Forced Induction Superchargers | Turbochargers | Intercoolers

Huge intercooler needed?

Old Sep 28, 2016 | 01:21 PM
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Default Huge intercooler needed?

I have a 1970 Chevelle w/ LQ4. Installing a turbo system, hoping to make 500-700RWHP.

I can fit a 3" deep intercooler behind the grill, but I can only get one that is 20" long (not the most common used 31" full size length).

This means I could only fit the intercooler that is 18"x12x3" w/ 2.5" in/outlets.

Is the power I want unobtainable with this intercooler size?

The specs on the 18x12x3 intercooler say:
Compress Air Flow Rate: <150Cubic Feet/Min, Rated to 350 Max HP
highlights Working Pressure: 5~50PSI
highlights Pressure Drop:2~5psi@35psi; 0.2~0.5psi@15psi
highlights Hot Air Temperature: 32°F~302°F (0°C~150°C)
highlights Material: 100% Aluminum, Tube and Fin Design, Polished
highlights Construction: Machine Cut and Stamped, Hand Welded

I see that the max hp is 350, but all of the full size intercoolers than are getting people over 800RWHP say "Rated to 400 max HP". So I'm curious as to what ya'll think

Last edited by TXjeepTJ; Sep 28, 2016 at 02:01 PM.
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Old Sep 28, 2016 | 02:19 PM
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Core width on a horizontal flow intercooler doesn't effect flow much, mainly cooling capacity.
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Old Sep 28, 2016 | 02:34 PM
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I would highly recommend a Garrett core. They are going to cost more but you get what you pay for. Just get a core and have somebody build the tanks.

This is a core available through Garrett:

Part Number: 703518-6004
Hot Flow Length (in): 18
No Flow Height (in): 12.1
Cold Flow Width (in): 3
Core Weight (lbs.): 15.6
*Horsepower: 750
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Old Sep 28, 2016 | 03:05 PM
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500-700whp is a pretty wide spread! Lol. I’d say it would work fine for 500whp. Not so much 700whp. What fuel?

Have you looked in to running an A2W setup? Cheapish core, small, and work as well as the cheapie china A2A cores without ice. Thats the route I’d go if I were space limited.
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Old Sep 28, 2016 | 03:29 PM
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Not that familiar with A-bodies, but could you horizontally/belly mount the larger IC? I did this on my TBSS and see 10*F over ambient with a scoop and ~30*F without. There is a lot of unused space down there. Or try doing split/dual ICs.
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Old Sep 28, 2016 | 03:58 PM
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You mention 20" long...and then 31" ?

Just how much room do you actually have ?

As Only says...just buy a Garrett core and make up end tanks to suit your needs.
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Old Sep 28, 2016 | 04:28 PM
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I agree buy a better core or go A2W. You can get into A2W for cheap. My core was $80 and it had handled 1100whp cars easily.
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Old Sep 28, 2016 | 05:26 PM
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20" of room on a 70 Chevelle?
I've swapped 2 of those in the last couple of months. I'm pretty sure that the 32" wide and 4" thick intercooler in my Nova would fit that Chevelle far easier.

Move the radiator in
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Old Sep 29, 2016 | 07:23 AM
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Originally Posted by JoeNova
20" of room on a 70 Chevelle?
I've swapped 2 of those in the last couple of months. I'm pretty sure that the 32" wide and 4" thick intercooler in my Nova would fit that Chevelle far easier.

Move the radiator in
I installed vintage air on mine, which put the drier on the front passengerside of the condenser. I would just move the radiator/condenser assembly towards the engine, but the condenser/drier are connected to everything using hard lines which have absolutely no play..

So the drier is preventing me from installing the full size intercooler

Would rather stay away from A2W intercooler, as this is a street car

Last edited by TXjeepTJ; Sep 29, 2016 at 07:55 AM.
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Old Sep 29, 2016 | 07:31 AM
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Lots of OEMs use A2W based intercoolers with a heat exchanger, including GM.
You could possibly use 2 smaller intercoolers. This is how Procharger has handled their fitment constraints in the past.
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Old Sep 29, 2016 | 09:44 AM
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Get one of these. Cheap and easy to fit. Will more than handle your power needs without ice. And really perform with ice.

http://www.frozenboost.com/air_water...e17c333a6127cc
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Old Sep 29, 2016 | 02:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Forcefed86
Get one of these. Cheap and easy to fit. Will more than handle your power needs without ice. And really perform with ice.

http://www.frozenboost.com/air_water...e17c333a6127cc


Don't buy frozen boost. The eBay coolers are literally the exact same thing manufacturered in the same place with the same PN's stamped on the side.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/UNIVERSAL-ALUMINUM-16-x12-5X4-5-BAR-PLATE-FRONT-MOUNT-WATER-TO-AIR-INTERCOOLER-/180843067761?hash=item2a1b163971%3Ag%3AqKQAAOSwd0BV28vv&_trkparms=pageci%253Ae0ec9f9d-8678-11e6-9296-74dbd180b9db%257Cparentrq%253A775e24431570a60cca2643f5fffd595c%257Ciid%253A28
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Old Sep 30, 2016 | 03:16 PM
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Don't you still need a heat exchanger mounted in the front to keep the water from getting heat soaked without ice?
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Old Sep 30, 2016 | 03:18 PM
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I’ve never ran one personally, but generally not from what I hear. Use a boost switch to only activate the pump while in boost. Unless you are road coarse racing for long durations it’s usually not needed.
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Old Sep 30, 2016 | 03:44 PM
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Originally Posted by rpturbo
Don't you still need a heat exchanger mounted in the front to keep the water from getting heat soaked without ice?
Depends what you're using it for.

For a car that sees more than a few seconds of hard usage every now and then, yes there should be a water radiator up front to cool the water, same as any OEM's would do, same as a Maggie type blower would have etc etc.

Make this as big as you can that way it adds water capacity, and should keep that water as cool as possible for as long as possible.

Of course the system also needs a core to cool the charge air that also has the same abilities to remove heat from the charge air. Whether some of those small units can really do that or not I've no idea.

Really...if you can just do A2A, it is the easiest and often most efficient method and certainly it will be maintenance free. Water just adds complication, although it can help packaging sometimes if you really are pushed for space.

But for drag cars, I guess they avoid water rads etc by carrying around tons of ice instead lol so can get away with just a small tank.
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Old Sep 30, 2016 | 08:13 PM
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Since the car has A/C, one benefit to running A2W is you will have the option of running an Active Interchiller type setup that uses your A/C system to cool your intercooler water. I see no need to run a heat exchanger, as when you are out of boost, the ambient temp air will be cooling the water as it passes through the intercooler.

Mike
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Old Sep 30, 2016 | 09:42 PM
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The small coolers work very well.. I bought one and tried it out. 1 gallon reservoir or 5 it doesn't matter. The water will heat up to 100* quicker than **** in the summer even with normal driving. I use to have my pump on a switch like FF86 suggested and that would keep the water temps decent but a few pulls and it would get uncomfortable to stick my hand in the tank and that was a 5 gallon Reservoir. If you street race the car often than yes you should buy a heat exchanger.. Just make sure you have a valve on it though. While at the track you want to be able to bypass it. Also the exchanger doesn't have to sit up front. You can always remote mount it with a shroud and fan if you don't have the space.
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Old Oct 7, 2016 | 05:45 PM
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If I were to go air to water, I would have to use one with an inlet/outlet like this:



As I would have to mount it behind my front bumper. What size should I go for?

I'm guessing this would be better than running the small air to air intercooler I posted in my original post?
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Old Oct 7, 2016 | 07:31 PM
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You could run that and a afco heat exchanger for a gt500 w/ fans . It would be close to my set up. With my whipple 2.9 , my temps are 25-30 over ambient. It's small and you could mount it down low. Canton sells a 2 gal res that fits in battery location. Maybe you could mount it under the hood somewhere. You could also have a custom air to air made to go around the dryer
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Old Oct 7, 2016 | 09:26 PM
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I just mounted a pt-1000 in front of the driver's side wheel well on my 65'. If you want a picture for ideas pm me. I don't have picture posting rights yet. It's an s400 mounted on a pass. side log with a truck intake.
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