Has anyone used both A/A and A/W in the same setup?
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Minnesota Corn Fields
Has anyone used both A/A and A/W in the same setup? Trying to see if anyone has used both an air to air intercooler and an air to water intercooler on the same car or FI kit?
I know the pressure drop would be pretty substantial but the cooling capabilities would be pretty good as well.
With the space limitation on street cars its hard to get a good size air to air or air to water without some sort of cutting.
My thoughts are this:
I currently have the twin procharger air to air intercoolers, but what if I made an air to water to take the place of the procharger air plenum up top?
Has anyone ever made their own air to water intercooler?
I know the pressure drop would be pretty substantial but the cooling capabilities would be pretty good as well.
With the space limitation on street cars its hard to get a good size air to air or air to water without some sort of cutting.
My thoughts are this:
I currently have the twin procharger air to air intercoolers, but what if I made an air to water to take the place of the procharger air plenum up top?
Has anyone ever made their own air to water intercooler?
It's not that hard to make an A2W IC - just take the proper sized A2A core, build the small water enclosures on top & bottom (or however you need it) and then the charge air enclosure. Or someplace like Bell Intercoolers will make it to your specs. Corky Bell's book 'Supercharged!' has an entire section on how to do this.
Your idea has possibilities but the drawbacks are increased complexity and weight, and the pressure loss you noted. Better to modify your dual A2A setup to take as much heat out of the charge as possible. The A2W 2nd stage might be justified if you drag race a lot so you could refill your water tank with ice after each run and get IAT's below ambient. For street, the payoff isn't there.
Jim
Your idea has possibilities but the drawbacks are increased complexity and weight, and the pressure loss you noted. Better to modify your dual A2A setup to take as much heat out of the charge as possible. The A2W 2nd stage might be justified if you drag race a lot so you could refill your water tank with ice after each run and get IAT's below ambient. For street, the payoff isn't there.
Jim
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as DeltaT said there is little advantage on the street.
there might be an advantage if you where running in short aoutocross style events where speeds are low (A2A intercoolers not running effectively) and you want very cold temps. but agian you will be heating the water up quiet a bit by the time you finish and you will have the extra weight to think about.
on you setup i have seen someone use a third intercooler (to inlets at the bottom and a single outlet at the top) and run the two smaller intercoolers in the single larger one. not sure hoe effective it could be but it will have cooler intake temps.
Cheers Chris.
there might be an advantage if you where running in short aoutocross style events where speeds are low (A2A intercoolers not running effectively) and you want very cold temps. but agian you will be heating the water up quiet a bit by the time you finish and you will have the extra weight to think about.
on you setup i have seen someone use a third intercooler (to inlets at the bottom and a single outlet at the top) and run the two smaller intercoolers in the single larger one. not sure hoe effective it could be but it will have cooler intake temps.
Cheers Chris.
