Paint is complete, Autowerks covers installed, fuel cell plumbed. A little more bodywork and then on to tuning.

That's looking very nice. Very neat work. More pics please?

Paul

Very nice work.

I would install an intercooler before you do the tuning.

No reason not to install an intercooler. Shop around, you can get an intercooler & piping for around $200.

You have all kinds of room to install one.

How much boost are you planning on running?

MBHD

I like the look.

Also agree with Hank, try to get a intercooler installed.

Another thing to do is, move the location for the air cleaner, put it more remote and sucking COOL air.

Thanks. I read Corky Bells' book, and I'm still left wondering which intercooler is the best size and offers the best flow.

I only plan to run 6-8lbs max.

With you having a truck, you can pretty much fit almost what ever size intercooler you want.
So don't get a small one because it is rated to 350 HP.
With intercoolers, bigger is usually always better, & like I said, you have plenty of room for a large intercooler.

That being said, Look for a thicker core 3-4 inch thick, easier for the air to flow on thicker cores. Bar & plate design can take more abuse from road debris, little heavier though.

Smaller intercoolers typically flow less.

2.25-2.5" piping. Get a piping kit with the thicker tubing with rolled/beaded tubing.
Example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-High-Q...5a6&vxp=mtr
*Note* some venders are willing to sell you different silicone hoses & tubing bends other than what is in there kit, meaning, say a kit has 4, 45 degree bends & you need 6, 45 degree bends, they can give you what you need, (with some venders)

Try & stay away from 90 degree bends (if you can) those type of bends will give you the most pressure drop.

I purposely used 45's on my piping & did not use any 90 degree bends.

Some examples depending on how you want to route your piping.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FMIC-2-5-Inlet-O...032&vxp=mtr

If you need an intercooler with both inlets & exits on the same side, this is the better design to use.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/23x11x3-Turbo-In...c79&vxp=mtr
Even with only 6-8 psi boost pressure, the compressed air gets plenty hot, hot enough for detonation to occur.


MBHD

Example of my plumbing on one side


Other side

Check this link out:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=396373&page=9

I went HOT air for a few years and then installed an intercooler. The install was a breeze, but did MANY measurements to buy the right size I/C and piping kit.

Its pretty cool, no pun, but after a long run. high boost, driving, I will pop the hood and try to grab the piping before the I/C, its almost too hot to grab. Then grab the piping right before it enters the carb, i havent put a thermo on it, but I bet its at least 30-40 deg temp difference.

Boucher,

tell the folks here what boost you are currently running & if the intercooler made any difference in performance in your truck.

MBHD

Thanks for the links. I get what you are saying about the 90 degree bends being restrictive. I think I can pull it off with 45 degree bends.

Jed's intercooler fits like original equipment. Nice. I like the intake screen, saves space for sure. I have my trans cooler mounted up there now, i'll have to get creative so I can fit them both in there.

Thanks!

Pressure Drop, for example. I had my wastegate set at 10 psi before installing the I/C and after the psi was measured at 7 psi, so a 3 psi drop. If you look, I am running a 180 bend and two 90's, so I would worry too much about pressure drop. I just adjusted the MBC back up to 10 psi. Bam!!

In terms of power, the best way I can describe it is.... before the I/C, when I first go the truck to operating temp and power was awesome/strong/lineal/lag-less, then when the engine bay would heat soak and the power level would drop because of it blowing hot air. Then..... I installed the I/C, the power level always stays like it is when you first get it up to temp., just all the time, which is Awesome!

For $300 bucks, it is totally worth it.

Thanks Boucher for the info on your truck.

as far as not to worry about pressure drop,,, well, thing is, sure you can turn up the boost pressure, but you need to ask yourself, what is really going on, why is it loosing pressure & what is the result of increasing boost pressure?

I have read, for every 90 degree bend (intercooler piping) you can loose 1/2 to 1 psi per bend.

So when for an example you set boost pressure at 10 psi and after the install, pressure dropped down to 7 PSI.

If you actually took a temp reading of the turbochargers compressor discharge initially @ your original 10 PSi (before intercooler install)lets say it was 200 degrees (F) then, after the install of the intercooler, you then adjusted your wastegate to get an additional 3 psi, if you would have taken another compressor discharge temp reading, it would have shown a temperature increase & you would have seen , say 235 degrees (F), (just as an example, those temps are not accurate, just throwing out some numbers) but you would have seen an increase in temperature, and your turbocharger is working harder to produce the same boost pressure.

What am I getting at?
Not trying to make anyone look bad, no, just trying to say, keep your bends, gentle, keep the bends to a minimum, get the best flowing & efficient intercooler you can afford.

All intercoolers are going to have pressure drops, but there are decent intercoolers & poorly designed intercoolers out there.
So do a little research.

Example of a better designed same side inlet & exit intercooler. This one states: "PSi Drop under 0.2. Other Intercooler usually drop 2 Psi Some are More."

http://www.ebay.com/itm/22-75-x11-x2-5-T...99d&vxp=mtr

A worse design inlet & exit same side intercooler.
Note: the air enters one end, goes to the other end & the air has to make a 180 degree turn for the air to come back.

This one states: "Pressure Drop:2~5psi@35psi; 0.2~0.5psi@15psi"

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CXRacing-UNIVERS...95b&vxp=mtr

Hope this helps & makes some sort of sense.
I am bad at trying to explain things, sorry.


MBHD