intercooler restrictions
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Launching!
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: AUSTRALIA
intercooler restrictions I Have Built My New Combo Which Consists Of The Warhawk Block And Et Ls7 Heads Ls7 Intake And All The Best Parts. My Previous Engine Was 383 Ci Vortec Supercharged T Trim With Front Mount Intercooler. With My New Engine I Have Upgraded The Supercharger It Is The Ysi Unit . I Am Deciding Whether To Upgrade The Intercooler Using The Vertical Finns System , Straight Up Into The Throttle Body. Currently My Intercooler Fins Run Horizontally And Consists Of Bends And Curves To The Throttle Body . My Question Is With The Cooler Fins Runing Vertically Thus Shorter Path Increase Boost At Intake . Ive Heard This System Can Gain More Boost, Say 2-4 Psi Is It Worth The Extra Cash Any Replies Would Be Appreciated. The Car Is A Gto .
Have somebody like www.bellintercoolers.com design the largest intercooler that you can fit into the space you have. There are trade off both ways. Let's say a 12" tall 24" wide and 4" thick IC core (without endtanks) is the largest core that you can possibly fit. If you use a horizontal core, the thermal efficiency will be superior but it will cost you more pressure loss. If you use a vertical flow, the pressure drop will be much less at higher boost levels, but the thermal eff is not as good.....now to add to the confusion, let's say you can fit in a 6 inch thick core....helps reduce the pressure drop in both vert and horizontal flows, but the IC does not cool off as quickly since it's harder to push airflow through a thicker core.....
Get Bell to model both configurations for the max boost and max airflow in lbs/minute that you will run.....then you can pick the best compromise for you....lower inlet temps or less pressure drop.
Get Bell to model both configurations for the max boost and max airflow in lbs/minute that you will run.....then you can pick the best compromise for you....lower inlet temps or less pressure drop.
If you have good airflow to/from the IC the vertical would package better for your application. That's what I went with and I've been losing only about .5psi through the IC at ~12.2 input, for a boost level seen at the motor of a 11.7# peak. I haven't seen many numbers where people tested before and after the IC on the horizontal setup. Also, I don't have an F-body so it may not be a 1-to-1 compare.
My IC is 24"Wx12"Tx4.5"D, and has 34 downchannels for the charge air. Many of the horizontal ones have only 12-14 crosschannels for the charge air, hence the increased pressure drop.
Jim
My IC is 24"Wx12"Tx4.5"D, and has 34 downchannels for the charge air. Many of the horizontal ones have only 12-14 crosschannels for the charge air, hence the increased pressure drop.
Jim
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Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Norn Iron
I would measure restriction on what you have first of all.
I thought my intercooler was pretty crap, being of dodgy DIY construction, which is basically this welded together.
It was a modified carry over from my old twin turbo Rover V8 setup. Didnt see any point throwing them in the bin and buying new stuff at the time.
Tube lengths are about 11" ( x 2 of course ) core is about 3" thick, and 13" tall.
I started logging boost in each end tank, and was amazed to see that 99% of the time, there is always less than 2psi drop across the core.
Most of the time its a lot less than that...circa 1psi.
I was very surprised !! It'd be nice to get a nice shiny new one, made from one core....but IMO it would be wasted money for me in terms of performance I think.
I thought my intercooler was pretty crap, being of dodgy DIY construction, which is basically this welded together.
It was a modified carry over from my old twin turbo Rover V8 setup. Didnt see any point throwing them in the bin and buying new stuff at the time.
Tube lengths are about 11" ( x 2 of course ) core is about 3" thick, and 13" tall.
I started logging boost in each end tank, and was amazed to see that 99% of the time, there is always less than 2psi drop across the core.
Most of the time its a lot less than that...circa 1psi.
I was very surprised !! It'd be nice to get a nice shiny new one, made from one core....but IMO it would be wasted money for me in terms of performance I think.
