Is there any reason I can't take a smaller sized air to air intercooler (6 or 7 inches high x 24 inches long x 2.5 or 3 inches thick) and convert it to water for a Radix system? If so I can likely get the perfect size for my available installation area at the best price (about half of a custom ordered unit). I think a smaller one like the size mentioned above would have decent water flow across the whole exchanger.

Any thoughts and opinions on this?

Thanks!

Cory

 

how would you keep the water in it? And cool it? You would have to weld up the fins with a plate and figure out a way to make the water flow through it effiently(sp). If you could make the water flow L7L7L7 it might work. Of course the inlet side would get the cool water first. The problem I see is the size you want it in.

 

I would be using it as a small "radiator" to cool the water from the Radix heat exchanger (located in the intake manifold). With the size range that I can fit in the truck (maximum of 7x24x3) I figure one of these air to air coolers might work if I cut off the 2 1/2 inch inlets and get a 1/2" npt fitting welded on each end so I can flow water through it. I just wonder if I can get good coolant flow through all the tubes? Most air to air exchangers in that small size have a center inlet and outlet so it looks like it would work.

Anyone else?

 

So I must be the first person to ever consider this... I find that hard to believe.

 

i've got an ic bout 24" long and 8" hi if you wanting to go for it for sale

 

I would be very interested but 7.5 inches tall is the absolute limit that will fit in the small *** H2 grille. As it is I will have to cut a couple of small supports and remove the trans cooler brackets to fit. It's looking like I'll give my idea a try. It's got to do better than what I have- IAT's run at 50 degrees above ambient just cruising around.

 

I've heard of people doing this. Most of the time they reverse the flow direction between and the ambient side and the charged side. Meaning, they make the original ambient flow into the charged, and make the original charged side into the fluid flow.

Your intercooler sounds large enough to where you could probably do it the way you intended, keeping the same charged path and fabbing a tank around the ambient side. With that much coolant, it's going to be quite heavy though.

Mike

 

I must not be explaining clearly enough because everyone seems to think I am going to make a water jacket for an air to air intercooler. That is not the case.

What I am thinking about doing is taking a normal air to air intercooler and running water THROUGH it... I will run water on the INSIDE where the air used to go. Then air flowing across the OUTSIDE will cool the water flowing on the inside. I will convert an air to air intercooler to function as a radiator style heat exchanger. That is exactly what I need.

I have a Magnacharger RADIX. This kit has a small heat exchanger that just isn't big enough for my plan. I can't find an off the shelf heatexchanger with the right dimensions and a custom built one is in the $400 range. To convert an air to air to my application is a lot less money and hassle.

 

I mis-understood your question.

Try it and find out. I don't see why it wouldn't work though.

You can't find a large enough trans cooler? You could just run more than one in series? Seems like it would be far less hassle IMO.

Mike

 

It's for the Radix... not the transmission.

 

Funny....

OK, I thought I knew how this intercooling system worked on the Radix, but apparently I don't know a sc from a transmission lol....

This is how I thought it worked:
The air/water intercooler is mounted close, or under the sc unit?. It needs cold water to effectivley remove heat from the charged side of the air/water unit. You need a larger, more effective way to remove the heat from the water, correct? So what is wrong with using a large trans cooler (or multiple coolers in series) for accomplishing this task. Vortech uses that same system in their aftercoolers. The trans cooler is nothing more than a heat exchanger, which is what you want, right? Or am I missing something here?

If this isn't how the Radix system works, please explain, because my brain is starting to hurt.

Mike

 

I've already tried a "transmission cooler" used as a secondary heat exchanger for the Radix. Didn't help much at all. It needs something much bigger.

You've got the theory right in your post, Mike. I guess I misunderstood your previous post mentioning the transmission.

 

what about looking through the heater core book at the local parts place? There must be something that would be about the right size, Something out of a 55' Mack truck

 

go find a large AC evaporator core. That will work great for what you are trying to do.


Steve

 

Here is what I did on my Silverado SS. I don't know how the frame and air holes work out on the H2, but this worked well for my setup.





This is an heat exchanger upgrade that was made for the Lightning. with a bit of work, it just barely fit between the frame rails on my truck. I added the electric fans, and they are great. Lets me cool down at the stop light, and be ready for another full throttle blast when the light turns green . I think the heat exchanger was about $450, from JDM, but I understand they do not make it anymore.


Read this article. It is for Ford Lightnings, but the concepts are portable to your Radix, and it is possible one of the heat exchangers mentions may fit your application
http://www.timskelton.com/lightning/...ntercooler.htm

Keep in mind that upgrading your heat exchanger will not cure hot weather. I have my intercooler lines wired up with temperature senders, and find the outlet from the supercharger runs about 7-10 degrees above the ambient air temp when cursing. On a hot day, under boost, the outlet temp can soar to 120-130. Unfortunately, I did not have the temperature senders setup on the stock heat exchanger, so I don't have a point of comparison. The best thing about the larger heat exchanger is the ability to cool things down quicker. I remember that with the stock exchanger, it would take 10-15 min of cursing to cool down from a full throttle blast on a hot day. Now it takes just a couple minutes. I also setup a jumper wire so I can turn on the coolant pump and electric fans, when the engine is off. This is great for cooling things down while waiting in line at the drag strip. Makes me wish I could do that with the engine coolant too