Saab 900 Intercooler Questions

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Jeremy - 04 Jul 2006 21:56 GMT

Intercooler questions for the Fourth of July:
1. I was considering upgrading mine to a larger one later this year or
early next year.
1a. Anyone seen aftermarket intercoolers for the Classic 900t? (Group
9 had some, but Mr. Dale has closed up shop and sold the company. I do
not know what the new owner will be doing with the site/store.)
1b. If you have, are there any that will fit in the OEM location with
minimal custom work?
1c. Any thoughts about keeping it in the stock location verses putting
a larger one below the bumper, behind the air dam? I know this would be
an expensive option.

2. I already have one of each style of the OEM intercoolers in my parts
bin at home. Is there any difference between the two?

3. Any one ever upgrade the hose/pipes so that there is a uniform
3"/7.62 cm pipe/adapters throughout the system? Would there be any
advantages to this?

4. I have a small cooling fan (6"/15.24 cm) that I am conteplating
installing to get better airflow over it. Help or hurt? Any thoughts on
this?

5. In an OEM install, does the litle metal/plastic deflector piece make
a major difference in the performance of the intercooler? Mine is
missing, but I have located two in a junk yard.

Jeremy
http://jerem43.home.att.net/

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Paul Halliday - 04 Jul 2006 22:28 GMT

> Intercooler questions for the Fourth of July:
> 1. I was considering upgrading mine to a larger one later this year or
> early next year.

Well, not all stock intercoolers are the same. The later cars had a plastic
capped 9 row cooler which is more efficient than either the metal capped 9
row or the 15 row. It does still heat soak, but I have an idea which
involves moving the oil cooler ... See below.

> 1a. Anyone seen aftermarket intercoolers for the Classic 900t? (Group
> 9 had some, but Mr. Dale has closed up shop and sold the company. I do
> not know what the new owner will be doing with the site/store.)

Abbott Racing make a "chargecooler" which will fit into the stock location.
Theirs is further cooled by water.

> 1b. If you have, are there any that will fit in the OEM location with
> minimal custom work?

It would be better to provide increased airflow (or a fan) to the stock
intercooler. A mate of mine cooked up an intercooler fogging system, but he
already has a FMIC from a Volvo.

My thought is to move (or replace) the oil cooler to a more central location
in front of the radiator and install a scoop and pipe up to the stock
intercooler. My other thought it to cut into the bonnet and install a scoop
to force air down over the intercooler where that little plastic air dam
usually sits.

> 1c. Any thoughts about keeping it in the stock location verses putting
> a larger one below the bumper, behind the air dam? I know this would be
> an expensive option.

Unless you have the Airflow/Carlsson bumper skins, you'll almost certainly
have to remove/cut the lower airdam or grind off the towing lugs if you go
for a FMIC. Volvo 760 or SAAB 9000 intercoolers seem popular, but they are
not very efficient. Going for a FMIC will certainly involve custom pipe work
and perhaps "clocking" the turbocharger.

One of the cleanest installations I've seen is by Aussie Alex Reid:
<http://www.900aero.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1448>

> 2. I already have one of each style of the OEM intercoolers in my parts
> bin at home. Is there any difference between the two?

There was a plastic capped 9 row and a plastic capped 15 row, as well as a
metal capped 9 row. I rate the plastic capped 9 row the most, but have no
empirical evidence :)

> 3. Any one ever upgrade the hose/pipes so that there is a uniform
> 3"/7.62 cm pipe/adapters throughout the system? Would there be any
> advantages to this?

Custom job ... Yes, there are advantages if you have a high flow charger.
There will be increased lag as well. It depends what you want ... Long
sustained top boost or fast spooling for short bursts?

> 4. I have a small cooling fan (6"/15.24 cm) that I am conteplating
> installing to get better airflow over it. Help or hurt? Any thoughts on
> this?

Great! Fit it behind the intercooler to pull air through it. Have it
actuated by boost, or if you're a little daring, drill and tap in a
thermostat (like on the radiator).

> 5. In an OEM install, does the litle metal/plastic deflector piece make
> a major difference in the performance of the intercooler? Mine is
> missing, but I have located two in a junk yard.

Send me the other one will ya :)

It's there for a reason, so I suppose SAAB must have found it makes a
difference. I've never had one on my current turbo and it's not on my
immediate list for procuring, but if I did get one, I'd put it on. Why not?
If you can get one easily, fit it.

Paul

1989 900 Turbo S
http://saab.go.dyndns.org/

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Paul Halliday - 04 Jul 2006 22:34 GMT

>> in article DBAqg.92959$mF2.20646@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net, Jeremy
>> at jerem43@att.net wrote on 04/07/2006 21:56:

>> 1c. Any thoughts about keeping it in the stock location verses putting
>> a larger one below the bumper, behind the air dam? I know this would be
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> One of the cleanest installations I've seen is by Aussie Alex Reid:
> <http://www.900aero.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1448>

Take a look at F900!
<http://www.900aero.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=475>

Matt (who now tunes Nobles and other exotica) sold the car to Si about a
year ago. Si managed to crash the car again, but it's re-built and coming
back up to scratch. The cooler is from a Lotus. It seems to fit with minimal
upset, leaving the area where the stock intercooler is free for moving, say,
the battery making room for a shallow exhaust elbow.

Paul

1989 900 Turbo S
http://saab.go.dyndns.org/

Reply to this Message

Jeremy - 05 Jul 2006 04:19 GMT

>>Intercooler questions for the Fourth of July:
>>1. I was considering upgrading mine to a larger one later this year or
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> row or the 15 row. It does still heat soak, but I have an idea which
> involves moving the oil cooler ... See below.

I have one of the metal capped 15-row and one plastic capped 9-row, the
cars has the metal capped 9-row. Should I go with the Plastic 9-row?

>> 1a. Anyone seen aftermarket intercoolers for the Classic 900t? (Group
>>9 had some, but Mr. Dale has closed up shop and sold the company. I do
>>not know what the new owner will be doing with the site/store.)
>
> Abbott Racing make a "chargecooler" which will fit into the stock location.
> Theirs is further cooled by water.

Do you know the approximate cost, or the part #?

>> 1b. If you have, are there any that will fit in the OEM location with
>>minimal custom work?
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> to force air down over the intercooler where that little plastic air dam
> usually sits.

I was thinking along the scoop idea with two channels, one short one for
the intercooler an the other for the air intake.

>> 1c. Any thoughts about keeping it in the stock location verses putting
>>a larger one below the bumper, behind the air dam? I know this would be
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> One of the cleanest installations I've seen is by Aussie Alex Reid:
> <http://www.900aero.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1448>

That was just an idea investigating the feasibility of putting a FMIC.
Just throwing it out there for others to opine on.

>>2. I already have one of each style of the OEM intercoolers in my parts
>>bin at home. Is there any difference between the two?
>
> There was a plastic capped 9 row and a plastic capped 15 row, as well as a
> metal capped 9 row. I rate the plastic capped 9 row the most, but have no
> empirical evidence :)

Does anyone have an idea of the performance of the various 900
intercoolers? Is there any difference or is it a case of who Saab could
get to supply intercoolers that month?

>>3. Any one ever upgrade the hose/pipes so that there is a uniform
>>3"/7.62 cm pipe/adapters throughout the system? Would there be any
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> There will be increased lag as well. It depends what you want ... Long
> sustained top boost or fast spooling for short bursts?

I am inclined to go for the long sustained boost. The push you back into
the seat as you press the pedal is fun, but I like to cruise the
Interstate at 90 mph. Radar/Laser detector on of course.

>>4. I have a small cooling fan (6"/15.24 cm) that I am conteplating
>>installing to get better airflow over it. Help or hurt? Any thoughts on
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> actuated by boost, or if you're a little daring, drill and tap in a
> thermostat (like on the radiator).

How would you tie it to the boost? Vacuum powered solenoid? This one
needs further investigation/explanation.

>>5. In an OEM install, does the litle metal/plastic deflector piece make
>>a major difference in the performance of the intercooler? Mine is
>>missing, but I have located two in a junk yard.
>
> Send me the other one will ya :)

You want the black powder-coated one or the painted one? Cause you ain't
getting the powder coated one. ;)

> It's there for a reason, so I suppose SAAB must have found it makes a
> difference. I've never had one on my current turbo and it's not on my
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> 1989 900 Turbo S
> http://saab.go.dyndns.org/

Great Tips, Thanx
JB

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Paul Halliday - 05 Jul 2006 08:36 GMT

>>> Intercooler questions for the Fourth of July:
>>> 1. I was considering upgrading mine to a larger one later this year or
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> I have one of the metal capped 15-row and one plastic capped 9-row, the
> cars has the metal capped 9-row. Should I go with the Plastic 9-row?

Well, I like mine :)
See what others think on the matter.

>>> 1a. Anyone seen aftermarket intercoolers for the Classic 900t? (Group
>>> 9 had some, but Mr. Dale has closed up shop and sold the company. I do
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Do you know the approximate cost, or the part #?

750 UKP ... Abbott are known for their pricing :)
<http://www.abbottracing.com/2003/tuning/c900/engine/c900_chgclr.htm>

>>> 1b. If you have, are there any that will fit in the OEM location with
>>> minimal custom work?
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> I was thinking along the scoop idea with two channels, one short one for
> the intercooler an the other for the air intake.

The problem with the C900 is any ducting would have to come from the RHS of
the car, due to the oil cooler filling up that area on the LHS. Move the oil
cooler to a more central location and you've got a great hole to pop a scoop
into.

By all means, feed the air intake with another duct ... Or turn the airbox
around and feed it directly from the front of the car? I have seen people
drop the airbox altogether, cut through the inner wing and place an open air
filter onto the end of a pipe, supplying air through the wing by way of a
scoop or slashes in the LHS wing. That gives a lot more space to mount a
larger, more capable fan behind the standard intercooler.

>>> 1c. Any thoughts about keeping it in the stock location verses putting
>>> a larger one below the bumper, behind the air dam? I know this would be
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> That was just an idea investigating the feasibility of putting a FMIC.
> Just throwing it out there for others to opine on.

Traditional wisdom has been to fit the larger cooler from the SAAB 9000 or a
Volvo 760. People have done this for years without really investigating the
effect. More modern intercoolers are very efficient for their size, so
something much smaller, but strategically placed (or cooled with water) is a
more "modern" approach.

The Lotus chargecooler on F900 I pointed you to shows a minimal use of
pipework, less bends and leads to significant cooling, compared with the
original. That car was built with 300 BHP in mind and over 160 MPH top
speed.

>>> 3. Any one ever upgrade the hose/pipes so that there is a uniform
>>> 3"/7.62 cm pipe/adapters throughout the system? Would there be any
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> the seat as you press the pedal is fun, but I like to cruise the
> Interstate at 90 mph. Radar/Laser detector on of course.

A 60 trim T3 is on your shopping list, then?

You do need to balance up the flow rate with the pipe diameter. For example,
the 8V pipework is 40mm in diameter to match the 40mm diameter turbo outlet.
On the 16V car (and late model T8s sold in Europe and Scandinavia), a 45mm
trim was used with the same pipework. On later T16s, 60mm pipework was used,
which matched up nicely with the inlet and outlet on the intercooler, being
60mm. [Check your intercoolers, but I think they're all 60mm in width for
the inlet/outlet.]

Once you go up to 3" (75mm) pipework, you're going to introduce some lag
unless you beef up the turbo unit a bit.

>>> 4. I have a small cooling fan (6"/15.24 cm) that I am conteplating
>>> installing to get better airflow over it. Help or hurt? Any thoughts on
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> How would you tie it to the boost? Vacuum powered solenoid? This one
> needs further investigation/explanation.

Use a second/spare pressure transducer, like behind the kneeboard. My mate
used precisely that to trigger his intercooler fogging setup. Simply, but
effective.

See the inner wing picture half way down this page:
<http://www.900aero.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1127>

Paul

1989 900 Turbo S
http://saab.go.dyndns.org/

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