I was wanting to put a front mounted intercooler on car for my SVO motor and I was wondering what kind will work, preferably out of a junkyard, like a Volvo or something. I was also wondering if there was one that had the inlet and outlet tubes on the same side. And will this intercooler work with running 14 or 15 psi? I'm only running about 8-10 psi now, I guess someone messed with it before I got a hold of it. Where do you crank up the psi at? Thanks
Intercooler???
- Thread starter SVOconvLX85
- Start date
Its what ever IC will fit 
Usualy people use the FMIC off a Volvo with a Ranger radiator. I'm looking for a IC basicaly the same as you are and I sudjuest looking through Ebay. You want to make sure it can handle the boost your running, are plan to run one day soon.
As for the boost do you know if its got a manual boost vavle on it?
Are you going by the stock boost gauge? (they seem to be plus or minus 3 psi from what I've heard and seen. )
Look on the passenger fender on top to the side of the air box. Your looking for a inch long solenoid with two vaccum lines going to it. There should be a small eletcric wrie(s) going to it also. These vaccum lines should be running to the turbo area. If this is so, your still using the stock boost vavle. The only way I know how to adjust a stock boost vavle is to use the fuel switch. In the normal fuel setting its at 10psi and on premium fuel its at 15 psi ( needs 91-93 oct fuel)
If you don't have the Vaccum lines going to the solenoid then you probly got a manual boost vavle that should be located near the turbo area. Some people use enough vaccum line to mount it close to stock location but it want be eletric.
Usualy people use the FMIC off a Volvo with a Ranger radiator. I'm looking for a IC basicaly the same as you are and I sudjuest looking through Ebay. You want to make sure it can handle the boost your running, are plan to run one day soon.
As for the boost do you know if its got a manual boost vavle on it?
Are you going by the stock boost gauge? (they seem to be plus or minus 3 psi from what I've heard and seen. )
Look on the passenger fender on top to the side of the air box. Your looking for a inch long solenoid with two vaccum lines going to it. There should be a small eletcric wrie(s) going to it also. These vaccum lines should be running to the turbo area. If this is so, your still using the stock boost vavle. The only way I know how to adjust a stock boost vavle is to use the fuel switch. In the normal fuel setting its at 10psi and on premium fuel its at 15 psi ( needs 91-93 oct fuel)
If you don't have the Vaccum lines going to the solenoid then you probly got a manual boost vavle that should be located near the turbo area. Some people use enough vaccum line to mount it close to stock location but it want be eletric.
89lx2.3
Founding Member
thats the boost control solenoid like pro-hawk was talking about. so your still running stock, what computer are you running? judging by your name and that you said it was an SVO engine I am guessing you have an SVO computer as well. those came with the premium/regular fuel switches, either you do have the switch and you just need to switch it to premium (and run premium gas obviously) or you (or whoever did the swap) didnt swap over the switch and the computer is running in regular mode... I remember reading a way to switch it over if you do not have the switch itself (i think by grounding that pin on the computer) or you can look on ebay or at a junkyard to get one.
oh yeah i almost forgot to mention the best and easiest solution... get a manual boost controller (www.boostvalve.com is a good one that is highly recommended) and ditch the soldnoid. I would suspect that if you did this you would still want to get it set to premium mode as it effects the fuel curves and such in the computer, maybe someone can correct me if i am wrong.
a bypass valve is something totally different
oh yeah i almost forgot to mention the best and easiest solution... get a manual boost controller (www.boostvalve.com is a good one that is highly recommended) and ditch the soldnoid. I would suspect that if you did this you would still want to get it set to premium mode as it effects the fuel curves and such in the computer, maybe someone can correct me if i am wrong.
a bypass valve is something totally different
mr_woodster
Active Member
pretty much any fmic will do for that setting, i have not heard of anyone having any trouble with a volvo fmic 15psi or a little higher. IC's with the inlet and outlet on the same side are usualy small (if your looking for a junkyard pull) ive seen one on a talon, dodge laser, and a carpi (australian made) ..all these are quite abit smaller than the svo stock ic, so in my opinion thats a Step backwards. You could take a Turbocoupe(flows better than the svo one a little) intercooler and fab it up to be a front mount, its a good flowing IC and as a front mount it would cool nicely (for cheap).
the fuel switch is not confirmed to mess with timing that i know of, it is generally though to do so (along with uping the boost)...
higher octane = safer timing advance + boost.
You will also want to be thinking of piping for your front mount ic, dont go with anything less than 2.5 inch tubing, I've been informed it makes it hard for the motor to breath up top with anything less. I have 2.5inch running from the turbo to the intercooler, and 3 inch running from the outlet to the throttle body, seems to work great.
Put a gilis valve on there and have abit of fun, your missing atleast ~35hp from stock (15psi) by only running 10psi...just be careful to tune it slowly and not blow anything up! Crank the boost in small increments and LISTEN for Pinging...unless you like changing head gaskets like me
the fuel switch is not confirmed to mess with timing that i know of, it is generally though to do so (along with uping the boost)...
higher octane = safer timing advance + boost.
You will also want to be thinking of piping for your front mount ic, dont go with anything less than 2.5 inch tubing, I've been informed it makes it hard for the motor to breath up top with anything less. I have 2.5inch running from the turbo to the intercooler, and 3 inch running from the outlet to the throttle body, seems to work great.
Put a gilis valve on there and have abit of fun, your missing atleast ~35hp from stock (15psi) by only running 10psi...just be careful to tune it slowly and not blow anything up! Crank the boost in small increments and LISTEN for Pinging...unless you like changing head gaskets like me
I already have a TC intercooler on there, however, when the real SVO was hit, the hood buckled and is unrepairable. So I just have an intercooler on there now serving no purpose because of not having the scoop.
I do have the SVO computer in there as well as the fuel switch also. Everything was from the SVO and we put it in a convertible. Thanks all
I do have the SVO computer in there as well as the fuel switch also. Everything was from the SVO and we put it in a convertible. Thanks all
jzleach1
Founding Member
SVO Hoods are available for 84-86 through a company in Ohio. They are made from fiberglass and word is they're a good part. Good fit and scoop is functional with stock intercooler. I can't remember the name of the company, but SVOCA was trying to put a group purchase together for a discounted price. You have to be a member of SVOCA to get the special pricing, but the savings is more then a one-year membership costs.
