Subaru WRX/STi Top-Mount Intercooler 2001-2007
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Interested in purchasing our WRX/STi top-mount intercooler? Check out our product page for more information!
While examining our existing intercooler, our engineers felt that yet another improvement was necessary. The current core composition was working well for our tests but would likely run out of efficiency with a higher-boost/higher-temperature vehicle. To adjust for this we added more boost tubes, changed our fin type, and increased the density of the fins. Our original cooler featured straight fins; for this test we switched to an offset fin style. The offset fins provide a huge improvement in heat transfer. Check out the images below showing the change.
Fin composition: new (top) vs. old (bottom)
Old core fins
New core fins
As you can see, the new fin design is much denser. Each row of fins is offset to the previous row to allow for maximum contact and heat transfer. We were pretty excited about this adjustment and began
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Interested in purchasing our WRX/STi top-mount intercooler? Check out our product page for more information!
As mentioned last time, our team decided to make an improvement to our intercooler design. Because of the cast end tanks, we were left with a rather thick inlet. The wall diameter was significantly greater than what we would prefer, and opening up this diameter would only increase flow. The inlet was removed from the intercooler and an aluminum pipe was then welded on. This thin-walled pipe would provide significant benefits in overall airflow.
Modifying the Mishimoto prototype
After finishing this modification we were prepared for more testing. Our next subject was a bone stock 2004 WRX. Obviously we would be dealing with less power than on the previous test runs. We were interested to see the effects of reduced power on the efficiency of the Mishimoto intercooler.
2004 WRX on the dyno
Our first test was the OEM WRX
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Interested in purchasing our WRX/STi top-mount intercooler? Check out our product page for more information!
Finally in the comfort of our own garage, we could begin further testing and data collection with our intercooler design. Below is a first look at the Mishimoto intercooler fully installed!
Mishimoto intercooler in 2003 WRX
Mishimoto intercooler in 2003 WRX
I may be biased but in my honest opinion this cooler really has a robust, beefy appearance and feel. The unique end tanks definitely set this intercooler apart from any other top-mount cooler currently available.
Once we returned to our facility we compiled the data from our initial testing. These initial runs were very positive. The Mishimoto cooler was making great power gains compared to the factory WRX cooler. Check out the dyno plots below!
Stock intercooler testing on 2003 WRX
Mishimoto intercooler testing on 2003 WRX
In the last two runs we cranked the boost
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Interested in purchasing our WRX/STi top-mount intercooler? Check out our product page for more information!
Armed with a 3D printed prototype and a full day of test fitting, we were able to produce some very insightful renderings of how this intercooler was going to look. Initial flow testing and calculations showed that performance would be ideal for our target power range. After spending some time with Solidworks, Kevin produced the fantastic rendering you see below.
Mishimoto intercooler rendering
Mishimoto intercooler rendering
This design features smooth CFD- (computational fluid dynamics) tested cast end tanks for optimal flow. We designed several different core units with differences in fin height, fin pitch, bar size, and thickness. Our plan was to investigate the effects of these changes through testing on a variety of different vehicles running different boost pressures and making different horsepower numbers. Our
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Interested in purchasing our WRX/STi top-mount intercooler? Check out our product page for more information!
Before we attempted the initial design, we first took a good look at the stock Y-pipe design. Although the spaced ports provide dispersion of air throughout the stock core, we saw immediately that this portion of the design needed improvement.
Kevin, our lead engineer for this project, began by taking measurements of the stock engine bay and intercooler. He used these measurements to begin developing a Solidworks model that would emulate the direction we wanted to go with the overall design. Once the model was completed, it was time to utilize our 3D printer to create a prototype. The initial prototype would be used primarily to test fitment and check clearance before we developed a final prototype. Because this was a large component, we separated the model into portions for 3D printing and then reassembled the pieces.
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Interested in purchasing our WRX/STi top-mount intercooler? Check out our product page for more information!
The Bugeye, Blobeye, and Hawkeye Subarus have always been a prime choice for a fun daily driver or project vehicle. With a burbley turbocharged flat-four and a robust AWD system, it is hard to beat the overall value of these early models. Nonetheless, the performance aftermarket is massive with documentation available for building your car from mild to wild. Key components to the aftermarket success are the large enthusiast groups such as NASIOC and IWSTI that provide a great place for swapping information on repairs and modifications, and also general discussions about why these cars are so great! These Subarus provide a great base for entry into the racing world, whether it be rallycross, autocross, or track days. Reasonably inexpensive consumables make this a budget track car or fun car, similar to an older BMW or
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