Thread: Air 2 Water Heat Exchangers

Its most definitely a street car. Its my daily driver. Just doing things a bit different than everyone else.

I'm also not looking for something that's going to require me to run a larger radiator from the get go. Just something that can keep 7-12psi on a t25 in check and not let the intake charge get too hot.

Transmission Cooler

Something like that looks like it might work out great. Its got an 7" 1100cfm fan on it for sitting in traffic/idling and the cooler itself without the fan should be large enough to keep the intake charge from getting silly while the car is underway.

I like that your going a different route. Just not a very efficient route, most cars with heat exchangers and air to water coolers are very prone to heat soak. Street car an i/c (air to air) is better, less plumbing of stuff, better IATemps. This is not just an opinion this is true. As long as you don't pound on your car to much you should be alright. The one your looking at could work, but still small for an exchanger.

If you want to be real neat about it you could use a shell and tube somewhere inside engine bay . Probably too expensive though and kinda bulky. Anyways that's not the part you were looking for. Sorry!

That is completely false. Have you ever run intake air temp tests on air/air vs air/water coming out of the IC after sitting in traffic? I have. My air/water setup was 20* lower intake air temps because it didn't need the car in motion (air moving over it) to pull heat. Yes, after a LONG time the water will reach capacity, but that is tough if you have a 5 gallon cell in the back like I do.

Brent

If you are sitting in traffic all the time that is ok. If you are going to get aggressive you are going to overwhelm it. If you want I can do the math on it... I already have all the formulas in excel for a project at work I manage.

The fan only helps when you aren't moving or moving very slow. Where you are going to see issues by running smaller heat exchanger is in spirited driving overtime. For drag racing and/or slow traffic that would be perfect.

Brent

You have a very good point about sitting in traffic, but that doesn't apply to moving quite as much. Air to Air works with moving air and the Air to water setups don't have to rely on the moving air. What you are seeing is the intercooler putting heat in the volume of water at rising the water temp. 5 gallons has a huge thermal capacity before it would start become inefficient, but sitting in traffic also isn't the largest heat generating activity.

Top one is a nice unit, I would recommend it.

Brent

It looks like it will hide vary well, and will do the job well , I here all this talk about how Air to water is not very efficient , at race tracks ECT. , I have seen Air to water used with great results , Lovefabs NSX make almost 1K horepower to the wheels and it is driven on the street ran at the dragstrip , and at the track , and it has great results , with minimal intercooler heat soak problems , just because it is differant does not make it bad , a properly designed setup will work awsome , although I will not say it will always be cheaper ....

ANYBODY who says Air to Water isn't more efficient is a f'n idiot. It is WAY more efficient. Air to water setups can get lower temperatures (even without ice), if sized right they will never heat soak, and most have almost no pressure drop. The ONLY downside is weight of the water, but with a 5 gallon system we are talking less than 50lbs.... I think the reason people are against them is cause they aren't as common, cost, and not knowing what they are doing/talking about.

Well maybe I just been hanging around mustangs to much then. As far as being an f'n idiot, I don't really agree with that. We see crazy amounts of heat soak at the track and on the dyno, but a lot of these cars were not carrying a 5 gallon reservoir either, so if you have this kind of room then by all means run it. Also don't agree with not knowing/doing. But please get your panties all up in a bunch
I also complimented him for being different, I prefer a a/a set-up for the street applications. For the track a/w if i could.
Running really nice heat exchangers and larger reservoirs is a huge help.