Hi guys, I am thinking of a few new projects for the Z this winter and was thinks of adding an air to water intercooler. I did a quick search and didn't find much. I would think this would create a huge decrease in air temp. I know alot of the high hp mustang guys run these types of intercoolers with great success. Looking for anyone who has done this or some feedback on this type of set-up. Spearco makes a nice product. I kinow space is tight on our cars but it is funny every time I think I don't have another inch of space I seem to find ways to continue to add things. Reminds me of all the clowns that just keep coming out of their car. Let me know what you guys think. Jason

 

Not sure how you'd rig this in an OEM plenum. But i have the Stillen Stage 3 SC with the air to water intercooler. Which basicly consists of a heat exchanger in the front, and another inside the plenum. With a pump that pumps coolant (in my case, Water Wetter and water) through. And the air coming in flows over the heat exchanger inside the plenum before it enters the engine. It seemed to make a big difference. And after a long run on the interstate the water input hose is still nice and cool, and output is hot. So it seems to be doing somehting right!! Not sure if this helps at all. But i could imagine you could somehow fabricate this addition to yoru air to air intercooler.

 

My recommendation would depend on what you do primarily with the car.

For a street car, I would stick with air/air. They work well for driving around, where air/water has more problems, not to mention all the additional items required to make that system work.

For drag racing, air/water is great. Dump in a bunch of ice/water, go make a pass and enjoy the cold air temps. Come back to the pits, dump in more ice, repeat.

 

Thanks for the input guys. Hal, our car is primarily a drag car, it sees very little street time. Have you guys thought about installing one on your car? I know you run nitrous like we do and that definitely cools the charge, but on occasion we like to make non nitrous runs. Jason

 

like hal said, if the car is primarily a drag car, air/water is great/better than air/air. if you notice, most of the guys running turbo in big competition have air/water cooler inside the car. i dont think you ever see one of those cars with an FMIC. air/water is MUCH better, especially for off the line where an FMIC isnt doing much, but a water cooler is still doing its business

 

water is great for absorbing heat... unfortunately it doesn't like to let go of it very easily either once it gets hot

 

I think it would fit our needs nicely, but we have not made the change due to some rules (intercooler must sit up front) and the additional items that it adds to the setup. If we redo our setup I would consider it.

Nitrous definitely helps out, but I would still like to see more cooling. We use it primarily to set the stall on our car.

 

yeah, thats why its not really good for a street car. but for a car thats only gotta cool for a short bit before the water and ice can be changed...teh goodz

 

it would be very simple to make. we are making one on our Formula D car. Vortech makes really nice products that you could easily use. i would setup like a 2 to 3 gallon fuel cell for the reservoir so you can add a lot of ice.


it will cool the intake air temps down A LOT...

 

This looks kinda cool. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PWR-B...spagenameZWD1V

 

some guys used to use actual IGLOO coolers in the trunk for the ice/water reservior!!! necessity is the mother of invention.

 

Just pull out the passenger seat and run the pipes to the air to water cooler there. Like someone else mentioned the Mustang guys run them all the time.

 

Ebay has a nice air to water cooler exchanger a few weeks back.