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Air to water intercooler

21K views 33 replies 12 participants last post by  midnightrider79 
#1 ·
Has anybody ever thought of or put an air to water system on their obs? I'm thinking about doin it as I have everything that I removed from the mustang.
 
#2 ·
This sounds interesting, been thinking about it, but hell I just got the concept on air to air, :thumb:
 
#3 ·
depending on use it would be sweet. uses are pulling, drag racing, dyno queen.

If it is a street driver, I would just do an air to air and call it a day.
 
#4 ·
What's the benefit of air to.water tho?, would that translate to even better egt's, the 6.7 has an air to water set up correct?
 
#5 ·
Air to water has a lot better heat transfer but to run it on the street, you would need to install a seperate radiator to cool the water for the ic which is just a big pita for a street driven truck if it is making south of 500 hp IMO.

Plus, I don't think I would want to mount an air to water ic in the front of my truck because it would block all the incoming air that needs to go through the radiator. In that case, you would need tp find an alternate mounting location for that (I have no idea in an OSB) then install the ic radiator up front. Then run plumbing and pumps and maybe a reservoir, which would total up to quite a bit more time and money for what I think isnt reasonable gains.
 
#6 ·
I'm not sure of it has an air to water or not. Haven't had the chance to nose around under the hood of one yet.

Oh, yes it would lower egt's more but for how long before the water is heated and not cooling as well I don't have an answer for that.
 
#10 ·
I just went on there My brain is turning.....
What if I were to buy one of the air to water coolers and plumbed the water into my coolent system (witch stays around 180*-200*), instead of mounting a whole new cooling radiator.
 
#11 ·
I like it, this is starting to get exciting
 
#12 ·
I think the water needs to be a little lower in temp.
I guess at this point I really don't know because my experience with air to water is guys at tracks that dump bags of ice in the reservoir to make it cold. 200 degree cooling water isnt gonna lower 200-250 degree intake temps.

Maybe these things run higher intake temps than I know about.
 
#13 ·
it seems like that the "ambient" temp of the radiator at 200* would still be cooler than the EGT's therfore on a long ride it would be working great by movement and not by standing still aka dyno, but at the same time could work for the worse and cause coolant and or intake temp to rise dramaticaly, kause the radiator is not only trying to cool the engine it's self, but also the air charge coming into to the motor after the turbo, this whole thing is very interesting, i would like to hear more ideas and or bashings, whats the downfall here btw?
 
#14 ·
I know I see air to air ic's that get the charge temp back down to "ambient" temps.
If the cooling water temp is 200 degrees, that is all the lower the charge temp will be.
i would think to have a bigger benifit over an a to a, the cooling water temp should be around 70 degrees or less.

Liquid can remove heat move efficiently than air. Heat travels through tighter molecules quicker than loose molecules. The problem is, when the cooling liquid temp isn't much less than what you are trying to cool, there isn't as much heat exchange. An a to w ic is absolutely awesome until the cooling liquid gets heat soaked and warms up. Then you really start loosing the efficiency of it.

I'm not against air to water ic's, I just don't see the use for them on a street driven, low horsepower vehicle.

Also, it is easier to install an air to air than an air to water because of the complexity of the air to water system.
an air to air only has 2 connections that are also present on an air to water but the water ic also has all the water plumbing, rad, and pump.
 
#15 ·
but with all you have said, if cooling 1400* to "200" is easier and faster with an A to W cooler, than said cooler would be very beneficial over and A to A, heat soak is a factor but only at idle it seems, but while cruising on the high way towing, sounds pretty beneficial imho
 
#17 ·
Ummm.....intake temps are not going to be 1400°.
An ic cools the intake charge which creates more oxygen per cubic foot. This allows the fuel to burn more efficiently and creates less exhaust temps.

Intake temps from the turbo heating the air (that I have seen in other applications) run from 125-250°. Ideally you cool this charge back down to at least ambient temp and an iced down air to water will go below ambient temp until the ice is gone.
 
#16 ·
I think this idea is interesting, But I would never want water being anywhere near my inlet. I know Air to water intercoolers are tried and true, but it only takes one problem and bye bye motor.Air to air intercooler ruptures......boost leak. Air to water intercooler ruptures......30psi pressure washer shooting water into the motor.I am sure that this would be an issue that is not ever likely to happen, but I still would never risk it.

Just my humble opinion.
 
#18 ·
Although frowned upon these days a guy I know used freon sprayed onto the air/water exchanger to cool things down for speed runs. 1400 degrees air temperature where the heck did he get that number from, WOW, may want to consider that the aluminum intercooler and intake manifold has a melting point of around 1200 degrees.


Sent from my Autoguide iPad app
 
#27 ·
I've actually hit 1600* on my truck, but very short burst, but with the heat soak thing and science and molecules brought up, it does make more sense not to go this route, being as how ambient at times gets over 110* most places in the summer and freezing temp is often below that in the winter I can see and understand why this isn't such a hot idea, but, if you wanna refill you water every couple days or couple hours this would be awesome
 
#19 ·
I have really considered a water sprayer system to spray on the air to air ic if egt's get too high.

Subaru did this with their STI and it really helps and at the push of a button.

The water evaporating on the outside of the ic will cool the ic down which will draw more heat from the air charge. All that is needed is a hoop with small holes drilled in it, a pump (washer fluid), and a reservoir.
 
#20 ·
I'm wondering if you should use distilled water so you don't get a buildup of minerals on the exchanger.
 
#21 ·
Maybe.
i don't think anyone goes that far because it isn't a continuous thing like in the radiator.

I have also heard STI guys using windshield washer fluid because of the alcohol in it that evaporates quicker.
 
#22 ·
Use a high pressure pump like the Snow Performance one and a similar nozzle for maximum atomization and cooling effect. I think windshield washer fluid is a good choice.
 
#23 ·
Oh I doubt I do anything like this this year. Car broke so no reason to tow it to any tracks :doh:
But....maybe one of these guys might give it a go and see if it works! :thumb:
 
#24 ·
I think the washer fluid gets sprayed directly into the air intake to cool before it enters the motor, plus it raises the octane level, in gasoline anyway. There are kits made for intercoolers that spray Co2 across the fins to cool down faster but i have never met or read about it being used to know if it makes that much difference.
 
#26 ·
You can do this if an all out performance is in mind. Also, yes gassers do run it through the engine to increase octane and to cool the intake charge. It normally takes to place of an a-to-a ic. In the situation I am talking about, you would use it on the outside of the ic to help it be more efficient if you are climbing a steep grade and egt's are getting high. CO2 is used but a pita IMO due to solenoids, high pressure lines, and getting the bottle filled.

This is a cheap idea.
 
#28 ·
When we are talking about this stuff, the main temp we are concerned with is intake air temp (iat). This temp is ambient air which is compressed by the turbo which raises the temp (sometimes up to 300°) the ic, which ever one you have, is meant to cool this air hopefully back down to ambient. A a-to-w will get you lower but only as long as the water is cold. All this will affect the egt's which is the number you are throwing out here. Nobody is seeing 1600° iat's! Lol
 
#29 ·
I have seen 1600* egt's is what I was meaning, 1400* while very heavy towing kause I let off.
 
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