperature benefit in the pressurized air not sitting over the head.

Glad to see Shadow's not just making things up then . Looking into a flipped throttle body and a two sided I/C. Thanks for the advice.

[e30 Alpina B6 3.5]

This is my set up.

C808E065-55A1-4368-9B59-1A7A1986929E by Raul Salinas, on Flickr