Well I was wondering who here is using an air to water intercooler on the RX7? What is your feedback. Thanks.

 

I also was wondering why there aren't more RX-7's using them. They are comman on lots of other cars, especially cars without a good place to mount an IC or where you don't want to block air flow to the radiator (*cough* RX-7 *cough*). It's a fairly simple system with nice short IC piping usually.

 

Can one of you guys explain this type of set up or point me in the direct of where to get info on it. Are you guys talking about water sprayers that spray water onto the intercooler for better cooling or something else?

Thanks Gun

 

Air-Water intercooler.
Basically an intercooler core surrounded by a jacket. Coolant flows around/thru the core of the intercooler and cools it off. The coolant is cooled by a separate (and pretty small) radiator, pumped with an aditional water pump which needs to be added.

Pros:
- less piping = less lag
- more efficient cooling (colder air)
- doesn't block rad's air flow

Cons:
- more weight
- more money
- more complex
- not as good for long duration hard driving (ie: track racing)

 

No instead of the intercooler being cooled by air passing through it it is cooled by water. THe water is cooled by a radiator type heat exchanger in the front of the car. THe water cools it to some extent. For short bursts the air/water is better. For long durations the water cant keep up as well as an air to air and can heat soak more. But if You have some ice cold water in the air/water one can get BELOW ambient temps for the intake under full boost. Me LIKES.

 

sorry coolidge looks like you beat me to the punch, ANYWAYS anybody using one.

 

I know there is a guy making 450rwhp in his FC with his stock IC converted over to Air-Water... I can't really think of the guys name, but im sure someone on the forum has a picture of the car. The nicest thing about his setup is the piping is still super short.
He used a honda radiator out of the junkyard i think for the IC radiator, and he used an electric pump to move the water.

 

Brian D Cain put down 425rwhp (500HP at the flywheel) with the stock top mount i/c encased in a water jacket. i was toying with the idea of conveting my two stock mount intercoolers to water to air but i got such a good deal on my FMIC i couldn't be bothered playing around with them, i will however at some stage run water to air intercooling on something i own in the future

 

Air/water is awsome for drag use. You can pack the damn thing with ice and cool the hell out of it. But I wouldnt' put it on a street car. You're gonna start heating your air after a bit of street driving.