i read somewhere that a 4x4 intercooler is far better that a 2wd one is this the case or is it rubbish talk , is it bigger ? or better ?

 

Yes, a cheap option for more power than the 2WD unit.

Charlie

 

has ay one got any pics of the difference between the two
cheers

 

yeah; 4x4 intercooler is approx 30% more efficent

basically they are deeper than a 2wd unit

 

I am running a 4x4 cooler on my 3dr Ash, works perfectly well @ 320-330 bhp...

What is your Spec now and any Spec plans in the future??? if you're going 350 and above go 500 cooler route.

 

4x4 intercooler is better than the standard one but as pete said if you are going for 350+ BHP it is worth getting a RS 500 style one.

I have a Airtec one on my 3dr and really keeps the charge temp low.

I dont think the 4x4 is a straight swap though as the mounting brackets are different

 

25% larger actually.

And they're a straight swap IF you have a Ford rad - mine wouldn't fit with my Airtec radiator so I had to revert back to the 2wd cooler.

You'll also need 4x4 intercooler hoses because the 2wd ones are too long.

 

i have a 4x4 intercooler on my 3dr, not a straight swap.
i had to modify the metal air deflector plate a bit up near where it bolts on.. it is a tighter fit, but now looks good. My car is only stage one, but once the 4x4 cooler was fitted i had to turn the boost down a little...

 

Interesting - on a Saff it is a straight swap - perhaps because the Saff and 3 door air deflectors are a different shape?

 

You'll find you need to trim a little bit off the radiator flanges that the 4x4 cooler will bolt to as it is slightly wider as well as deeper.
Easy enough to do and a very worth while up grade for the cost that they can be picked up for.

 

yes mate pretty sure the air deflectors are different...

but all in all good, cheap mod.. and can be made to look original as my does..

 

excellent stuff thanks for all the replys dudes ill try get one sorted so , and do i need the 4x4 boost pipes or can i just cut my own to fit

 

You can cut them but you really need a template or you'll cut them too short and curse yourself for being tight, so you're as well getting 4x4 boost hoses too.

 

here,s a piccy , 4x4 ic, 2wd car

 

did my conversion at least a couple of years ago now, and fairly sure i used the 4x4 hose as i had them in stock so to speak...

good luck.

DD

 

At the risk of asking people to repeat themselves, may I ask for clarification:

I have a 2WD Sapphire running an Airtec 50 mm alloy radiator. Will the 4x4 intercooler fit without modification?

 

No, because the 4x4 intercooler doesn't quite fit between the upper fan shroud flanges. It's slightly wider, deeper, and taller than the 2wd intercooler.

Even on the standard Ford radiator, a small piece of metal needs to be removed from the flanges to allow the bigger 4x4 intercooler to fit.

I couldn't bring myself to cut into my Airtec rad, so I resorted to using the original 2wd cooler.

I drew this - it's not to scale or anything, but illustrates the issue:

 

brilliant stuff cheers lads!

 

That's very helpful. Thank you.

 

If fitting a 4wd cooler inn place of a 2wd one on a 2wd rad, cutting off the mount lug on the rad that doesn't line up, pretty sure it's the offside one and mounting it so it is 22" centre to centre with the other one means it will fit no probs, ther eis as said a slight height difference but the std bobbins fit and stretch to accomodate this as I did that myself.
tabetha