A Few More Quuestions

1.Are there any upgrades for the intercooler
for an 88 T/C.
2. Is there any place to buy 2 1\2 Y pipes
3. I have 77,000 miles on my car. The only
thing done so far is a K&N filter. When I'm making a performance run my boost guage climbs to the red area on the guage, about 18 psi and sometimes the "check turbo" lite comes on. I haven't had the buzzer go off yet. Is this something to be concerned about?
4. Does someone make a by-pass valve and do I really need one? Is this the same as a relief valve?

Thanks everyone for all of your help !

Jim,
There are all kinds of upgrades for the stock intercooler, from mounting a fan on the stock one to one of several varieties of front mounted intercoolers. There is the (obsolete) front mount Motorsports I/C that was made for the pre 87 TCs. Others use ICs from Volvos, Saabs, Grand Nationals ...... There are manufactures of aftermarket ICs, Spearco for example.
The factory boost gauge tend to be inaccurate and more so at the top of the range. The overboost buzzer is set to go off at 17.5 psi +/- 0.5 psi. An aftermarket boost gauge is a good idea
If you are using the stock IHI turbo, I would say that a bypass valve is not critical. It is basically a pressure relief valve. It won't hurt anything to put one in as long as you do it correctly.

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88 TC X 2, 86 SVO, Main TC with K&N, 3"DP to 2.5"duals through Dynamax, Ric valve at 17+ and disconnected KS.
Elite Bodega 16" chrome wheels. Autometer pod w/ A/F and Vac/boost gauges. New engine shortly, ported head and
manifolds, polished and cc'd chambers, RR, Crowler, ARP head studs, Walbro 190 pump and T-3 for starters. KB subs
and jack rails

[This message has been edited by Pete D (edited 05-10-2001).]

Just to add one thing to what Pete said, the buzzer and light are connected together, so when the CHECK TURBO light goes on, the buzzer should go on at the same time. Maybe your buzzer is broken or disconnected.

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Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 20 psi, forced air intercooler, water injection, bypass valve, Ranger roller cam, subframes, etc., etc.. // 86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP nitrous, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.... // 91 Escort: Bone stock winter car // 00 Windstar (wifes vehicle)

I have been checking eveywhich way there is on my 88TC and I have yet to find a way to put a front mount IC on it using the stock radiator without adding a mile of IC pipe... If you guys know of a way... lemme know!

me too methos. I've got this Saab 9000 intercooler in my garage that I still haven't found a place to mount. There's a large space between the radiator support and the nose of the car, but it'd be hard to snake the intercooler tubing to it, and there would be lots of bends. Guess I'm not much of an engineer lol



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'88 Thunderbird TC
misc. mods
'86 Mustang GT

Thats why I kept my stock IC (which is supposed to be a good IC except for its location right above the turbo and exhaust), and mounted a puller fan under it. The fan keeps it WAY cooler.

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Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 20 psi, forced air intercooler, water injection, bypass valve, Ranger roller cam, subframes, etc., etc.. // 86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP nitrous, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.... // 91 Escort: Bone stock winter car // 00 Windstar (wifes vehicle)

You can buy a 2 1/2inch y-pipe from muffler man or from napa or auto zone. You will have to order it and it will probaly cost any where from $50 to $100.

Quick question here guys, i was looking for the cause of a previous problem, and I was driving around with my Exhaust cut off after the downpipe, and I am wondering why my check turbo/ buzzer did not come on at about 20 psi (way past 18 on the stock gauge) I have an IHI turbo.

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88 TC Auto, 3" exhaust, with 3" flowmaster. with KN cone(5 days), gillis boost, Air water IC (comming soon) and a t5 swap,

I have devised a new plan on the IC's... First, I was told that you could get a radiator out of a super coupe and then use that to mount a Saab IC in front of it...
Seocond, I have decided to go away from the air to air system and get 2 air to water IC's made from the basic stock 87-88TC core... and then mount them in a tandem in that space between the motor and the radiator. Then use some heavy duty tranny coolers with some permacool 8" fans mounted on the water coolers and then have a cool can to pump it all through... but at the same time have just one in operation for daily driving, and then both and lots of ice for dragging...