I've been toying with the idea of upgrading my intercooler. As such I have been researching and have seen threads covering Alta, GRS, & Forge. I came accross the GTT and was wondering if anyone was running this intercooler and had comments to share.

GTT 16 TUBE LARGE TOP MOUNT INTERCOOLER
As with all the GTT product line up we've really gone to town creating numerous improvements throughout.

CORE SIZE This is the largest Cooper S top mount intercooler yet; 16 tubes for the air to flow through ( OE has 11 ). These are also 20mm longer than OE giving an effective internal core capacity increase of 55%.To get 16 tubes in we have not sacrificed tube width either. GTT tubes are almost 8mm wide (virtually the same as stock). The finned sections are also 8mm wide. This combined with a special low lose tube design results in virtually no pressure drop across the intercooler, with unsurpassed reduction in charge air temperature.

END TANKS The GTT end tanks are just that! Tanks that allow the air to enter and exit all the tubes in as equal proportions as possible. We have not used a 'funnel principle' as the very short distance between the intercooler 'bullhorns' would not allow this to be achieved effectively without reducing the core length. A funnel would restrict much air flow from entering and exiting the rear most tubes of the intercooler, negating the benefits of having the larger core in the first place. If the space allowed us another six inches or so we would funnel. It doesn't! We have however incorporated a corner radius in the tank corners to ensure good flow around these areas.

OVAL CONNECTOR TUBES There are a nightmare for any manufacturer. The accuracy needed in reproducing the shape and size is absolutely essential if you are to achieve an intercooler that doesn't leak at the rubber bellow connectors. Any mismatch in profile to the clamps and it will leak! Probably not a lot, but to make matters worse you may not hear or notice anything, other than the car isn't very quick! GTT have invested thousands in the design and manufacturing of our oval inlet/outlet spouts which are CNC milled from solid billet. This is far more accurate than forming or unmachined sand castings. For those not familiar, we start with a complex computer programme generated from measuring the inside and outside profiles on the end of the 'bullhorns', effectively machining the entire alloy away until we are just left with an oval ring. That's the bit we weld to the endtanks. We do all this twice for every intercooler we make! Another advantage of this method of manufacture, is the immense rigidity it achieves, far greater than possible with any type of forming. This ensures it cannot deform when fully clamped together, causing air leakage.

CORE POSITION IN SCOOP Look through the scoop and you will see that the top face of the GTT intercooler sits flush with the lower edge of the scoop. Any higher and the air flow will be seriously reduced. Again we have not sacrificed core height to achieve this .The tubes are still 50mm high! You will NOT need to cut the threaded OE intercooler mounting posts off either.

FINISH Finally the GTT intercoolers are pressure leak tested and hand mirror polished/satinised.

GTT DIFFUSER (Included FREE with our 16 tube intercooler) The diffuser features a 3 section bolted GTT anodised alloy 'air dam' around the intercooler perimeter. This utilizes the full scoop width, channeling exactly to the GTT core width. Each section of the dam is contoured exactly to the curves of the bonnet underside, it is not flat! A nitrile rubber trim then seals between the two. In essence the only way out for the incoming air is through the intercooler core. For neat appearance our design allows the original black scoop deflector/liner on the bonnet underside to be retained.

£399+vat (intercooler & diffuser)

 

Check on MINI2. Many cars there running GTT. Roland will ship to US.

 

Looks EXACTLY like my V1 Alta TMIC

 

Yah and about the same size as the GRS. Although with the GRS I do not know the specs like you listed for this one. How is it really different? Any idea of stats side by side? Seeing that this one about the same price as the Alta is it any different?

Considering the size difference of my GRS and the fact that the Air diverter fits so well, is this just a Alta TMIC?

 

NO, this is THE largest IC out there. 55% larger than stock internally. Alta is 40%.

GTT is well respected in UK ... sells 260 BHP kits.

 

I'll be the stickler since I already spent the money on a GRS :-)

Ok so we have a % size difference but anyone have a other number to say its better? Temp differences?

 

Really? Visually, it looks identical. Do you have measurements? I'll measure mine when I get home. Height x width x depth

 

see http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=104771 post#10

Just email Roland and ask, I'm sure he will tell you

 

Hold on to your hats...there's some big news coming regarding a great new intercooler from somewhere on this planet

 

WOW, do you SUCK!!! tease

 

Wow...my first hate mail

 

Come on Sid. Let the cat out of the bag. I hope it fits your new scoop that you designed. A lot of people won't be happy with you.

 

Yes...this new intercooler will take advange of our RIP's greater flow capacity

 

im running the Gtt intercooler .. so far one i can say vs the Forge intercooler. is that after the same run. My Gtt was cool to the touch when we finished and his was still warm even after we let it sit for 15 mins. Im currently running 19% pulley with 2% crank.. he was running only the 15% pulley

 

does it stick up at all in the scoop? they say no.
diverter work well?
looks well built.

 

thanks - i did find more info. all very positive and some nice pics of the diverter.

 

Both GTT and GRS are very highly regarded in Europe. Here's a MINI2 thread with some detail: http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...ler+comparison

Look at posts #11 and #12.

I suggest you contact Roland at GTT directly. Since he's not a NAM vendor, I doubt he can get on this board and really explain his product.

 

Few minor things on the mounting of the IC.. Yes it sit at the same lvl as the stock IC with the scoop. but a slight mod has to be made to both the intake and the plastic top part (the one that connected to the hood) for proper fitting. also mods to the clamps and SC horn. On mine i remove the Plastic part altogether and made my own. for improved flow. Also since there is no mounting bolts to secure the IC. I would suggest using after market couplers instead of the bellow style that is used for the stock IC. I had the trouble of it moving to the right and popping off at first. The Quick fix for this was to place a hose clamp inbetween the two stock clamps to keep it from compressing. I'll see what i can do to get a few shots of the ic and the troble areas. Since i was one of the first ones Roland sent over to US .. mine didnt come with instructions and i had to figure some out on my own. along with a short email back to roland.

I should be replacing the Bellow style couplers this week end (i hope) and can take a few shots of the changes and mods needed.

 

PLEASE DO

 

First off i want to say i sux at taking pix with this 50.00 cam that i got for my birthday. didnt know until after i was done you could change the fix focus for close-up shots so some came out fuzzy Here we go

on My car with the recent Mooneyes hubs on 15" steelies

i updated the intercooler boots with ones from MiniMania. in doing so i took two shots of the intercooler one just from above level with top of the hood looking down into the scoop

and one from bottom of the scoop looking into and slightly up


next shot shows the quick fixed i did to keep the larger Bellow style coupler from compressing and popping off the smaller one on the other end


this shot shows how the Intercooler sits down into the intake to allow it to sit flush with the bottom of the scoop


After removing the intercooler this shot shows the plate supplied by GTT to space the Coil farther back to allow the longer intercoole to be fitted

Also was inform to leave the back mounts from the orignial IC off. This was to allow the use of the orignal black plastic insert. which still needed to be modded to fix correctly. By removing the hard Plastic and keeping the back mounts it allow for a better angle and air flow for the IC as per the shot from bottom scoop level.

in this next one it shows the 4 spot i needed to dremel smooth and where the IC or clamps were touching the intake


bit more of a close up on the area that needed to be dremeled itself (sorry for the fuzy and lens flair


Dremeling the one in the lower part of the pix is very important if you don't flaten out that bump this will happen to the IC


I did pressure cleck the IC and have no leaks. also I modded the clamps them selves by cutting the ends 1/16th per Rolands suggestion and ferral the Horn ends. to help with the pop off problem. That was before my Quick fix for the problem and the new Non-compressable couplers



oops just noticed i have taken a shot of the completed job .. going to do that now.. and show the final shot. will edit and add when im done with it

edit::
the IC back in.. getting new rubber seals for IC and Intake


hmm can anyone guess what that vaulve is for

But i hope this helps some about the GTT intercooler

 

appreciate the pics and all the info.

My thoughts -

Interesting that "any work" at all needs to be done considering the price tag of this IC unit. I thought you referenced that you got one of the early ones? I wonder if they have addressed these little problems. The sliding to the right thing. I've never heard anyone make this comment and wonder if its unique to GTT?

The unit is lovely looking and the biggest one out there but I'm wondering if perhaps I should just go with the Alta. I'm under the impression that it just "pops in".

So would you buy it again or would you consider a different one if you had to do it all over?

 

Don't know if he has addressed the PoP off problem with the IC it self. The Alta and GRS one's have mounting tabs that use the stock bolt holes or another pinning technique to handle the slide problem. The Forged IC that i Saw and a pin tab since it sits on top of the mounts that stuck into the fins themselves showing possible wear and soon to be damage to that area. the guy who had it is looking for rubber stopper to put on it to minimize the damage.

I had the I/C shipped to me within a week when it first hit his website. So there has been several issue since that im sure Roland has addressed.

As for going to another I/C if i was to do it again. Hard to say. sure some look prettier (mine was non-pollished). and some had the mounting tabs so no pop off problem. But so far on the same run upon which i can only compare a GRS and a Forge I/C with GTT. The GTT was the coldest at the end of the run in comparison. That is also with me running more boost than the other two guys. (me with 19% pulley and them with 15%). So I would stick with the GTT since Cooling is what the I/C is all about.

Best Reguards
Mugami

 

Thanks - info I need to think about before deciding which one to go with.

I had eliminated the Forge previously, so its down to the Alta, GRS or GTT. I think the GTT is gorgeous polished or not.

 

The other question on the GTT I haven't seen the answer to anywhere is.. whats the pressure drop with the GTT.

 

Cant really answer that question since ive never taken Delta's and pressure reading before and after the I/C. Things of that nature, That i've seen Andy@rosstech have asked about in past posts. But I can say what the Pressure gauge said with the stock I/C (1.20 Lam) and with the GTT installed (1.19 Lam). I dont know if that answers your question or not xiangi