Detailed Instructions On How To Install
Dual SPAL Intercooler Fans On A
1993 MR2 Turbo, with AC
REMEMBER: What you do to your car, is what YOU do.
PLEASE: make sure that you read completely through these
instructions at least once before you start so that
you have a good idea of what needs to be done.
WARNING: you will be working with HOT 12V wiring, so you may
want to remove the NEG. terminal from the battery.
I will leave this up to your judgment.
Personally, I did not find it necessary, but I tend to
be overly carefull when working with hot circuits.
Others may or may not be, so this is your call.
Remember if you do remove the NEG battery terminal then
make sure that you have first removed your security code
from your stereo system.
NOTE: my testing has shown that the dual fan combination can
reduce the inlet air temp by as much as 40 degrees over
stock. This should make a fairly significant difference
in the amount of power your engine can produce, and also
help keep it from detonation.
TOOLS USED:
10mm socket 1/4 drive
12mm socket 3/8 drive
12mm socket 1/4 drive
14mm socket 3/8 drive
11mm deep socket 3/8 drive
1/4->3/8 drive adapter
3/8->1/4 drive adapter
right angled T-bar ratchet 3/8 drive
two 12mm long handled openend boxend wrench
6 inch #2 phillips screw driver
0-25ft/lb 3/8 drive torque wrench
various socket extensions use as needed
wire cutters
electrical tape
small 25 watt soldering iron
small amount of 60/40 resin core solder
xacto knife
dental pick, or some thin straight tool used to
straighten the fins on the intercooler
PARTS PURCHASED:
RacerWholesale: 1-800-886-7223 (USA, Georgia)
1020 Sun Valley Drive
Roswell, GA. 30076
7.5 inch Fan PN: SPA00358 $39.95
7.5 inch Fan PN: SPA00393 $39.95
Quick Mount Kit TRI-5005 $ 3.95
Local Schucks auto parts store:
3M Super Strong Automotive Attachment Tape Cat. No. 03609
(this is some really sticky double sided, dense foam tape)
$4.99 for a 5 ft roll.
Various tie wraps, mostly 7 inch, (black) nylon
NOTE: refer to my detailed instructions for installing the
single fan for specific information about how to tap
the key switchable power from the #2 fuse box.
PROCEEDURES:
NOTE: you will need to have the rear of the car jacked up, and up on
jack stands.
NOTE: I have a little wooden platform about 6 inches tall, that I stand
on when I have the rear of the car up on jack stands.
It helps in being able to reach into the engine bay, and the
plat form is very easy to make.
NOTE: I would highly suggest that you have your shop manuals at hand.
If you have the shop manuals then follow one of the sections that shows
how to remove the intercooler. I usually start by removing the intake
pipe that goes from the output of the intercooler over the the throttle
body input. If you have the stock hose clamps on then use a 10mm socket
and drive and remove the pipe and hoselet pieces from the intercooler and
from the throttle body intake. Also remove the hose that goes from
I believe #4 air pipe, (cast aluminum pipe) that comes off the output
of the turbo, and goes over to the input of the intercooler.
Next you can remove the cruise control, (provided you have one), I start by
removing the plastic covers and then remove the center piece, the
one with the cams and springs in it, and then pull the throttle plate
wide open and remove the cable end from the throttle body.
You will also need to remove the throttle cable from the center piece of
the cruise control, (the one with the cams in it), use two 12mm wrenches
and loosen the holding nuts on the cable end, then rotate the cam
and pull the cable end out of the cam. (this is always fun, trying to hold
the cam in place while at the same time trying to remove the cable end).
Make sure that when you loosen the two nuts, that you only continue to
turn one of them, that way the other is like a place holder. If you don't
and you move both of them very far from where they were, then you will
change the tension on the throttle cable, and you may have a fun time
getting it back the way it was. So only move one of the nuts to loosen
the cable enough to remove it.
After that is done, then you can set the center section of the cruise control
over on the top of the engine cover out of the way for now.
Also move the throttle cable over out of the way.
Once that is done, now we are getting down to the fun part. If you are
following the book then we should be just about at the part where you
will need to remove the AC idler pulley bracket, now for those without
AC, you are almost there.
The AC idler pulley bracket has to be removed because it sticks out into
the path you need to pull the intercooler out, and especially with both
fans on it.
NOTE: I did NOT have to remove the AC compressor as it shows in the
shop manual, I had plenty of room, well it was tight, but I still
had enough room to remove and replace the intercooler without
pulling the AC compressor.
The bolts on the AC idler I believe are 14mm, so remove them and then
pull the bracket off and set it aside for now.
The center bolt on the AC idler bracket is a lot of fun to remove.
But you should be able to do it with a combination like this.
I put together a 1/4 inch socket drive, a 12pt 1/4 drive 12mm socket
stuck on the end of a 1/4->3/8 adapter, and a 3/8->1/4 adapter.
The reason for this odd combination is that it is almost exactly
the right length to get at the center bolt for the idler pulley bracket.
Of course unless you have a really odd ball sized extension bar.
I then put this combination into a 11mm deep socket, the handle of the
1/4 drive is round, and fits really nice in a 11mm deep socket.
I then put an extension on the end of the 11mm deep socket.
This combination of the 1/4 drive is small enough to get into the tight
space, and at the same time allows you enough motion to loosen the
bolt, I then used the 3/8 drive right angle T-bar ratchet to remove
the center bolt on the idler pulley bracket.
Next you need to remove the heat shields, this will allow sufficient
room to turn the intercooler as it comes up and out. The heat shields
are held on by 10mm nuts. You will have to crawl under the car to get
the bottom nuts on the heat shields. The one up next to the #1 CAT
is fun to get, but not too hard.
You will also have to remove the oxygen sensor, and of course unplug
the connector, and also you will have to remove the dip stick from
the tube. (NOTE: not the tube, just the dip stick).
I put a clean rag over the dip stick tube, so as to keep anything
from falling into it.
Now you will need to remove the air line that goes up to the power
brakes. It runs from the side of the intake manifold, and over to the
side of the car, just under where the engine lid hinge is located.
There are three 10mm screws that hold it in place.
After removing the hose and metal line then you are just about ready
to pull the intercooler out.
You can approach this one of two ways, you can either loosen the top
bolts on the intercooler first, or you can loosen the bottom bolts.
Also make sure at this point that you disconnect the power source to
the fan before proceeding.
If you go for the bottom bolts first, then you will find the left one
as you are laying under the car looking up, the easiest, the right one
will be more of a challenge. You may want to remove and push aside
the parking brake cable, but I did not find it necessary to do so.
I used a right angle T-bar socket drive to remove the bolts, this
makes it fairly easy, as the right angled socket drive can fit
in this tight space, so you can turn the bolts out fairly quick.
The top bolts for the intercooler are very much easier, there are two
10mm bolts holding the bracket in place, and one 12mm bolt that holds
the bracket up on to the car frame. It may be a little difficult to
find, but feel around for it in the corner there, you will find it.
Now you can have some fun, easing the intercooler out but not before
you remove the bottom bracket. This can be done by pushing out the
bottom of the intercooler so it sets at a bit of an angle, and then
crawl back under the car and with a 10mm and a long extension,
remove the two bolts holding the bottom bracket in place.
This will allow the intercooler to get past the AC compressor
without having to remove it. If you don't have AC then you can just
pull the intercooler out at this point, without having to remove
the bottom bracket. :^)
Ease the intercooler out, taking care not to damage the fins. Try not
to bend them over, but you will usually bend some of them, so if you do
then you can take a dental pick, and push them back in place. This can
be a long procedure if you bend up a lot of them.
Once you have the intercooler out, then if you already have one fan on
there, you will need to cut the hold down ties off, and remove them.
You will not have enough room on the face of the intercooler to try and
mount the fans with two sets of mounting ties, it just won't work,
and will degrade the performance of the intercooler.
Now, you can check the intercooler for bent fins, and get them all
straight with the dental pick or some small thin piece of steel.
Now you are ready to mount the two fans. If you have AC, remember that
you will need to mount the fans as high up on the intercooler as you can
meaning that I consider the top of the intercooler (where the inlet and
outlet) air tubes are. Also on the inside fan, you will need, or
at least I did, need to cut away part of the fan shield so that the
AC idler pulley will have sufficient clearance.
NOTE: I had to use a pair of cutters and cut down the square ends of
the tie downs. This is so that they will set flat on the surface
of the fan hole. I did NOT use the extension pieces that come
in the fan kit. These are if you are going to mount the fan on
a much larger surface than we have on the intercooler. So you
will not need the mounting extension pieces.
I cut the tie down squares into somewhat of a small circle so
that they will set flat when they go down on the fan.
You can choose to use, or not use the foam rubber pads
I did not use them.
You will have to "eye-ball" just how much of the fan shield will have
to be cut away to get the idler pulley to fit.
Since the fan shield is a type of plastic, then it is fairly easy
to cut. You will wind up having to cut most of one rung completely
off in order for the idler pulley to fit, but it will, it might
rub just a touch, but should be OK. If it rubs just a little it will
wear down that area to fit while it is in use, but I cut my fan
guard so that none of it hit the pulley. Of course there isn't
much room between the pulley and the fan, maybe a 1/4 inch or so
but it is enough.
So now mount the two fans with the electric cords pointing up.
Use a new set of tie downs (kit you got from RacerWholesale) to tie
down both fans. Make sure you line them up correctly.
If you don't have AC on your car, then you can position the fans so that
they are evenly spaced and centered on the intercooler, and you would
not have to cut away any of the inside fan shield.
You will have to check and see if this is possible with the outside
fan, it may be that there is not sufficient room to position the fan
lower, so check it first before you set the tie downs in place.
Once you have the fans mounted correctly you are now ready to install
the intercooler back into car. Remember you will have to put on the
bottom bracket AFTER the intercooler is back in the car.
NOTE: you will also need to remove the idler pulley from the
idler bracket, inorder to be able to reinstall the bracket
and have sufficient room to get the bracket past the intercooler
fan.
Carefully put the intercooler back into the car, it will take a little
time, but take your time, and ease it back into position, and try not
to mash in any of the fins.
Once it is back in place then you will need to first reinstall the
idler pulley bracket, you can move the intercooler over into place
or a little more over, so that you will have room to put the idler pulley
bracket. If you don't have AC then you can proceed to install the brackets
on the intercooler and tighten them down, or of course better yet
if you don't have AC then you can put the brackets on the intercooler
first and then set it in the car, as there should be sufficient room
without the AC compressor there.
NOTE: a trick to getting the fan belt back on at this point is make sure
that you have the idler pulley all the way down when you try to
put the fan belt back on, this will give you sufficient room to
squeeze it by the fan.
The idler pulley bracket will have to be positioned with out the pulley
attached, because there is not sufficient room to put the bracket in place
when the intercooler is on. The most difficult bolt on the bracket is the
center bottom one, this presents a bit of a challenge. Unless you have
very small hands, or know someone that does, then the one way I have
positioned the bolt is to us a magnetic wand, and balance the bolt on the
end of the magnet, and put it in place. Make sure that you have not
tightened the other two bolts yet, or it could be very difficult
to get the bracket to line up so that the bolt will slide into the hole.
Once the bolt is in position, then I used a right angled T-bar socket
driver with a combination of two adapters, 3/8->1/4 and 1/4->3/8 and then
the 12mm socket. This allows the right extension length, unless you have
a very small 1/4 drive or 3/8 drive extension shaft.
To torque the bolt down, I then used the above combination of adapters on
the end of a 1/4 drive ratchet, with the handle in a 11mm long socket
attached to a 12 inch 3/8 drive extension shaft. I was not able to get
a regular torque wrench on the bolt so I used my calibrated wrist to
torque the bolt down. You may also want to use some locktite on that bolt
but the choice is yours, I had no problem with it comming loose.
As for the other two bolts that hold the bracket in place, then torque them
down to the book spec. Each of the three bolts has a different torque.
I believe that the very long one that also holds part of the AC compressor
is 18 ft/lbs, the somewhat shorter one that goes into the head is
20 ft/lbs, and the short one that goes in the front is 27 ft/lbs but
always look them up in the shop manuals that you are suppose to have.
Now it is fun putting on the idler pulley, again if you have some one with
very small hands you will be able to get it on and put the spacer and nut
on OK, but if you have large hands it is going to be more difficult.
Try it from the bottom and from the top, for some it may be easier from the
top rather than from the bottom. I had my beautiful assistant (wife)
with her very small hands put on both the idler pulley and the spacer and
nut. It took a little doing, but with me helping from the top of the
engine bay, we were able to get them on OK. Make sure you put plenty of
locktite on the nut when you put it on so that it will not come off like
mine did.
After you successfully put the idler pulley on then make sure that it is
all the way to the bottom of its adjustment so that there will be enough
room to slip the belt on past the fan. If you don't have AC then skip this
part.
You can now finish installing the intercooler, you may want to cut a small
relief notch for the outside fan wire so that it will not be cut or damaged
by the intercooler pushing up against the shrowd. This can easily be done
with an exacto knife.
Then position the intercooler, with the bottom bracket now in place and
tightened down, and crawl under the car and start the two bolts that
attach the bottom bracket to the frame of the car. The right bolt will be
the most fun of the two, but I found that I could use the right angled
T-bar socket drive to tighten both bolts rather quickly.
Now after having torqued down the two bottom intercooler bracket bolts then
move up top side and put on the top bracket and tighten it down in place.
Remember there are two smaller bolts that attach the bracket to the
intercooler, and one larger bolt that attaches the bracket to the frame
of the car up under where the engine lid hinge is located. Feel around
you'll find it.
Now also check that the wires for both fans are out, and not bound up
on something.
Now you can start to put the rest of the things, the accelerator cable
the cruise control (I assume you have one).
NOTE: make sure before you put the accelerator cable back in place that
you first put on the air tube that supplies manifold vacuum to the
brakes on first, otherwise you will have to take the cable back off
and snake it under the brake supply air tube.
There are three small bolts 10mm, that hold the air supply tube in place.
Attach it and slide the rubber hoses and then the clamps back in place.
Now put the cruise control in place and bolt it down. I chose to leave off
the middle screw on the cruise control center cam bracket, this one is very
hard to put back in place unless you have a screw starter or something like
that. If you do even then you would have to use a mirror, and a good light
in order to see where it goes, unless you are good at feeling around for
it. The two side bolts, I find, are more than sufficient to hold the
center piece of the cruise control bracket in place.
After that you are just about done, finish putting on the intercooler air
inlet and outlet tubing, and the oxygen sensor, and put the dip stick back
in its place, and you should be just about done.
Check your work, make sure that you didn't leave anything off, or forget a
bolt or two.
Now as for hooking up the electrical wiring, most will probably have to do
it like this. Chose one of the fans and hook it up to the stock connector
where the stock fan was powered. I just cut off the connector, stripped
back the wires about a 1/4 inch or so, and then cut the connector off the
SPAL fan, and stripped back those wires, and soldered them, making sure that
which ever one you choose to hook up, is being powered in the proper
direction. You may want to test it before finally soldering the wires and
taping them with some electrical tape.
Now as for the second fan, you will probably have to power it off a key
source. I would NOT try to power both fans off one source, this would NOT
be a good idea as the stock fusing would most likely blow as it is fused
at 7.5 amps I believe, and with both fans in place, they together would pull
11 amps running, and a lot more on startup.
Refer to my detailed instructions on installing the single fan and you can
follow some of the setup I did in there.
There is a key switchable source in the #2 fuse box, you can run through
a relay and fuse, and then over to the second fan, but please, make sure
that you fuse the line, DO NOT tap into the #2 fuse box with an unfused
wire, and run it over to the fan, always put a fuse somewhere, where it is
easy to access, if it needs to be changed out.
Also you will want to cut off the stock temp sensor for the fan control.
This is that funny looking thing that is stuck in the middle of the
engine lid. You can as I did, cut the entire length of the wire, and the
gray outer wire wrap, or you can cut the sensor off the end of the wire
and wrap the wire around something, and leave it. Make sure if you do this
that you check the ends of the wire that they are not touching. You may
want to tape them off.
Either way you need to cut the sensor off the end of the wire or the fan
will not come on until the engine compartment temp is at or about 144
degrees. THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT. Cutting the sensor off the end of the
wire will force the fan control to turn the fan on as soon as you start
the car. THIS IS GOOD, because the fans are trying to keep the intercooler
from heat soaking.
Some that live in areas where the weather is not quite as mild as it is
here in Oregon, then may wish to install some type of switch or temp control
on their fans for operation during the winter months, but here in Oregon
I have not found that to be necessary.
--
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+ +++ N E C +++ +++ A M E R I C A +++ +
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+ Marc L. Summers System Administrator +
+ 3100 N.E. Shute Road Hillsboro Oregon 97124 +
+ PH: 1-503-681-3338 FAX: 1-503-681-3304 +
+ Email: marcs@tdd.hbo.nec.com +
+ ---------- Sic transit gloria mundi. ------------ +
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