Intercooler screen

I put this in the Basic Maintenance section because I figure once you finish the project, you'll want to remove and shake the bugs, etc. from your new screen about every time you check your oil. Originally, I had wanted to use a frame and common household screening to do this, but upon looking at the screening, it looked very restrictive of airflow. I had made screens for WRX's before and wanted to do one for this car- as you can see, there's some junk accumulated on the intercooler after only about 1300 miles: [img]http://premium.uploadit.org/cultofthejedi/intercoolerscreen1.jpg[/img] I didn't want the mesh to be visible from the outside of the car- that look got traded in with my WRX. So attaching it to the hoodscoop itself was out of the question. I thought about attaching something to the bottom of the hoodscoop, but figured it would fall off every time I opened the hood: [img]http://premium.uploadit.org/cultofthejedi/intercoolerscreen2.jpg[/img] I found some "gutter guard" at Home Depot, but it was too small to completely cover the intercooler- this was the biggest size they had- more on what I did about that later on. The first thing I did was take a piece of newspaper and make a template with a magic marker of what the rough size of the intercooler is: [img]http://premium.uploadit.org/cultofthejedi/intercoolerscreen3.jpg[/img] I then carefully cut out two section of the gutter guard material and zip tied them together tightly so there were no gaps that rocks, etc. could get through. Be really careful if you've never used this stuff before- it's sheets of aluminum and when you cut it, the edges are razor sharp. [img]http://premium.uploadit.org/cultofthejedi/intercoolerscreen4.jpg[/img] As you can see in this picture, there is plenty of strength to the screen once you attach the zip ties and no gaps either: [img]http://premium.uploadit.org/cultofthejedi/intercoolerscreen5.jpg[/img] I used a bit of door edge molding to finish the screen off and protect my hands when I need to remove it: [img]http://premium.uploadit.org/cultofthejedi/intercoolerscreen8.jpg[/img] Here it is installed- it'll lay down flat after a while- the heating and cooling of the engine will make the aluminum "spread out" and lay flat after a few miles of driving. I think it looks pretty good- matches the mesh in the engine cover almost exactly, too. [img]http://premium.uploadit.org/cultofthejedi/intercoolerscreen6.jpg[/img] From the outside, with the hood closed, you really can just barely see the mesh, so no worries about the boy racer look- you have to look pretty close to see it: [img]http://premium.uploadit.org/cultofthejedi/intercoolerscreen7.jpg[/img] And obviously from a distance, you can't see it at all: [img]http://premium.uploadit.org/cultofthejedi/intercoolerscreen9.jpg[/img]

Hmmm...great DIY looks like something very useful to avoid ruining the Intercooler every time you have to remove leaves and such.

Hey that's really good man! You know how to use those hands. :wink: :wink:

eh... you could just get one of the crap-tastic battery power vacuums.... Should be good enough to clean it out. I'd be concerned that will rattle.

No rattles. The bottom of the hood scoop holds it firmly in place. Bugs really aren't what I'm worried about- it's rocks. I've had dented fins on my WRX intercooler from rocks and found this to be a cheap, easy mod. And on this car, the mesh matches the engine cover mesh very nicely.

OK, so I just checked my screen and all is well- it's catching debris and is not rattling. Only problem is the heat from the engine is making the glue that holds the door trim to the screen very soft and actually making it not stick anymore.

Unsure what u could use in that case to bond it better. U might have to use some type of heat resistant cement glue. Go talk to a body repairer and find out what they use inside the engine bay. Just a suggestion Adam.

Looks like some thing you could market as a JDM hi po accessory and sell for --say $220.00!!! What the hell for some screen for the grill like this they are asking $300 to $400. All in the marketing.

Hehehehe- I'm trying to find a larger piece of screen somewhere- it'd be better than having to zip tie the two halves together.

[size=2]Funny, I used that exact same gutter guard from the Home De(s)pot to make a custom grill for my wife's Accent.[/size]

Hey Jedi....What's up with the bug deflector on the front....if it's deflecting bugs and rocks off the windshield, it's deflecting air over your scoop.

There are two you can buy: one for turbo cars and one for N/A.

Jedi, I bought that same gutter guard from home creepo to make a screen for my 'rex, but it came in a large sheet from the store, about 3 feet by 5 feet. I had to look all over the building material section because no salesperson knew what I was talking about, but it's there if ya look.

I think i need to do this after seein these [url]http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=611702&highlight=bird+intercooler[/url] [url]http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=642537&highlight=bird+intercooler[/url]

[quote name='rad rex']Jedi, I bought that same gutter guard from home creepo to make a screen for my 'rex, but it came in a large sheet from the store, about 3 feet by 5 feet. I had to look all over the building material section because no salesperson knew what I was talking about, but it's there if ya look.[/QUOTE] Rea-he-he-ally. Thanks for the headsup- it's been bothering me that it's in two sections :)

[quote name='jedimaster']Rea-he-he-ally. Thanks for the headsup- it's been bothering me that it's in two sections :)[/QUOTE] There is a large one on the back door i was thinking of picking one up at the meet tomorow, Home Cheepo is right accross the street, and maybe a glue used for heating purposes will work.

shit man, i'd but one from you, if it was the same quality as those first pics, $20 no doubt

[QUOTE=Rexmobbin']shit man, i'd but one from you, if it was the same quality as those first pics, $20 no doubt[/QUOTE] I'd have to make it look a hell of a lot better than it does before I'd consider giving them away. Thanks for the compliment though :)

All my friends have always just cut out window screen stuff that wasn't tight weaved and put it in the grooves in the intercooler to catch the small stuff. Works great, go to the track pull off the screen and put some dry ice on it, always looks new at car shows. I don't like the wrx screens in the scoop, cause what little it does restrict always drives me nuts if i was racing it rather know I have it all. Plus I like the dark look where it seems to go in forever and not some flashy screen in the scoop.

What if you just covered it with a piece of plexiglass? That'd protect it.... /me looks around. What? ;)

[quote name='jedimaster']OK, so I just checked my screen and all is well- it's catching debris and is not rattling. Only problem is the heat from the engine is making the glue that holds the door trim to the screen very soft and actually making it not stick anymore.[/QUOTE] [font='Times New Roman']Are you still flying without the door trim or have you found a solution? [/font]

I used some trim and emblem adhesive to hold the trim on and it's fine now- the heat doesn't even make it gooey.

Same thing happened to me. WRX not LGT. Two sparrows flew out of the bush one made it didn't see where the other one went until we got to where we were going. "A bird in the intercooler is worth two in the bush."(sorry no pics)

[quote name='bdisco']Same thing happened to me. WRX not LGT. Two sparrows flew out of the bush one made it didn't see where the other one went until we got to where we were going. "A bird in the intercooler is worth two in the bush."(sorry no pics)[/QUOTE] You need to get yourself an intercooler sprayer with some marinate in it...Cook your dinner on the drive home from work. :D

Manifold destiny? :lol: