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PW verticooler

10K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  FredinsGarage 
#1 ·
#2 ·
Put mine on a few weeks back. It's a bit involved as far as the install goes, and a tight fit. If you have a aftermarket BPV you'll wanna check to make sure it will fit. Other than that I have nothing but good things to say about my verticooler. Even out here in the New Mexico summer heat it's still cool to the touch after some spirited driving. I was impressed with the quality of all parts, and my tuner said it was probably the best performing top mount he's ever seen.
 

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#4 ·
@pjkatz04, adding a bigger/more efficient intercooler will run fine without a tune but to get the most power out of a big intercooler you will want to tune. The most agressive timing on your Cobb OTS map will be less aggressive than a cold intake charge will allow.

Essentially you CAN be more aggressive with a bigger intercooler. You don't have to but you will make more power with a more aggressive tune.
@McBaine, hows the clearance between the verticooler and the firewall? That looks like there might not be a ton of space for the air to flow past the intercooler if it site so close to the AC lines on the firewall.
 
#7 ·
I wouldn't use a larger or other intercooler without tuning. It changes timing and fueling due to the lower charged air temps. That's exactly why I haven't installed mine yet. That pw verticooler is a goodun though!
 
#8 ·
Yeah, I love my Verticooler...been running it since April this year and I'm sure it contributed to my ~275hp. Pricey, though. Easy to install, just make sure you watch the main bolt on bottom for loosening after a couple months. I ended up loctiting it.
 
#11 ·
Brake level sensor

Just installed my verticooler but I couldn't figure out how to remove and relocate the brake level sensor. Can anyone tell me how they removed and relocated it? Did you use a special tool or did PW provide one to you?
I know this an old post but wish I had seen this before installing mine. Apparently they do have tool that helps remove the brake level sensor. They did not include it or mention it in the instructions. Found a video on youtube where a guy talks about it and had his vendor send him the tool, only to break the tool inside the hole while using it. The instructions state to grab the sensor with plug connected with pliers and just yank that badboy out (paraphrasing of course, and yes it's a bad boy, because if it was a good boy it would come out easier and it would also be a dog). Well it seemed too hard to pull like I was gonna break it (foreshadowing). I unplugged the sensor because I was afraid I was gonna smush the connector which would be difficult to replace. Glad I did! I had to yank so damn hard I broke the sensor housing in half, not from squeezing so hard with the pliers but from pulling so hard against the plastic nub (which I hadn't seen yet) on the housing meant to specifically prevent it from backing out. Well I pushed a small screw driver in careful not to touch the sensor and backed the rest of the senor housing and sensor out the other way. After removing the rest of the sensor housing and sensor I was dumbfounded that they recommended just yanking it out. The house broke clean around the nub. Luckily my sensor wasn't broken and I just super glued the sensor housing back together. I think it may be easier to unplug the sensor and push it through the slot to the drivers side (Left hand drive cars), or find a thin piece of metal and slide it over top the sensor housing from the drivers side to the passenger side (again Left hand drive car) so that it glides over the nub and prevents it from catching.
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#12 ·
Also want to point out your BPV choices may be limited due to clearance issues. My research showed basically anything bigger than stock won't fit. Fortunately there are options that do and if you are going for real big power you will likely get a FMIC instead.

"At this time we can only confirm Turbosmart Kompact, Cobb XLE and the OEM BOV for fitment."

"The OEM, Turbosmart Kompact, Cobb, and Go Fast Bits BOVs will work with this intercooler, although there is a only a few mm of clearance with the Cobb valve."
 
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