air intake question

[guywithpajero]

hey folks,

I have a 2.5 with the air channel in the hood leading to a rather beat up looking intercooler. Every time I see a 2.8 with the hood scoop directly over the intercooler, I think to myself, 'that's gotta work better!' And from there, down the rabbit hole I go
- should I replace the intercooler with a K&N filter?
- should I install an aftermarket hood scoop directly over the intercooler/K&N fliter?
- would a snorkel improve cool air intake?
- are there any forced air/ram air options available?
- would any of these alterations significantly improve HP and fuel efficiency?

What do you think Pajero people, lemme know.

Cheers

[thedjjack]

First the Intercooler: Air comes through the filter into the turbo the turbo pressurizes the air and due to the exhaust spinning the turbo heats the air. This pressured hot air then goes to the intercooler which is just a heat exchanger cooling it down (cool air = more air) and then into the intake.

If you replace your intercooler with a filter you are removing the TURBO!!!!

If you do any dusty road driving I would not use a K&N, If you ever drive through a puddle I would not use a "cold air intake" or also known as a puddle intake sucker.

Yes you could gain HP by: Improving cold air through the intercooler or increasing the size of the intercooler. You may get some increase in power from a cold air intake or K&N filter. But it is not going to be anything you will feel.

Keep the stock setup other then maybe a scope over the intercooler to increase cold air exchange...

[Raule Duke]

You could remove your intercooler and soak it in solvent and then blow out with compressed air to improve cooling and flow...... otherwise the only way to get more power from these trucks is to have compression, injection timing, injector crack and spray patterns all within stock specs and clean air and fuel filters..... a snorkel will not improve HP however it will keep your intake out of the dust keeping the filter clean. if you get a Boost gauge you can make sure that you are boosting enough..... sometimes they will blow off early from tired old springs

[mararmeisto]

hey folks,

I have a 2.5 with the air channel in the hood leading to a rather beat up looking intercooler. Every time I see a 2.8 with the hood scoop directly over the intercooler, I think to myself, "[that's way cooler!]"

If you cut your hood and slap a scoop on top, you might get better air flow onto the intercooler, plus it would look way cooler, like you think it will (I may have interpreted your statement slightly differently than you typed it) - just look at mine!

By "beat up" do you mean the fins on your intercooler are all bent out of shape? If so, you might benefit from a new intercooler (especially a bigger one). Also, hard pipes would lessen turbo 'sag' (the soft pipes expanding when you stomp on it, lessening the pressure going to the intercooler and thus to the cylinders).

A snorkel doesn't so much improve air flow, unless your engine is under water, and then it definitely does (for an obvious reason).

If you start forcing more air / ramming air / supercharging (I'd actually like to see someone try this on one of these diesels) you'd have to make improvements elsewhere in order to handle the increase in intake air (fuel injection, hard piping, etc).

One addition that might add a bit of fun (read: hp) could be a nitrous intercooler spray system, or a cold air/water spray system: this sprays a cold gas/liquid over the intercooler, cooling the air passing through the inside even more, allowing for more compression, more air in the cylinders, better burn. Trouble is, as a diesel you can only cool down the intake air so much before the diesel doesn't like it so much - diesels like to be warm, and that includes the air that's coming inside.

[guywithpajero]

Thanks for replies.

From your responses I think the best bet would be to shop for a larger intercooler, hard tube it and make sure it gets enough cool air (ie. hood scoop) and in the meanwhile, clean out the one I have.

Now . . . where the hell does one get a compatible intercooler?!? Will any intercooler work?

[jessef]

keep the intercooler and just clean it out
replace the existing donut air filter with a donut K&N

that's the best you can do stock

if you want more grunt, get a 2.5" exhaust and up the fuel/boost.

that's all you'll get from the little 2.5L. if you want more, you're looking at lots of coin to gain few hp