Intercooler

[Grootseun]

Unkredible

Total cost was about R3000 as i did al the labour myself ,

I already have a boost gauge fitted so i just placed a tpiece inline and teed a pipe of to the MAP sensor and mounted that to a new bracket

[Grant]

Sounds interesting,


Front cooler has turbo lag but cools more efficiently. Top mounted has less lag, but not the same efficiency. Sounds like the beginning of a good debate. Lets start.

[Grootseun]

Grant

Efficiency versus Turbo Lag - jip thats a serious debate in certain corners

In my opinion id prefer not to have lag as im pretty certian i can do a few more things to make it efficient

Heres my list of done and to be done mods for the intercooler

1 - Fitted a bigger intercooler not just in surface area but also in internal cooling design is it more efficient than the OE one
2 - Fit a fan underneath the intercooler to aid in heat soak prevention ( not done yet )
3 - Converted all the metal hoses to silicone that also helped in the heat soak department
4 - Played around with the sizes of the hoses in an attempt to create an venturi effect to aid even more in air speed ( i think it works but might be proven wrong )
5 - Need to insulate the exhaust and turbo side even better to remove more underhood heat ( but thinking if removing the CAT and going free flow , this will remove a lot of heat also as CATs get real hot , only need to sort out VNT spool up before i do this mod )
6 - Temporarily enlarged the bonnet scoop flow area but need to get a higher scoop design so that i can catch more airflow across the intercooler

So for now that my debate , lets discuss the alternatives

A few more out ideas im toying with at present
1- Water spray across the intercooler , known to be very efficient system
2 - CO2 spray across the intercooler combined with a CO2 cooling bulb that you fit in your air intake so you cool the air goign into the turbo as well as cool the air in the intercooler
3 - Water Metahnol injection system - this not only cools the air and combustion temps but also boosts the HP a lot

[Grant]

Great,


My list is to remove and clean the cooler. Remove the spots from the bumper that have become ornaments. Will keep you updated on other mods.

Thanks for the input.

[Grootseun]

Will see if i can get the under cooler electric fan and the waterspray sorted before the dyno day then we can try to run a test without it and with it to see if this really does make a difference and how much difference

[Grootseun]

Fitted the intercooler fan today , couldnt go underneath the cooler like the original plan was but fits fine on top , havent done any real testing of it yet and also busy setting up the water spray but pictures and write will follow , trying to get it all in before the dyno day so that we can do a proper test and see if it actually makes any differnce

[ChristoSlang]

Ek het ook 'n top-mounted fan op my intercooler - ons kan die toets uitbrei sodat ons die effek daarvan op twee enjins kan toets

[Unkredible]

Hi Grootseun,
I am keen to upgrade my IC, would like to see your installation some time / chat about the details / complexity...

[Grootseun]

Unkredible , anytime mate , let me know when youre in the area or how you wanna do this and ill tell you all there is to know about the mod so far , will have dyno test results saturday

[Grant]

I would like to start up this thread again. See comment below from the nett.

For turbocharged vehicles, intercoolers are an essential component that increase power and improve overall performance. While it may seem like mounting position would make a minimal difference in performance, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Each layout, whether it be the horizontal, top mount format found in cars like the Subaru WRX, or the V Mount, vertical front mount setup found on vehicles like the Lancer Evolution, has strengths and weaknesses best suited for different types of use. For best performance, it is important to understand these specific characteristics so you can know how best to apply them to your vehicle.

Top Mount Intercoolers

Top mount intercoolers found on vehicles such as the Subaru WRX have one critical weakness; they tend to be highly prone to heat soak. A vehicle’s engine produces a lot of heat and this heat rises, accumulating in the intercooler when the vehicle is moving at slow speeds or stopped in traffic. This heat soak heats airflow as it passes through the intercooler, vastly reducing cooling efficiency until outside airflow can remove this excess heat.

Top mount intercoolers are not without their benefits however. Because of their placement and close proximity to the engine, intercooler piping can often times be shorter than it would be in a front mount placement. Because it is not blocking airflow to the radiator, engine cooling is generally better than with a front mount setup. This shorter intercooler piping means faster turbo response and less potential Turbo Lag, which can pay big dividends when using a larger turbo or when installed on a track car.

Front Mount Intercoolers

Front mount intercoolers tend to be less susceptible to heat soak due to their placement in the front of the vehicle, and because of the abundant airflow, tend to offer far better cooling efficiency in slower traffic or normal driving. The problem with this placement however, is the toll it takes on other components in your vehicle. Because of the placement of the hot intercooler in front of both your AC condenser and Radiator, cooling performance of these devices can be greatly reduced, causing an increased chance of engine overheating. In addition to cooling problems, this front mount set up can often allow overly large intercoolers to be installed. Not only does this place substantial weight at the front of the vehicle where it can negatively impact handling, but overly large intercoolers can cause noticeable lag, as the additional space must be pressurized before the air can make its way to the engine.

In addition, because of the placement of the intercooler, longer intercooler piping is generally required, resulting in even further dulled throttle response. Front mount placement tends to be best for drag racing, though it can work equally well for normal driving and track days if restraint is exercised when deciding on intercooler size.

Regardless of your intercooler’s mounting position, there will be trade offs and benefits. It should be noted that many vehicles cannot use a top mount setup due to hood clearance and engine height. It is because of this that front mount placement is generally the most common option and easiest to install.