A Quick Intercooler Question

[Gary Symons]

Guys,

I currently have a bootmount intercooler with very poor airflow via the drivers side inlet (a temporary measure to get me on the road).

My question is simple, once I get my 2 new side vents flowing air to the IC via a couple of fans can I expect much improvement in performance?

Also should I be lagging the IC pipes to prevent the engine heating them up. The pipe above the cam cover gets very hot.

Ta very much.

[Marksman]

Not an expert myself but I'd imagine that rather than an outright improvement in performance you will see much less of a drop in performance as you drive hard. That is to say you won't heatsoak the IC if you drive hard but will keep the same performance as when you first run the engine.

This is the problem I had with the interwarmer on my supercharger when put on the track. Fine on the road, but 10 mins at full throttle and you'de lose (at a guess) 40BHP as the IC fails to do it's job. (Hence my side mounted IC for the 1.5 track car project.) Reply 55 of this thred... http://twobrutal.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3769&page=6

Good luck,

Owen.

[MegatronUK]

If the IC is in the engine bay, then eventually it will heat soak - it really needs to be in the boot to keep cool. Mine never got any more than slightly warm to the touch @ ~16psi.

Owen's right, you probably wont get any more power, but you should be able to run without power dropping off as much once you get up to normal operating temp.

[MegatronUK]

Sorry, I should read things better, shouldn't I :-)

Anyway, you really want the IC in such a position where it will get airflow direct from the car moving at speed - 60+mph of forward momentum will generate much more airflow than a 11-12" Spal fan can :D ... the fans really are only to keep the IC cool at lower speeds and when you slow down enough that the natural airflow is inneffective.