Thread: Intercooler clearance issue! Cut the hood or take out spacers?

I'm running a custom intercooler core. It is 1.75" tall. I was running a SS intercooler prior with no hood clearance issues. So the fact of the matter is I'm sitting 3/4" too tall now for my hood to close. So I have two options:

1) Cut the hood, I currently have an SD Hood, but to be honest I don't even know if it will be enough clearance...........

2) Take out my Vinnie Spacers and hope I don't get any vibrations from my SSC springs

3) Get a new hood....... (ouch)


Does anyone have a stock hood with a full sized intercooler?

I would start with taking out the spacers and see where that gets ya. You need to figure it is something you can reinstall, where as the hole in your hood is not an easy fix.

u running a full or half set of spacers? if your running a full set take half out an try that

Right now I'm running a full set. I'm going to try and take half out next weekend and see where I stand.................urgggh

I have done a few full size IC installs on cars with the SD hood and GenV M90 and with stock mounts and 1/4" cradle spacers there was minor rubbing and ended up grinding part of the supercharger housing for clearnace. One of the cars is a good local friend that I have done a lot of work on over the years and we have played and played with it fighting the annoying vibration under heavy throttle, he also has lowering springs and the cradle spacers made it worse. Shortened dog bones werent much help even drilling holes to pull the engine up in a few different positions so the stockers went back on. You can put modeling clay on the supercharger in a few spots and then gently press down on the hood to leave impressions. I milled down the top of the supercharger housing a little where the plastic vacuum tree for the brake booster mounts on top as that was hitting the hood and on the front side of the supercharger where the nose bolts to the housing I had to grind a bit off there. I think the ZZP core is either 2 or 2.25" tall IIRC so being that you are 1.75" you should be better off. Also- the 97 boost bypass valve actuator vacuum line ports come out in a different location and can also hit the hood, not sure what year you have or at least for the actuator but check this also, hope this helps a little.

Thanks for the advise Trannyman, you are THE MAN. I can't even count how many times you've helped me out in the past!!!

As far as some of your tips go:

I have a 98,

I'm going to try the clay this week and see where I'm hitting.

And to give you an idea, the hood will close all the way down to the first latch, the blower actually hits the hood a little before the first latch engages, then the weight of the hood lets the hood hit the first latch. The second locking latch is impossible to get though, so I'm not really sure how much clearance I need for that extra amount of space. Maybe 1/2" ??????

Either way, I'm going to hit the clay up, and take out half of my vinnie spacers. That will drop the engine down 3/8". We'll see what happens.

Cradle spacers