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View Full Version : Water To Air Intercooler Setup...


Mahonroy
03-06-2007, 04:45 PM
Hey guys,
Haven't been posting much as I'v been real busy lately, but did have a question.

I have my engine and tranny completely re-built now and am ready to drop it back into the engine bay, and now lately I have been thinking about intercooling.

Originally I was planning on running a front mount with the new bumper, but now I am thinking I may just leave that idea and attempt a water to air, so was wanting to lay out my idea, and get some input from you guys.

Basically I was considering ordering something like this:

Ebay Link (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LIQUID-INTERCOOLER-ASSEMBLY-AIR-WATER_W0QQitemZ270096100105QQihZ017QQcategoryZ3374 2QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

This can be placed pretty much anywhere in the engine bay as its pretty small, probably in the vecinity of where the stock airbox use to be, or right to the right side of the head of the engine, so the charge piping can go right from the turbo to the water intercooler, then to the throttle body.

Next, I was going to make a little water resivor container that will bolt up near the drivers side strut tower.

For the actual cooling device, can I use something like this?:

Ebay Link (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Transmission-Oil-Cooler-20-000-GVW_W0QQitemZ200084215110QQihZ010QQcategoryZ46104Q QrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Its a transmission oil cooler, but should be the same thing for a water cooler right? And this can just be bolted right infront of the radiator, or down in the fender well or something.

As for the actual water pump, I am unsure which one to use, I need to select one that flows enough, any ideas?

What I was planning on doing was wiring everything up so that when the car keys turn on, and the engine is started, the water pump turns on and constantly will pump water until the engine is turned off (though, there will be a resistor of some sort, so the pump will be in the low setting). I will also have a boost sensative switch so that as soon as there is possative boost pressure, the switch will then activate the pump to the high setting (basically bypassing the resistor). Still figuring out a good circuit so that after boost drops, the pump will still stay in high setting for like 30 seconds or so before going back down to the low setting. I can also put a temperature activated switch for if the water temperature gets too high it will go in the high setting until the temperature drops back down beneith the threashold. Could also rig something up to where the water cooler would go in the fender area, and there could be a temperature activated fan or something sitting behind it...

What do you guys think of this idea? Are there any draw backs to the water to air intercooler system? Because I was under the impression that a water to air intercooler system is far superior to a air to air intercooler system (e.g. they cool better, they take up no room compared to an air to air, can easily support a lot more power than an air to air, and the volume that the turbo needs to pressurize is less because of the small amount of charge pipes).

So yeah what I need to figure out is a pump to get, how much flow I need, and how big the water resivor needs to be, and how big the heat exchanger needs to be, though the one I shown above would work nicely I think.

I heard that the 150kW turbo Subaru Liberty (Legacy) RS for example uses a 4kW capacity heat exchanger, and that that heat exchanger also works quite effectively when power is increased to about 210kW. It also uses a rather small radiator, which is only 45 x 35 x 3cm. Also that there should be 2-3 litres of water in the heat exchanger at least to help absorb the temperature spikes.

Cypher
03-06-2007, 05:02 PM
personally, i'd just stick with an air-air. if they work for 1000+ whp cars like supras, mustangs, trans ams and other cars i think theres a reason they stick with them!

oh and when you reassembled the trans did you make sure that it went thro all the gears when you shifted it manually? i hope you checked it because it can be easy to mess a tiny thing up that can lock the trans.

jalmir
03-06-2007, 05:05 PM
I don't know if it's a good idea, but the oil cooler will work, even if it's quite basic it'll work.

Maybe that if you can find an A/C or fridge evap it'll work better, something like that :

A/C Evap. (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/A-C-Evaporater-AC-98-04-Audi-A6-evap-core-quattro_W0QQitemZ260086131967QQihZ016QQcategoryZ33 547QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem#ebayphoto hosting)

For the water pump don't know any that will work at 12v and support that kind of heat ... the 12v pump I know of comes from computer watercooling where temp rarely go above 50 celcius ...

like this one :

Watercooling 12v pump (http://cgi.ebay.com/Danger-Den-D4-12V-DC-watercooling-pump_W0QQitemZ330094560800QQihZ014QQcategoryZ80150 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

And for the circuit I can't help either, hope someone will shime in and give you better hints than mines! lolll

Anyway good luck with that project

Mahonroy
03-06-2007, 05:47 PM
Thanks for the replies! Yeah the transmission is perfect, and I checked absolutely everything on it during the resemble and afterwards.

xxxmonoxidechil
03-06-2007, 06:43 PM
ok, the trucks i work on came from the factory with a air to water set up stock that was built by garret. usually we do upgrade them to a front mount because the air to water get heat soaked very fast and become inefficient.

there more for track use or short runs then actual daily use driving.

id recommend just running a basic air to air set up.

only1db
03-06-2007, 07:18 PM
i would stick with air to air...water to air is if there is ABSOLUTELY no room for an air to air...kinda a last resort deal...

but you obviously came up with a good piping scheme..i say keep it..

Mahonroy
03-06-2007, 08:09 PM
So whats with the heat soaked issue, what causes it, what is it, and how do you prevent it?

The main thing why it would be nice is so that I don't have to install my zefiro front bumper to get good air flow over the IC (granted I would install the entire thing, not just the bumper), but I could keep the car stock looking was all I was thinking, it seemed like a better idea also than keeping my intercooler where its at (its good for now of course, I just thought it would be better is all with the water/air)

dmdicks
03-07-2007, 10:15 AM
You should talk with John. We've got our prototype air to water setup for the Elantra just sitting in the shop begging for someone to use it!!

only1db
03-07-2007, 02:22 PM
the heatsoad comes from the turbo and the just the underhood temps...i mean if you could sheild the intercooler and have a hood scoop...that would probably work...but like i said you have already put the work into it...if anything just relocate the FMIC a little to match up with the kit...besides the bottom half of that kit begs for an intercooler.

Mahonroy
03-08-2007, 08:01 PM
Would still like to discuss the water to air intercooler though, lol, all I'v heard is people telling me not to do it. I want to discuss the idea, not shoot it down.

Cypher
03-08-2007, 10:52 PM
well what do you want to know?

toymachine566
03-08-2007, 11:16 PM
^^^LOL

maybe you could go with an intercooler spraying setup instead, that BMS offers :)

Cypher
03-09-2007, 07:13 AM
nitrous! have a shot and nitrous and purge to the I/C :D

slow 2K2GT
03-09-2007, 08:19 AM
I like the simple and effective route for cooling so I wouldnt go with the W~A IC, I hate extra work!

only1db
03-09-2007, 09:37 AM
essentially all it is a box filled with fluid that the air will pass through...are you going to cast a box or even weld one with all the passages in it??

what abou the one that alpine said they were working on...

i just remember maxium boost stating that althought its a better r oute then no intercooling...an air to air is best...and since you already have one...why not use it??

i guess my question is why change?? what prompted the idea?