So I'm running a Greddy 2-core air-air right now but I think it's going to start becoming a big restriction soon, if it hasn't already. I'm broke as hell, so I was thinking about buying a cheapo 2-core intercooler on ebay and making a thick-*** 4-core unit.

My other option is to make a water-air intercooler. I would probably just run the IC to a reservoir without a heat exchanger. Probably rig up some sort of CO2 cooling system for when the water heats up and I still need cooling for a pass or two (Shut off the pump and purge a few ounces through the IC before the run).

For those that run or have run a water to air intercooler, is it worth the hassle? How long would a 3-5 gallon reservoir packed with ice last? (I'm too tired to do any enthalpy calcs right now) Is there anyplace that sells cheap barrel-style cores or is PWR the only manufacturer of that style?

This is for maybe 650-700whp at the most right now...

 

I run a water to air using a Garrett core off a Syclone then lines up to an aftercooler with a Harbor Freight pump. I dont use a big reservior to fill with ice water since this is primarily a street car and the aftercooler in the front wheel well does very well on the street. For a drag car I would do the reservoir filled with ice water and DEI boost cooler.

For big power, liquid to air or meth is the way to go. When you think about heat transfer being in a 120* room then going outside and its 60* and then jumping in a 60* pool. That water absorbs and transfers heat much more effectively.

This is all in the back of my 911 and I dont really have a good alternative for air to air. The turbo 930s have big air to air's and a whale tail but it covers the whole engine bay. The swap originally consisted of a stock tII top mount with a fan on top but the Garrett liquid core really drops ambient temps.

At the track, a 5 gallon reservoir filled with ice water might make 2 passes. My past experience with Mitsu's with them and that was with a PWR 8" barrell style. For what you are trying to do, it is definitely worth it. It really isnt much of a hassle.

I included a few pics. In the front you can see my harbor freight pump in the corner. Its cheap, has a lifetime warrenty and REALLY flows. My tII swap with this setup is making 333 whp with a streetport, haltech, 1000/1600ccs, and this IC setup with no problems at all.

Anyway I hope that helps. I say go for it.

 

Anyone ever cooled with dry ice? Or even better, liquid nitrogen? You can get LN2 for like $2 a liter if you have your own bottle, -195C intercooler temps anyone? I wonder what 150% intercooler efficiencies would do for power...

 

Liquid nitrogen, wouldn't that require a heavy duty system? I think those require high pressure to keep it liquid iirc.

EDIT: Apparently it would not work... but I have more thinking to do on this.

"Liquid nitrogen can easily be converted to the solid by placing it in a vacuum chamber pumped by a rotary vacuum pump.[2] Liquid nitrogen freezes at 63 K (−210 °C/−346 °F). Despite its reputation, liquid nitrogen's efficiency as a coolant is reduced by the fact that it boils immediately on contact with a warmer object, enveloping the object in insulating nitrogen gas. This effect is known as the Leidenfrost effect and applies to any liquid in contact with an object significantly hotter than its boiling point. More rapid cooling may be obtained by plunging an object into a slush of liquid and solid nitrogen, than into liquid nitrogen alone. That said, liquid nitrogen alone is sufficient for most applications."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_nitrogen

 

You won't want to use an ebay core. I can tell you that much. We had a car that hit a wall at about 450 whp with one of the popular ebay cores. Comparing notes with another local shop and they had come up with the same results on a completely different platform. Use a quality core. Even more so with the kind of power you should be able to wring from that thing.

 

check out bell intercoolers, they have pretty much any setup.

 

I would use a Bell intercooler, but they are very expensive. I've also been thinking about trying to find another 2-core Greddy intercooler to use instead of the ebay one, but that will set me back at least $200-300.

The liquid nitrogen could easily be transported in any decent quality Dewar flask (vented to outside the car of course!) and would not be required to kept under anything other than atmospheric pressure. As for the Leidenfrost effect, yes, it would reduce the cooling effect of the liquid nitrogen somewhat but it would still be VERY effective at cooling the core to at least -150C. The intercooler core would also have to be vented out the rear of car, as nitrogen expands almost 700 times its volume in liquid form as it heats to room temp and would probably cause a large power drop as the engine ingests it.

I think the biggest factor might be finding at what temperature the air starts to have a significant negative effect on fuel atomization.

 

Make a core from an air conditioner evaporator and plumb Co2 trough it. It's cheap, easy, and safe to store, and you can find it just about anywhere. You could even run it trough an expansion valve to make a bottle last longer.