Duramax Intercooler Install

[thor]

Here's a write up on how to install a duramax intercooler with very little carving to the truck and still get to keep A/C and doable in a weekend.

Now keep in mind that my batteries are in the box in the pictures because i thought they would of been in the way for the install and was done before hand but once done the install they could be put back up front with a few mods to the trays. I am gonna move one up for sure by the coolant tank because my air box is no longer needed with the intercooler.

So here we go with the good stuff.

LBZ Duramax intercooler and factory 6.5 Rad not the duramax one its way to tall. And its like they were made for each other gotta love GM

Now for the carnage, which isnt a whole lot considering when the intercooler and rad are together sitting on the floor and you look at it and measure scratch the head and say theres no way thats gonna fit and still close my hood and put back on my fan.

The pieces

Where they came from
Drivers side

Passenger Side

yeah something happend when i tried to preview the post and this is what i got from the auto save i will rewrite the rest tomorrow

 

[Jorge6.5]

Very cool! What year truck is the intercooler from, are all the LBZ intercoolers the same? Do you have the radiator mounted behind the intercooler?

Im looking forward to seeing more, thanks for sharing.

 

[DieselCash]

opcorn:

Thanks! Can't wait to see the rest.

 

[NVW]

Looks interesting.:thumbsup:

 

[thor]

the rest of the story or see how much i get done tonight. And i got some bad news today, for the 6.5 that is i'm selling it and buying the fatherinlaws duramax. I really need a 3/4 ton, half ton just doesn't cut it in my line of business. so if you want more pics ask soon.

so i my last picture i cut up the top rad mount cradle and rubber for the new bottom rad mount and the intercooler has the pins that hold the rubber circle washer cut off and is just sitting on the bottom of the rad support with a piece of 1/8 rubber under it.

This is the best part rad and inter cooler installed

Small cuts in the top of the rad support

Top view with fan clutch clearance and the only thing i noticed with it being so close is that on hot days the clutch is engaged when first starting and driving the truck for the first few mins

Hood closed pic

How much it sticks up

I had taken my a/c out when i had bought the truck so i had this bracket

And cut it up for these

and they went here

and here

And that's all i got in me tonight. And that was the easy part the next part was the hard part with this stuff

 

[NVW]

How much did it lower your EGT's?

 

[thor]

I believe LLY and LBZ intercoolers are the same. LB7 are diffferent on one side. And couldn't tell you on the newer ones.

I would say it lowered my EGTs by 200* when towing didn't do much to the driving empty maybe 50*

But got to work will finish up the thread tonight with some vids and some more pics

Heres a shot of my AIT thats the biggest inprovement

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

LB& and LLY intercoolers from 01-05 are all the same. They use the aluminum ends on both sides. The 06+ LBZ and LMM intercoolers use the same sized core, but they have the plastic end tank on the cold side(passenger side is the cold side in a DURAMAX). The plastic side was to allow them to put a quick connect on it for easier hookup with the intake grid heater they used on the 06+ trucks.

 

[thor]

Thanks on the comfirmation on the intercooler Thefermanator.

So heres what i made with that pipe

This is the cold pipe

And the hot pipe

Heres the cold pipe install

For the hot pipe i clocked the turbo as far down as i could and it was way easier that the cold one

For the fan shroud i had to cut the first ring off the back of it or closest to the motor you could say
Don't mind the ruff cut i made a new one just no pics of it

And also had to cut around the lower rad hose and the the power steering lines

And heres what i did at the top on my second fan shroud

Also with my truck being a 96 i had to get a washer jug out of a older truck cause mine was under the batt.
And with so mods with the batt trays they could both go back up in front but i have moved my fuel filter to the drivers side for easy clean up on filter changes and my air box on the passenger side takes up the whole spot and dont want to move it cause i've never had a pmd problem since i've built it.

 

[thor]

Heres a video of before the intercooler was installed i was also hauling a pretty good load of timbers on a 16 foot flat deck.

It was +23*C out and the 73* AIT was the average running temp then i clicked on my water meth injection running just water at 4 GPH

 

[NVW]

Pretty respectable EGT's and IAT's. Nice install as well.

 

[thor]

Thanks on the install. Once i remember how i got that video off of my blackberry got a couple more for ya with the intercooler installed and hauling twice the load and about 10* hotter out, its not the best video buy a guy gets the just of it.

 

[thor]

Alright got them switched to laptop and there we go

heres a video with my 14 foot v-nose cargo trailer attached full of tools and scaffold and i mean full to the top with garbage aswell and off to the next job. and it was hot out that day 27*c 36* something with the humidex and heading down a secondary hwy thats why the videos a little ruff


Heres a 0-150 km/h run aswell. It was about 24* out that night and theres was no way i could do that without hitting over 1100 before on the egts and 100* on the iat. Also i think i got a 11 second 0-60 run there, not to bad without a chip

 

[GJF]

Nice write up! I just picked up a good Duramax IC. Going to replace the little IC under the bumper. Question for you. On the plastic end tank that takes the factory quick connect. Did you just simply slip a silicone coupler over the inlet of the IC and clamp it with a T-Clamp?

 

[thor]

Thanks and yes that is all is did.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

For those looking to do this, heres an all aluminum 01-05 intercooler for $100+ shipping.

http://www.duramaxdiesels.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41053

 

[Chevy Diesel]

Subscribed :thumbsup:

 

[GJF]

Just FYI.....
The 04-05 does not clear the factory A/C lines stock location. I should fit if the pass through hole for the lines were elongated and carefully re-bent to clear the end tank.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Just FYI.....
The 04-05 does not clear the factory A/C lines stock location. I should fit if the pass through hole for the lines were elongated and carefully re-bent to clear the end tank.

A few cuts with a plasma cutter and slide the condenser over about 3 inches and the A/C lines pass through just fine. I'll try and get some pics of mine since I have it torn part way apart right now in the shop.

 

[GJF]

Thanks THEFERMANATOR,
I didn't even think about moving the condenser over! I plasma'd the opening for the lines already and made provisions for the lines with a new offset IC tank to replace the plastic one. Obviously your way was much easier, but I really didn't want the plastic tank LoL.