http://www.musclemustangfastfords.co...ater_pump.html

This guy combined the intercooler with the intake manifold on his Mustang. I bet it could be done fairly easily for our cars. I envision a new intake manifold that incorporates the intercooler core, with the inlet at the top instead of the bottom, and a pipe running directly across the top of or beside the valve cover from the turbo outlet to the intake manifold. There are a ton of options for cooling the water from that point. A reservoir/icebox could be mounted in the rear of the vehicle (maybe custom fit in those little pockets in the cargo area) for weight distribution purposes and great cooling at the strip. A radiator could be mounted where the current intercooler sits and get great airflow for the street. What do you guys think of this idea?

Benefits: Lower intake temperatures, shorter piping -> better throttle response, lower boost drop across a smaller air to liquid intercooler.

Downfalls: Custom (probably expensive) project at this point. Complicated installation. Additional weight/loss of storage if an icebox is used. Reliability issues with water pumps. Possible heat soak if tank is not sized correctly.

*EDIT*

Just drew this in paint, so don't laugh too hard.

 

This would be hard to implement on the GDI engine. The charge motion valve would be a serious limiting factor in this design. The intake runners are already short enough, kinda hard to make them any shorter.

 

Thanks Aaron.

-Aaron (LOL)

 

Isn't this the same principal that GM uses on the supercharged ZR1 and the CTS-V???

 

Yes it is. I discussed it with a few people yesterday. The issue is not so much the design of the manifold itself as all of the emissions and other BS I'd have to relocate or remove if I used an aftermarket manifold. Even then, space would still be tight. I'd like to know if the OEM 2.2 or 2.4L intake manifold would work on the 2.0 with all of that stuff.

 

Doesnt the cobalt SS/SC also use something similar?

 

Yes.