Custom intercooler project complete!
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Bangkok
C200K
Custom intercooler project complete!
I've just installed my custom intercooler, a though inspired by others on this board. 
No clearance problems with a Brabus kit.
First of all let me say that here in Bangkok the stock intercooler does next to nothing in cooling down the charged air... I can't tell much of a difference by touching both sides of the stock intercooler. Temperature here is high 30's (C) to mid 40's.
Working on stock intercooler core size given by Buell its volume is 198 (22x4.5x2) cubic inch. The new one is 546 cubic inches (26x7x3) which is 276% the size of the stock one. (I know this is not the way to measure intercooler efficiency, I'm just trying to let you imagine the size of my new intercooler.
I just went for a 3Km drive, stopped and touched the outlet side and YES... I can feel a hugh temperature difference.
The core is from an Isuzu Rocky (thats a 10-wheeler truck), cut down to size, attached to this is custom end-tanks which have been smoothed and polished on the inside. The end tanks are connected to curved pipes like the stock intercooler.
The whole project costed me about US$325... slave labour prices in Thailand
together with my ASP pulley, thats under US$700 for good performance mods.
I've booked in for a dyno in two weeks time, will post chart then.
By the way, my car is a C200K (2002) sedan auto.
No clearance problems with a Brabus kit.First of all let me say that here in Bangkok the stock intercooler does next to nothing in cooling down the charged air... I can't tell much of a difference by touching both sides of the stock intercooler. Temperature here is high 30's (C) to mid 40's.
Working on stock intercooler core size given by Buell its volume is 198 (22x4.5x2) cubic inch. The new one is 546 cubic inches (26x7x3) which is 276% the size of the stock one. (I know this is not the way to measure intercooler efficiency, I'm just trying to let you imagine the size of my new intercooler.
I just went for a 3Km drive, stopped and touched the outlet side and YES... I can feel a hugh temperature difference.
The core is from an Isuzu Rocky (thats a 10-wheeler truck), cut down to size, attached to this is custom end-tanks which have been smoothed and polished on the inside. The end tanks are connected to curved pipes like the stock intercooler.
The whole project costed me about US$325... slave labour prices in Thailand
together with my ASP pulley, thats under US$700 for good performance mods.I've booked in for a dyno in two weeks time, will post chart then.
By the way, my car is a C200K (2002) sedan auto.
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From: Bangkok
C200K
Originally posted by JeT
Looks good. I would be very interested in seeing the dyno results. Did you run a stock dyno for comparison?
Looks good. I would be very interested in seeing the dyno results. Did you run a stock dyno for comparison?
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From: Laguna Niguel, CA
I don't think he took off his bumper, just the plastic cover in the front. To remove the bumper cover, remove the black plastic panels in the front part of the wheel well (about 6 plastic push pin fasteners) and you'll have access to the screws that hold the bumper cover on from the back. On the front there are 2 screws by the fog lights that must be removed. Under the hood there are screws at the end by the grill that are the trickiest to get and not lose and the ones in the center and the bumper cover and grill come off in one piece. Make sure you disconnect the wiring for the fog lights and temp sensor. Also pull straigh forward, any twisting/tweaking may damage the rollers that the bumper slides on. It will look good that way in a Mad Max sort of way!
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From: Sydney, Australia
01 C200 Kompressor, 02 C32 AMG
Yoo 3pointedstar…nice intercooler you got there! be sure that you’ll post the dyno results. Maybe I should make some calls to find out if I can find the same intercooler and do what you did 
be sure that you’ll post the dyno results. Maybe I should make some calls to find out if I can find the same intercooler and do what you did
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From: Bangkok
C200K
Originally posted by JeT
3Point, dod you end up finding out whether a change in displacement was viable?
3Point, dod you end up finding out whether a change in displacement was viable?
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From: Bangkok
C200K
Originally posted by JamE55
Wow!! How long did this project take you and how is the outcome? Do you see any differences?
Wow!! How long did this project take you and how is the outcome? Do you see any differences?
I can definately feel the results, not really an increase in HP but a constant pull at WOT all the way to redline. Before the pull was intense only at the beginning of the powerband and tapered of towards redline. Also the outlet side of the new IC is verycold which is an increadible achievement considering the heat here in bangkok.
All in all, I'm very happy with the results, and as soon as my ASP pulley arrives I'll be even happier.
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From: Bangkok
C200K
Originally posted by bajaiman
Yoo 3pointedstar…nice intercooler you got there! be sure that you’ll post the dyno results. Maybe I should make some calls to find out if I can find the same intercooler and do what you did
Yoo 3pointedstar…nice intercooler you got there!
be sure that you’ll post the dyno results. Maybe I should make some calls to find out if I can find the same intercooler and do what you did
I used a secondhand IC core as my first experiment, but since it turned out so well, and cools effectively I guess I managed to pull it off in just one version
If you are going on an overseas trip this Xmas do stop by Bangkok and I can whip up one for you in about 4 hours.
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From: Houston, TX
2002 C230 Coupe Black/Charcoal C5 C7 Auto
Originally posted by 3pointedSTAR
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From: Bangkok
C200K
Originally posted by tberry
Hi 3pointedSTAR....nice intercooler. Just curious, I'm sure you love the benz but to really get performance (and the kinda money you paid) don't they have Lancer Evos, Skylines, Supras or do they cost more? I know that its nice to be unique as well but i was just curious. I'm originally from Burma (next to Thailand) and have passed by Bangkok many times. Its been over 10 yrs though.
Hi 3pointedSTAR....nice intercooler. Just curious, I'm sure you love the benz but to really get performance (and the kinda money you paid) don't they have Lancer Evos, Skylines, Supras or do they cost more? I know that its nice to be unique as well but i was just curious. I'm originally from Burma (next to Thailand) and have passed by Bangkok many times. Its been over 10 yrs though.
Mutsu evos are a dime a dozen here, same with supra, WRX and RX7's, very few r34 skylines, a few r33 and a load of r32's and I've only seen one NSX. Anyways the point is that all the Japanese cars are seriously done up, but hardly any MB are, so I guess its the uniqueness I'm after, afterall isn't that the second criteria (after performance) that poeple do up cars?
secondly, even if you had a 10 second car (1/4m) it won't get you anywhere faster in Bangkok...it'll just get you to a traffic jam faster
anyways, whave you ridden in an EVO or a WRX?!?! it's rough as guts and when you swing the door open it feels like tin foil (thin & light)
Jap race cars are a different class of automobiles, I myself have had a r33 skyline in the past that'll kill most w203's on the road... it's still a nissan.
Same arguement goes for drivers of Lexus, its still a Toyota
LS400's are sold here cheap as the toyota crown, the IS300 as the Toyota altezza and their new mini 4 wheeler is the new toyota 4 runner.I tend to get carried away so I'll stop here before Lexus owners on this board flame me to death...:p
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From: Bangkok
C200K
I will take more pics after the bumper is ready, just changed to brabus kit and it's stuck in a paint job queue.
Professional and cheap are not mutually exclusive.... say it with me boys "third world slave labour prices":p
Professional and cheap are not mutually exclusive.... say it with me boys "third world slave labour prices":p
Originally posted by FrankW
Sweet...it looks professional to me great job.
post some pics after you put the bumper back on too.
Sweet...it looks professional to me
great job.post some pics after you put the bumper back on too.
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Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Diamond Bar, CA
W206 PHEV AMG
Originally posted by 3pointedSTAR
I will take more pics after the bumper is ready, just changed to brabus kit and it's stuck in a paint job queue.
Professional and cheap are not mutually exclusive.... say it with me boys "third world slave labour prices":p
I will take more pics after the bumper is ready, just changed to brabus kit and it's stuck in a paint job queue.
Professional and cheap are not mutually exclusive.... say it with me boys "third world slave labour prices":p
it's sad that it doesn't work that way in the US.
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From: Bangkok
C200K
Off topic here...
but what's really sad is that I'm driving the lowest spec kompressor w203 and you're cruisin' in a gorgeous C32
but what's really sad is that I'm driving the lowest spec kompressor w203 and you're cruisin' in a gorgeous C32
Originally posted by FrankW
it's sad that it doesn't work that way in the US.
it's sad that it doesn't work that way in the US.
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Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Diamond Bar, CA
W206 PHEV AMG
Originally posted by 3pointedSTAR
Off topic here...
but what's really sad is that I'm driving the lowest spec kompressor w203 and you're cruisin' in a gorgeous C32
Off topic here...
but what's really sad is that I'm driving the lowest spec kompressor w203 and you're cruisin' in a gorgeous C32
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From: Bangkok
C200K
I'm at it again!!!
3point Sports Service
===============
Found an old Brabus muffler for w203 c240 at the flea market two days ago, got my super cool welder to dissect it and made 3 exact copies and sold em to my friends. I didn't have my camera with me during the job so these are the only photos I've got.
Sounds really mean... a bit louder but not HKS tin can loud. Exact to the millimeter copy using good grade stainless steel. Inside even the same number of holes are drilled. The photo shows a slightly discoloured surface, thats cuz I've been driving REALLY hard the past few days testing out the intercooler :P
About US$165 in all. Not bad.
I'm turning my car into a science experiment
===============
Found an old Brabus muffler for w203 c240 at the flea market two days ago, got my super cool welder to dissect it and made 3 exact copies and sold em to my friends. I didn't have my camera with me during the job so these are the only photos I've got.
Sounds really mean... a bit louder but not HKS tin can loud. Exact to the millimeter copy using good grade stainless steel. Inside even the same number of holes are drilled. The photo shows a slightly discoloured surface, thats cuz I've been driving REALLY hard the past few days testing out the intercooler :P
About US$165 in all. Not bad.
I'm turning my car into a science experiment
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Toronto
You must be pretty rich to drive a C200K in Thailand; I could imagine how much it costs, probalby as much as FrankW's C32 Heck, even my C230 costs $60k CDN in HK!
BTW, can you post a pic of your car with the bumper back on? I'd love to see how the intercooler looks under it !
Heck, even my C230 costs $60k CDN in HK!BTW, can you post a pic of your car with the bumper back on? I'd love to see how the intercooler looks under it !
