SLIC recommendations?

[JDSfastGN]

Ok so I’ve been driving the Buick recently during these hot summer months. I’m tired of the car not cooling well.
It has a Lincoln mark8 fan installed flush, nice aluminum radiator from red C5, all the baffles, an air dam that goes across the entire underside below the radiator, 160 thermostat, high flow water pump etc….

On a warm 85* night the car runs 167-170 with no AC just cruising (180-185 with it) but after a good blast it goes to 185 and takes a while to drop below 180. Back to back spirited runs bring up 190 195 pretty quick. I won’t even talk about with the AC on during the day when it’s 95+. Maybe I’m asking too much.? I have a FMIC that has a very thick 4”+ core with end tanks that block airflow and that I think is probably my main issue. I would like to run a SLIC again. My only problem is ground clearance. My car is very very low. I had a BGC 23 row on there when I initially did the suspension and very soon after snagged the intercooler on a 3” “step” getting into their garage, slamming it into my crank pulley and thus destroying the intercooler.

So what is my compromise? New or used is fine. Who makes a good SLIC unit that has good ground clearance? The car is a 10.70@128 car as it is and I would like to keep it that way. I guess since I run alky I am more worried about pressure drop and how well it flows assuming the SLIC will not drop the temp quite as much. I have aspirations to road race it for fun, but I know as it sits unless it was a <50* day, I would likely run way too hot and end up hurting something.

Does anybody have length measurements of their SLIC? My dads T has a thunderfab unit that would hang too low, but I’m wondering how plausible it would be to possibly cut off some rows and re-weld it? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks guys

CLIFFS: Who makes or made a SLIC with good ground clearance that will not be detrimental to my 10.70 93/alky car?

 

[gusszgs]

Just a thought.........how about the stocker with a dutt neck or a Mease 15 row if you can find.

 

[Nick Micale]

Thee best stock location intercooler being produced is from Precision. The stock modified ones do not even come close, and the Thunderfab is a joke compared to the Precision.

They are not cheap, but you get what you pay for, quality and performance! :smile:

I have installed many stock location IC's of all brands, and none perform better.

 

[wickedtt]

I think all the SLIC are about the same as far as ground clearance goes.. I believe your choices on a new one is between the precision SLIC and the polished SLIC that Full Throttle and G-body sells.

 

[JDSfastGN]

Thee best stock location intercooler being produced is from Precision. The stock modified ones do not even come close, and the Thunderfab is a joke compared to the Precision.

They are not cheap, but you get what you pay for, quality and performance! :smile:

I have installed many stock location IC's of all brands, and none perform better.

Nick just wondering why is the thunderfab a joke compared to the PTE? I only ask because i got it from a friend that went 10.40s with it, put a precision in and didnt improve on that. Having installed as many Slics as you have, do you recall a good unit that had exeptionally more ground clearance than others by chance? I would hate to spend 800$ on an intercooler and crush the bottom 3 rows in the first few days and then yank it off going over a speed bump lol. and btw raising the car is not an option

Thanks for the responses guys.

gusszgs ive been looking for a Mease 15 row without much luck but i don't think i would consider a dut necked stocker just for the performance loss alone. does anybody know the height on the Mease?

wickedtt, there doesn't seem to be much else on the market other than those two right now. Im sure the PTE out performs but looking the given dimensions it shows the polished one from FT is 15.5 vs 17.25 for the PTE, I would get the shorter one.

 

[BlackBandit]

another option would be a different radiator. I know you said it was aluminum bit what kind is it? Have you given any thought to trying a bee-cool radiator? You're going to spend that much on an slic anyway and bee-cool makes a NICE radiator. Way better than griffen and the f-body rad is probably a joke next to one.

 

[JDSfastGN]

another option would be a different radiator. I know you said it was aluminum bit what kind is it? Have you given any thought to trying a bee-cool radiator? You're going to spend that much on an slic anyway and bee-cool makes a NICE radiator. Way better than griffen and the f-body rad is probably a joke next to one.

The radiator I'm running is a pretty nice unit sold by red c5 here on the board. It is the same unit pts used to sell. I don't think it's the issue tbh. I will say I'm not the biggest fan of aluminum as I know the heat transfer is not as good as brass /copper but the one I'm running shouldn't be an issue

 

[BlackBandit]

I'm not saying alumium is the problem. Yes copper transfers heat better but a large tube aluminum will cool better because you can make a thinner tube walls with aluminum. I was just making sure you had a good radiator. I had an s10 with a 400 sbc that I couldn't get to stay cool. Tried allot of radiators and fans. Finally bit the bullet and bought a bee-cool and I never had a problem with temps again. In fact, I didn't even need a fan with the bee-cool. Just get going 15-20 mph and temps would drop like a rock. Not saying your experience would be the same, just sharring were I'm coming from.

 

[jlat]

hello; If I was you as you have everything covered but I didn't see what coolant your runnin. I'd try a coolant additive and water as was talked about here in the past. Other than that a good test would be some Spal fans as the talk is there the balls but some people say your setup is as well. I know you can get a kustom IC made but who knows the price tag and the R&D needed. A SLIC would be the answer but there are trade offs.
IBBY

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

After seeing many 10 and a few high 9 sec. cars with the PTE SLIC, that was enough convincing for me to run it.

Personally, I'd rather have a 10.50 car that runs 190 all day long as opposed to a 10.35 car that runs 220 with a FMIC.

 

[ross87t]

JD,

I have a PTE SLIC on my car. I could measure the clearance from the bottom of the scoop to the ground, then measure from my front fender to the ground. You could do the math and decide if clearance would be an issue with your car.

 

[jlat]

hello; In my case I also got the PTE recently and I don't think it's that much difference in ground clearance. But because of the alum. shroud you're not going to have much give as the stock plastic? rubber? if you hit anything. I hit a pc of a curbstone leaving my driveway and it sounded like I tore it off or at least messed it up but it only showed light scratches.
IBBY

 

[JDSfastGN]

I'm not saying alumium is the problem. Yes copper transfers heat better but a large tube aluminum will cool better because you can make a thinner tube walls with aluminum. I was just making sure you had a good radiator. I had an s10 with a 400 sbc that I couldn't get to stay cool. Tried allot of radiators and fans. Finally bit the bullet and bought a bee-cool and I never had a problem with temps again. In fact, I didn't even need a fan with the bee-cool. Just get going 15-20 mph and temps would drop like a rock. Not saying your experience would be the same, just sharring were I'm coming from.

I hope i didn't come off wrong in my previous post, i thank you for your experience. Honestly I hope its not a radiator issue. Ive had a couple different aluminum radiators and my original that was made into a 4 row. This is the best of them all by far but its still not quite what I was hoping for temp wise. It has 2- 1 1/8" rows and has a good fin count per inch. Ill keep the bee cool in mind if it comes to that. Thanks man

hello; If I was you as you have everything covered but I didn't see what coolant your runnin. I'd try a coolant additive and water as was talked about here in the past. Other than that a good test would be some Spal fans as the talk is there the balls but some people say your setup is as well. I know you can get a kustom IC made but who knows the price tag and the R&D needed. A SLIC would be the answer but there are trade offs.
IBBY

right now im running straight water. I have run "purple ice" before and "water wetter" but I never saw a noticible change in temps with either. I may be willing to try something else though.

After seeing many 10 and a few high 9 sec. cars with the PTE SLIC, that was enough convincing for me to run it.

Personally, I'd rather have a 10.50 car that runs 190 all day long as opposed to a 10.35 car that runs 220 with a FMIC.

Agreed, hell a PTE SLIC may be an upgrade over my current unit. It looks great and has performed fantastic but it is an ebay intercooler that i fabbed up (same dimensions as a PTE FMIC but thicker)

JD,

I have a PTE SLIC on my car. I could measure the clearance from the bottom of the scoop to the ground, then measure from my front fender to the ground. You could do the math and decide if clearance would be an issue with your car.

Ross I didn't know you had gotten back into a buick? Congrats, and that would be awesome if you could do that, I would very much appreciate it. :smile:

 

[JDSfastGN]

hello; In my case I also got the PTE recently and I don't think it's that much difference in ground clearance. But because of the alum. shroud you're not going to have much give as the stock plastic? rubber? if you hit anything. I hit a pc of a curbstone leaving my driveway and it sounded like I tore it off or at least messed it up but it only showed light scratches.
IBBY

hmm I may be willing to fab up something for the shroud made out of abs or something pliable, but I assume the core hangs about as low as the shroud?

 

[ross87t]

JD,

I'll measure tonight. I posted a pic of the Buick in the Texas section. Having a cam sensor issue at the moment, but I hope to have that fixed and have the car out and about soon.

 

[ross87t]

JD,

Intercooler (lowest point of) was 6-1/8" off the ground.

Center of fender well (I still have black trim in place) was 25-3/4" off the ground.

Measured in the garage, so the surface was level.

I hope this can help you out.

 

[SPOOLFOOL2]

Well,

Here's what I did. My car is one inch lower in the front. I found an old CAS V4 SLIC and fabed a shroud that drops down only when the car is under boost. Here's the link http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/fabrication-no-solicitation/305569-how-maximize-your-slic.html
My car runs 10:55 @126 on 91 oct and alky. It does this on only 23 lbs of boost, so this SLIC can't be too big of a restriction. Here's a shot of the intercooler shroud in the up and down position.

Up position.

Down position. (on trans brake).

Down position, while late for dinner.

Don't be afraid to think outside the box to get what you want. Just be sure and post it here.

Happy spooling.

Mike Barnard

 

[krom]

My thunderfab worked ok but it was cheaply built and had major harmonic problems at certain RPM's. Bolts stripped out, had to screw in a metal bar to stop the harmonics, but at the time it was a couple of hundred cheaper than the PTE. Glad I sold it.

 

[Bruce Urie]

Thee best stock location intercooler being produced is from Precision. The stock modified ones do not even come close, and the Thunderfab is a joke compared to the Precision.

They are not cheap, but you get what you pay for, quality and performance! :smile:

I have installed many stock location IC's of all brands, and none perform better.

You are getting it from the horse's mouth.....a man of experience can't be wrong....I'd go with Nick on this...big time....you won't regret it.

Always trust a man with years of experience and experiments in his profession, it's better than a four year college education!!:wink: Go with Nick.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[JDSfastGN]

JD,

Intercooler (lowest point of) was 6-1/8" off the ground.

Center of fender well (I still have black trim in place) was 25-3/4" off the ground.

Measured in the garage, so the surface was level.

I hope this can help you out.

Thank you Ross, Im at just under 24" for fenders, so 4.25 may not be enough for some of the retarded speed bumps i encounter from time to time... hmm

Here's what I did. My car is one inch lower in the front. I found an old CAS V4 SLIC and fabed a shroud that drops down only when the car is under boost. Here's the link http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/fabrication-no-solicitation/305569-how-maximize-your-slic.html
My car runs 10:55 @126 on 91 oct and alky. It does this on only 23 lbs of boost, so this SLIC can't be too big of a restriction. Here's a shot of the intercooler shroud in the up and down position.

Up position.

Down position. (on trans brake).

Down position, while late for dinner.

Don't be afraid to think outside the box to get what you want. Just be sure and post it here.

Happy spooling.

Mike Barnard

wow that's awesome man, i may look into something like this. Thank you for the pics and link