1st gen I/C into N/IC 1st gen

[pulltilbroke]

I finaly got all my parts for an intercooler install and decided to to a little write up on it.

With this install you WILL NOT be able to retain you're A/C condensor also with this install I flipped the I/C upsidedown

Tools you'll need

Socket set and rachet with a few extensions,a couple screw drivers,drill with assorted bits, sawzall wit a sharp blade, a sharpie, and a tape measure

Parts you will need

1st gen intercooler,1st gen piping, 8 2 1/2" t-bolt clamps or constant torq clamps, 1 2 1/2" v-band clamp, 1 90* v-band elbow, and 4 2 1/2" hump hose boots


First start by removng the Headlight bezels, grille insert, outer grill shell and lower filler panel




Next remove the radiator and A/C condensor if equipped



Now measure 7" down from the bottom side of top of the core support and make a mark, now measure 5 1/4" down from that mark and make another mark, now measure 3 1/2" over from the radiator opening in the core support and make a mark, and repeat on the other side of the support



Once you have your core support cuts laid out you can go ahead and fire up the sawzall and start hacking



Some additional trimming may be required


Now that you have your holes cut in you're core support you can go ahead and and start fitting you intercooler





Now establish where you need to drill your mounting holes (I just held the cooler where it looked centered and marked it with a sharpie) once this is done you can go ahead and drill the holes



You can now measure the space between the core support and the mounting tabs of the cooler, make a note of this measurment and measure the other side, make a note, now you can go cut you're spacers out of some pipe or whatever you got layin around(my measurements were 1 13/16 on the pass side and 1 1/2 on the drivers side

Once you get you're spacers cut you can bolt the cooler in place( remember to put some thin strips of rubber between the cooler and the core support)

I used some 3/8 bolts 3 1/2" long and used fender washers.




Now you can hook up all you're plumbing




Next you will have to trim the radiator mount to clear the inlet and outlet of the cooler

After this is done put the radiator back in the truck


I will post more tomorow after I trim the lower filler panel and get the grille installed in the truck

[ccoxva]

I wrecked my ic truck but old blue is still non ic. Wondering why I couldnt take that rad support and stuff and just switch it over?? Or is something diff. I still got everything but the intercooler.

[burnt_servo]

I wrecked my ic truck but old blue is still non ic. Wondering why I couldnt take that rad support and stuff and just switch it over?? Or is something diff. I still got everything but the intercooler.

the rad suport should be a direct swap ..... but you may have to use the inertcooled rad and shroud too .

[pulltilbroke]

I got the grille and every thing put back together today

This is what I had to do

I trimmed the lower filler panel to clear the cooler and to get more air through it




I then installed the outer grille shell




Next you'll have to trim the back of the grille insert(I ended up cutting a lot more than I wanted to but I guess when I do a PS I/C I'll have enough room)




I'll probably end up making some stainless steel inserts for the grill so it'll look a little better



Driving Impresions

I noticed EGT's dropped 50* at idle, it dropped 100* at cruiseing speed and dropped 200* at WOT

I also noticed a 10 psi drop in boost but later discovered a small boost leak in one of the cheesy factory boots, I will report new results after Iget some new silicone boots on the old truck

On the test drive I saw a max boost pressure of 36PSI and a max EGT of 1250 degrees, and the climb there was a lot slower

All in all I'm very pleased with my install and would recomend it to anyone with a N/IC truck that can live without A/C

[ccoxva]

Great pics and info.

[bgilbert]

What a shame you did to that old school grill . If you did it the way I told ya to, you wouldn't have needed to touch the grill . Another note, you can just grind that AC condensor raised mount off the IC.

[pulltilbroke]

Got my 12v air horn today






Within the week we will have some new silicone boots on everything

[RumbleFish]

what, no rtv on the valve covers?

[pulltilbroke]

No, why would I use rtv on the valve covers

[pulltilbroke]

Well I changed it up again today

I got a 24v horn, and I fabbed up a stainless pipe

[pulltilbroke]

Well we changed a few things up again, we now have a 2nd gen I/C in the truck with 2nd gen plumbing