A2A Intercooler fit for '15+ Nismos?
 

I'd really like to install an s/c kit in my 2015 Nismo, and was part of the plan when I purchased it, but I can't seem to find pics or descriptions of anyone who has done it. Google was no help. I found a YouTube video of a 2016 Nismo that had an A2A kit, but it was just a 35-second dyno pull with no other information. I don't want to put the guy's name here, but I'm fairly certain he's a member of this board.

When I examine things behind my bumper, I'm seeing all sorts of potential problems to fit the intercooler. There's a vertical black brace right in the center in front of the radiator (probably on all Zs, so maybe not an issue), and a "Nismo Performance Damper" that's the same length as the crash bar, and sits just above and behind the oil cooler -- with 3" between it and the radiator. Part of the problem is I have no idea where exactly the intercooler sits. Does it go in front of these obstructions? Doesn't seem like there's enough room for that.

At this point it looks like the crash bar is the least of my worries.

Are there different installation issues with respect to Nismos? Are there any '15+ Nismo owners having unique difficulties especially with the intercooler? Suggestions? Smaller Mishimotos?

I'd hate to ditch the idea altogether, but may have to if it involves too much custom fabrication.

Thanks!

I have a 2015 nismo with a supercharger and a 2017 nismo with a turbo ..there is plenty of room for front mount intercooler ....you will loose the front damper with both .....I did lose the crash bar with the turbo kit but not with the supercharger

Hmmm...I'm not sure I want to remove the damper. I'll have to think about this...

I haven’t noticed any difference from it..also I have pics in my album of the supercharger intercooler

If it weren't for the dang tow hook, I could hang a smaller Mishimoto right underneath the crash bar. That would catch all the potential airflow through the vents, as there is no benefit to having a taller intercooler core sitting behind the crash bar.

Maybe I'll check with Z1 or FI to see if they have any ideas.

Even behind the crash bar it’s benificial ..... it the joys of the boosted world ....good luck

I just crawled around in front of the bumper with a flashlight and a tape measure, and I think I can make this intercooler fit if placed to the left (facing front) of the tow hook: https://www.z1motorsports.com/interc...ic-p-4471.html I don't know where the mounting points are on the intercooler (hopefully on the edge of the frame), but probably I'd have to tap threads into the back of the crash bar. I'd have to make a bracket for the underside, too, of course, but the unknown is how to fit the BOV. Maybe a curved 180 pipe and place it behind?

Is there a rule of thumb with respect to how many inches long a piece of silicone pipe can handle, say, 9psi? There are custom mandrel-bent pipes, too, and if they're the right length, maybe I can get away with rubber/silicone collars to join them.

More of a project than I really want to tackle, but I'll give it a lot of thought, and maybe others can chime in with ideas? Thanks!

I may be wrong but I don’t think that will be any better than the larger intercoolers .... there is more to the cooling effect than just the airflow going to it ..volume of the intercooler is a factor to be considered as well

People often have an incorrect perception of how an intercooler works. Air isn't cooling down your charge temps, aluminum fins are. All an ic is, is a giant heat sink. The fins literally absorb heat then dissipate it out to other fins which get air cooled which in return re-cool down the interior fins that the charge air is passing through. An efficient cooler will absorb the heat, then cool itself back down and this cycles when you go in and out of WOT. For most street cars the amount of time spent in boost will not force the ic to remain in a "heated" state and by the time you need boost again your back to ambient.

Thanks for everyone's comments!

After a little more research last night, I discovered that the Mishimoto I linked is only rated for 350hp (not sure exactly how they arrive at an arbitrary rating like that). I checked Treadstone, and found they had an intercooler with actually a slightly smaller profile, but 3.5" deep instead of 2.25", and is rated at 500hp and a 750CFM flow rate.

Also found several YouTube videos on how to make a budget bead rolling tool out of a crimping wrench. So, once I cut various sections of piping to size, I can roll the ends to make secure seals. Hair spray is a recommended lubricant to help slide on the silicone couplers, because when it dries, it's almost like a light glue.

Mishimoto is the worst shitty Chinese crap you could possibly put on your car.

You're overthinking this again. If you want to have a supercharger, buy Topgun's kit and go on about your day. All of the concerns you mentioned here are not problems and there's a reason everybody installs their intercooler the same way.

It makes sense to have a larger intercooler with some of it out of the air stream. By going to a smaller intercooler that has 100% of it in the stream will not gain anything at all, except probably raising your intake charge temps.

I'm not trying to gain anything with a different intercooler (and I realize it doesn't have the capacity of the one in the kit) -- just trying to avoid removing the damper and cutting issues on the crash bar. I can see myself bolloxing that up royally if I try to do it myself, and I imagine having a welding shop do it will take some coin, too, that I could put elsewhere.

Im not sure if the 2015 is any different behind the bumper... But I had no issues with the Damoer fitting with TopGunzs A2A kit...Crash bar is any easy fix...just order the Fast intentions one....fits like a glove on a champ.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j5...6199C6036.jpeg

Thanks so much for the pic -- helpful. I can't see the damper in your photo, and it looks like you don't have the OEM oil cooler? Not sure.

I was concerned about the Fast Intentions crash bar, because in another thread on this board a member said theirs didn't fit the 15+ Nismo bumper. I suppose it's possible he was sent the wrong crash bar...but it contributed to me considering different options just in case.

Is your BOV just supported by the hoses and clamps, or is there a bracket for it, too? Any ideas how to plumb the output back into the intake to cut down on noise? Another idea I read somewhere here was to put a tiny filter on the end to act as a muffler. Can't find that suggestion now...

If u zoom into the pic u can see the Damper bolted right underneath where the F.I. Tow bar is bolted. I no onger using the OEM oil filter as I am running F.I.’s 34 row oil cooler.

About the F. I’m. Tow bar that’s the first Ive heard of it not fitting...:Hmmmm

The Tial BOv is supported by a clamp and diaphragm that bolts right up to the pipe...only way to tone down the BOV is by putting a filter on it like u read ...

Was there an OEM air/oil cooler added in some years that I'm not familar with? my '13 has the OEM oil cooler, but it is an oil/water cooler that is just a filter sandwich plate with coolant lines running to it.. don't think this would interfere with an intercooler.

You are over thinking this. Go with what we have done, it works, it's reliable and you will be happy with the results. TopZ kit is your answer.

As for the BOV muffler, that was my idea and it works well. It is an air vent filter from McMaster Carr.

Thanks so much for everyone's input! I'm not trying to be difficult -- I'm just trying to sort through all this ahead of time so I don't get into surprises after everything's apart that delays the installation. Time on the phone with various parts people, waiting for delivery, etc., etc. We only have room for one car in our garage, and I'm going to be usurping my wife's car for the time this takes. A happy wife is a happy life, and all that...

I see the damper now in the photo, Bolio -- but it looks like the strut is on the passenger side? The strut part is wider -- did you flip it to make more room on the driver's side for the intercooler?

The fact that the damper is shown proves that there's enough room for it...but probably not for the OEM oil cooler, which sits in front of it. Hard to judge the space between the damper and where the OEM cooler would sit in the photo, and the back of the frame of the intercooler. Am I going to have to budget for a 34-row cooler, too? I wasn't planning on that. I'm not going to track the car, and I am happy where the temps are now, which allows plenty of upside for the s/c. I know that for the Nismo, the only choice is the 34-row.

I just got out a flashlight and a tape measure again, and the distance from the front side of my damper bar to the front of the fins of the OEM oil cooler is 1.5" -- but on my car I'm measuring from the damper bar and not the strut, which is on the driver's side. So, if the damper is flipped, the imaginary distance would be less (but there probably wouldn't be enough space between the strut and the cooler if it was flipped). The fins on the oil cooler are 1" deep, and as far as I can tell, it's just a simple air-cooled unit. No frame, just bare fins with a U-shaped run of pipe through it. The cooler starts about where the passenger side of the damper bolts to the support structure, and extends about 10" towards the driver's side -- so it would have to run behind the intercooler.

There is another alternative, but it's extremely difficult to determine with the bumper on. It appears that the oil cooler is mounted to the bottom side of the radiator frame with two simple zig-zagged metal pieces. I could possibly make two different pieces without the zig-zag (which shifts the cooler forward) to move the oil cooler slightly down and back to clear the damper, and position it directly underneath. I'd have to do this in such a way to make sure it stays in the air flow from the opening in front of it. (Maybe I could make a little shroud around it to direct air into it.)

Thanks again for everyone's help! TBatt -- by chance do you have the part number for the filter?

Here's the filter I got for my bpv.
231-2188 | JEGS

Thank you! Added to parts list...

If you don't already have this fitting, you'll need it too. 1.5"

https://www.verociousmotorsports.com...-Hose-Fittings

This part ships with every kit I sell. Full kits and A2A upgrades.

Thanks. I couldn't remember as mine has the cone shaped one on and what you supplied got lost during my install. I ended up having to buy the one I showed.

The Damper is on straight not flippped. F.I. recommends that u flip it if u go with the 34 Oil Cooler that they sale in order to place the oil cooler where they specify so at one point in time prior to going Supercharged it was flipped over. However, when I got The Stillen S/C prior to TopGunz A2A Kit, I had to rearrange some things for plumbing purposes. You will eventually encounter this when u do the Suoercharger Kit or any F.I. Install. Slight modifications and re-organizing will have to be done. When it comes down to it it’s almost like re-arranging tools in ur garage. Trying to figure out how everything will fit to ur taste and needs. The installation instructions TopGunz provides are clear and direct; this kit is designed to fit. If the 34 oil cooler will fit u will have no issues with the OEM one fitting with the FMIC. Besides like Jayhovah pointed out, all the OEM oil filter is is a few coolant lines with a Sandwhich plate that’s plumbed into the power steering cooler, which BTW I still have installed. It will not hamper the fitment of the FMIC.

As far as the 34 row oil cooler is concerned whether u need one or not is dependent on ur driving and weather conditions. If ur gonna track the car then an oil cooler is recommended. I for one need it here due to the hot and humid tropical weather. I also got this upgrade before going supercharged. If ur going F.I. (Supercharged /Turbo) then having an Oil Cooler is highly recommended if not needed. You will eventually run hotter temps opposed to N/A, especially when u get on it.

Thank you very much, Bolio, for your detailed comments!

Now I have a little bit of egg on my face, because when I read and saw, "oil cooler" for the Nismo, I assumed it was for engine oil. But now I see it's just for the power steering hydraulic fluid! I found this thread with a pic to show those who can't visualize what I've been trying to describe: http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...r-install.html And this thread describes a Z1 oil cooler install with a photo showing it below an inverted damper: http://www.the370z.com/nismo-370z/36...r-success.html I'm not sure why Nissan inverts the damper on their base/sports models, and places the strut on the driver's side on Nismos.

So now I'm thinking a bit more about an actual oil cooler, but still not sure if I need it. We get in the 90's here during the summer and early fall, which is about 15 degrees warmer than what I've driven so far. Temps are in the 200-205 range after warming up, which means I've still got a comfortable upside range. Hmmmm...

I appreciate all the help from everyone -- I've got some tools, but this is going to be by far the most involved project I've ever attempted on a car.

You will need an oil cooler.

Also, there is no stock damper on base/sport models.

I am in the minority here with this opinion, but the need for an oil/air cooler over the OEM oil/water is debatabe and dependant on your setup and your use of the car. I am getting along fine with the OEM oil/water cooler but my car is strictly a street toy and DD. I am in Central FL so conditions are similar to you, if not a little harsher.

One key difference in my setup is that I am running the GTM/Gamma high capacity oil pan, which has increased my capacity to nearly 2 gallons and the oil pan itself is a gigantic aluminum heatsink.

Popular opinion on this forum is that the OEM oil cooler is mostly ineffective, and I have found this to be untrue. Believing it, I deleted mine... temperatures seemed fine during the cooler months but when summer finally started to beat down on us my oil temps became uncomfortably high.

As a test sample - without my oil cooler:
Cruising at 95mph, 87 degrees outside - 260 degrees (steady state)

Not much later, I reinstalled it:
Cruising at 95mph, 83 degrees outside - 227ish degrees (steady state)

So in my situation, the OEM cooler made a substantial difference.

My advice would be this:
If your car EVER sees track time of any kind, install one.

If you are hiring out your install work, go ahead and have a cooler installed at the same time as the labor will be minimal while everything is torn apart.

If you do your own work and are a tinkerer and don't mind experimenting, then try foregoing it and seeing how it goes... you can always add one if the temps aren't to your liking. It's not like the world explodes if you do a couple of fun runs and you touch 260. Everyone told me to install one when I went TT and I took the wait-and-see approach and, for me, I didn't need one. Maybe I drive like an old lady. =)

Thanks very much for your thoughts, Jayhovah. So there IS an engine oil cooler somewhere? Where the heck is it?!

Just for the sake of linking, I found this DIY: http://www.the370z.com/engine-drivet...on-w-pics.html On page 3, Z1 provides a pdf to their updated instructions.

In my case, not only would I have to budget for a 34-row, but also a rolling jack stand, and two stationary stands, as I imagine you can't do the install with the tires on the floor. (Required removal of the undershroud?) Alternatively, I suppose I could get ramps from Harbor Freight, but they probably wouldn't clear the underside of the bumper before reaching the tires.

I like the "wait and see" acid test, but I don't relish the idea of having to dig back into the front of the car a second time if it does run too hot to put the cooler on.

I will never dump the clutch, because I know how hard that is on various drivetrain components, and I hate breaking things. Most likely, the s/c will only ever see full boost for short rolling acceleration runs lasting no longer than a minute, and quick blips on the throttle of a few seconds each. I've had the car up to 110 already, and it reaches that speed so quickly I can't imagine holding the pedal to the floor that long very often with the s/c -- I'd be hitting 160!

(BTW, I just got my Uniden R3 in the mail...)

The OEM cooler is an oil to water unit, so all you'll see is a sandwich plate and some coolant lines.

Installing an air to air cooler can be done on ramps. Cut a couple of 2x12s to extend the ramps so you'll clear the bumper. It's an easy install.

It's a relatively large sandwich plate between the block and oil filter with two coolant lines running to it.

Sounds like you are hiring out the labor... If I were you I would go ahead and have an air cooler put in and have the OEM cooler deleted (some folks keep both, but the two will work against one another in some situations as the oil/air cooler regulates to ambient while the air/water regulates to coolant temp).
I've been running one since they were released, LOVE it! Make sure you keep up with firmware updates, Uniden has been very proactive in listening to the requests of the community and have been adding all sorts of new features with every update. Pretty refreshing!

Thank you both for your help! Much appreciated.

I wasn't intending on hiring out the labor for any of the s/c-related support mods, and will only have the clutch done by someone who knows what they are doing (hopefully RJM...will need to make a road trip). I've got some thinking to do here about the oil cooler, but I'm glad to know at least one forced induction Z doesn't have the aftermarket cooler. Good tip on removing the OEM unit!

Glad to hear the endorsement of the R3. I read a lot of reviews and watched the Vortex videos before ordering...all I'm waiting on now is the wiring harness for the rearview mirror.

Jesus Christ no. Don't let Bobby destroy yet another Z.

Oooops! Did I miss something somewhere? I was going to have him install his pedal at the same time to save (hopefully) a bit on labor. Bad idea? We have squat in terms of qualified shops in Panama City, FL.

The rjm that makes the pedal is in Canada. The rjm you don't want is in Florida.

:iagree: Do some searching around on this.

OK...blame it on forum thread overload! Thanks for the clarification!

Ah... I assumed you would be hiring it out since you were budgeting for jack stands, etc... If you're going to be putting any work into it yourself I suggest getting geared up in general for working on the car. Once you go down a path of modding this deep you will always have something you want to fix, add, or tinker with. =) An oil cooler is a pretty easy one to do, and to tell you the truth, if you are mechanically inclined I'd imagine the SC+A2A is not all that bad to DIY either.

If you do want to farm out the SC install and are willing to drive 8 hours south to Tampa Bay, you are far better off driving 5 hours the opposite direction to Z1 in Georgia. If it's gotta be Tampa you would be safer just coming straight to my house lol.

Thanks for the offer, Jayhovah! The clutch is intimidating, and I wouldn't trust it to any of the...dare I say...redneck mechanics around here. (They just beat the heck out of our 2016 Mazda3 at the dealership -- nowhere is safe!)

The part I'm dreading the most about the support mods is the fuel end of it...pump, top hat, upgraded electrical, and rails. I've copied TBatt's thread on this for reference, but I just have this feeling that it's going to be a bear. The actual s/c, belts, intake, and intercooler seem like a piece of cake by comparison.

I did a little research this afternoon, and found a shop in Tallahassee -- Tallahassee Speed Shop -- which I might trust for the clutch and pedal. I haven't called, but I think they have a dyno, too. I'll keep looking. There might be something over in Pensacola, but that's twice the distance of Tally.

Ohhh I misunderstood you - you are farming out the clutch job and RJM (the good one) pedal... Honestly any competent mechanic can do that job so I wouldn't stray too far and I am sure you could find someone local. I've done all my own work including my TT kit with the exception of my clutch/flywheel/CSC job which I took to a local mechanic. Just go to your local Cars&Coffee meet and ask all the guys with expensive cars where they go =)

When I was looking for the guy I used I just googled and found an independant shop with good reviews and drove over to check it out.. pretty clean operation and there were a bunch of nice and rare/interesting cars on the property for service so I knew this was the right guy. Be prepared to pay a little more for labor hours at a good shop.

The RJM pedal (particularly the latest version) is supposedly a very easy install...the creator even suggests you DIY it so you have a better understanding of the mechanism. I'd say try it on your own!

I actually grew up in Pensacola! Still visit a few times a year as my folks are pretty rooted over there.