Question: DIY Turbo Intercoolers and Cone Air Filters?

[TurboKitty]

I need to make a pair of intercoolers and cone intake air filters for a twin turbo build, what are some ways to get realistic looking results without buying ready made ones? Or, to save time lol, does anyone sell any in resin (as a last resort)? I got some turbos from shucky, and I love 'em, I want something that will look just as good with those. I am using metal tubing for the turbos/intakes as well. Thanks for any tips and suggestions!

[Kris Morgan]

You can find the air filters here My linkMAD

[diymirage]

i use old radiators with a strip of styrene around it to make the intercoolers

for cone filters i use the little twisty connectors you use to connect electrical wires when installing celing lights (for instance)

just cut the top of to the right size and paint it

[seanyb505]

I plan on using this when the time comes: http://www.briansmodelcars.com/tutorials/tutorial/2

I like the wire nut as a cone filter. Maybe wrap it with some low thread count fabric to better simulate the texture?

[shucky]

Using that ribbed styrene for building an intercooler is also what I did before. Works really well. If you have a small miter box and the saw blades that go with them (like the xacto ones) you can make a pretty convincing air filter element using large styrene rod. Take a section of the round styrene (diameter of your choice) and place in the miter box. Now take a course toothed saw blade and slip it in your miter box in the center position (for making straight cuts). What you'll be doing here is placing the saw on the styrene rod and dragging the rod along the saw blade. This cuts "v" shaped grooves in the styrene rod. After your happy with a section, rotate the styrene and continue the process until you cut grooves in the rod all the way around. Now slice a section of the rod off in the length of the air filter element your application requires. You can make a simple cap for the filter using misc. styrene and also a hose coupling on the other end using a small section of aluminum tubing. For the filter, you can then paint and detail it however you wish. I'm at work otherwise I'd post a couple ref. pics for ya. Hope that helps!

[shucky]

Thanks Dave I mainly started experimenting because I wasn't very pleased with kit and after market air filters. Here are some pics of the process I described above. You dont need to use the miter box but it does help keep the lines your cutting into the rod straight. The example piece is kinda small in diameter but this was only for demonstration. Also, the other styrene type is just some misc. pieces I had laying around but you can easily see how some styrene bits can be mocked up into a convincing air filter. The one where the rod is pulled along the saw blade works and is fairly convincing, but my "go to" filter <my preference> is the one made up of styrene rod, with styrene top and bottom caps (punched from flat sheet styrene), and an aluminum section at the base which is the part that slips onto your intake tube or directly onto the turbo. The pics (I hope) will help explain this.

Here is whats needed:

Pulling or dragging the rod of your diameter choice along the saw blade:

The result trimmed from the original rod:

You can see you basically cut small teeth or pleats into the rod. A top and bottom cap (round disc) + some detail painting and you have a very convincing open element air filter.

Here my top and bottom caps are not the correct diameter, I just grabbed some on my desk but I think you get the idea. The mock up filter on the right is what I'll talk about next.

The "mesh" and misc:

Edited November 2, 2010 by shucky

[shucky]

These are the filters I've been using lately. Styrene or aluminum tube or rod (your choice), top and bottom cap, aluminum tubing base, and added aluminum mesh for the filter screen.

Turbo VW 1.8T :

Open element filter on GT500 :

You can see what I used on these, a mix of aluminum and styrene along with the mesh (railroad aisle). On the right are the intake tube, aluminum "filter" body, aluminum "filter" coupling, styrene top and bottom filter caps:

You can see the filter mocked in this pic (upper right):

In this pic, the filter is nearly done. The "coupling" on the bottom is aluminum (painted black) with a strip of BMF to act as a hose clamp. Since I was detailing the inside of the filter as well, as some open element units have an open cap and air venturi inside I replicated that detail by using a "silver beading cone" from Hobby Lobby (beading aisle) which was cut down to fit inside of the "filter body." The trim ring is punched from .005 aluminum and gets placed on the top "cap" which was styrene (painted black).

Hope some of this helps! Any questions feel free to ask.

Edited November 2, 2010 by shucky

[TurboKitty]

Mike you need to sell those as a kit, seriously. I could try to duplicate it but you do very clean work! I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to bend all the tubes needed for the turbo and intercooler piping, I have hollow aluminum tubing for that, but I also have solid rod too. I keep trying to sketch out a way to route everything as realistically as I can, while also trying to duplicate detail but I have a December deadline with not much time to sit down and dive in lately. This is also my first turbo build, I want to do it very well. I really appreciate the tips & how to's, I think I have everything I need to make one as a test and see how it turns out

[ian ashton]

Is that a sneak peak at a future super charger you'll be selling? I like it!

[shucky]

Ian, supercharger is in the works (2 sizes) but no sneak peek here

Michelle, as Mr. Dave (Double D) suggested, for the turbo (intercooler) piping use larger diameter solder. It is MUCH easier to work with, cut, and bend then aluminum tubing. It polishes up just as nice (or better) also using an old T shirt. For hose couplings (connections between piping) use aluminum tubing painted to your color choice that is sized to slip over the solder piping.

A few tips on solder: Roll out few inch sections (like bread dough LOL) on a wooden cutting board. This straightens it out. From there you can form your bends with your fingers. Careful bending can yield smooth bends w/out any crimping. If you have a difficult bend your working with, say a bend that needs to be at the end of the piping, it may be too hard to bend just the tip of the solder with your fingers. Make your bend more towards the center of the solder and trim the excess off after the bend. You can roll straight sections of solder under a new xacto blade on a cutting board to flat cut it. Or, if you need to trim a curved or bent piece of solder, snip it with some cutters and then use a metal file to sand the cut edge flat/clean again. Doing this helps your intercooler piping slip easily in and out of your aluminum tubing hose connections for test fitting/assembly.

Remember intercooler piping is made up of sections of pipe, not a continuous single pipe. These breaks/connections in the piping make it easier to create these sections in scale and assemble them as well. Look at some pics of installed turbo systems for inspiration and how the piping is routed + connected.

Sorry for so many words! Lol ... hope I could help some.

Edited November 3, 2010 by shucky

[Bill Edman]

The caps on the filter were those purchased or made?

[Mooneyzs]

Mike... those are some awesome air cleaners and they look great. Keep up the great work. Love seeing new tips and tricks like this.

[shucky]

The caps are made using styrene sheet and a circle template. The aluminum trim ring on top of the cap was punched using thin aluminum sheet and micro mark hole punch. Thanks for the kind words folks.

[Erik Smith]

These are the filters I've been using lately. Styrene or aluminum tube or rod (your choice), top and bottom cap, aluminum tubing base, and added aluminum mesh for the filter screen.

So simple yet so effective - I can just see shaking dust out of that filter! Thanks for posting this.

[RobH]

i use old radiators with a strip of styrene around it to make the intercoolers

for cone filters i use the little twisty connectors you use to connect electrical wires when installing celing lights (for instance)

just cut the top of to the right size and paint it

gunna try that!

[Devilsnake98]

Shucky, all of that looks amazing. I was wondering how you attach all the pieces together, ca glue? Or what else? Also how do I go about ordering some turbos and prochargers from you? They also look amazing and I'm really wanting to build a turbo pro street car? Anything helps, thanks.

[shucky]

Ryan hi, I'm a big fan of using Devcon 5 minute epoxy. It's super strong and doesn't ever fog metal, chrome, or painted parts. I've found myself using it a great deal during my builds and use it almost exclusively on highly detailed or intricate parts.

[george 53]

Mike, have you tryied the super glue for GLASS? it doesn't fog! Don't know how it works but it does! been useing it for awhile now, and it REALLY works!

[shucky]

Hi George! Yes I've used Devcon Epoxy on windshields, headlight lenses, etc (anything clear) it works wonderfully. I've made lenses with it by over filling dashboard gauges and letting it air dry in a horizontal position. Can you tell I really like epoxy? Lol...