I have been doing a little research on air to air intercoolers vs. air to water intercoolers. I am curious about peoples opinions and knowledge on the Stillen Supercharger intake air temps. I realize that with the Greddy TT kit the intake temp will be fairly low as it enters the engine from the intercooler. But with the Stillen the air is cooled after it enters the plenum. Has anyone seen any numbers on air temps within the Stillen plenum before it enters the combustion chamber. I really wonder how different the temps for the air entering the combustion chamber really air between the 2 FI systems. Can the Stillen intercooler really work that well???

 

Eaton, Whipple and Magnuson have been using this type of system for years and they work great.

 

I haven't measured the intake temps, but another benefit of the stillen, as far as cooling, is the 7th fuel injector. It injects into the intake manifold just before the compressor, and that has to have some cooling effect.

 

also, think about this. If you put some warm beer in cooler a, with only ice, and warm beer in cooler b with ice and water, which cools faster? I believe water conducts heat better than air.

 

I talked to the R&D guys for Stillen and they said they're using 50/50 coolant,just like the radiator. I know there are other fluids for cooling radiators (Water Wetter & Stops Overheating both avaial. at pep boys). I haven't done much research on the fluids & what mixtures they should be,but I know there are ways to get the coolant for the intercooler waaaayy cooler. ANYONE?

 

Oh yeah, with the Stillen, it would be very difficult to measure, since the 2nd heat exchanger is actually in the plenum. the air only travels about 3 inches from the compressor to the intake valves, and inch of which is through the heat exchanger.

 

This is exactly my concern.......with such a small exposure time to the intercooler area how much cooling can it really do?? Is it possible that the intercooler cools the upper portion of the plenum to act as an "absorbing" intercooler for the heat in the intake air?

 

no, there is no cooling of the upper portion. the way the stillen works is, there is a heat exchanger under the bumper, and one in the manifold. An electric pump circulates water continously in a loop between them. Air to water cools more efficiently than air to air, so the low exposure time is sufficient.

 

Sorry...I think you are missing what I am getting at. With the exchanger between the blower and the intake ports I was thinking that possibly the colder exchanger would act as an insulator between the heat of the motor and the blower unit and actually keep the blower cool on the top of the motor. Is the blower cooler to the touch with the lower manifold heat exchanger portion of the intercooler system??

 

I've never really compared them, but the top gets fairly hot.

 

Do you guys know if Stillen's coolant that circulates between the two heat exchangers is shared with engine coolant? In other words, when I'm looking at my coolant temp gauge, am I seeing both engine AND stillen coolant, or just engine coolant?

 

No, its not shared. Its got its own resorvoir tank.

 

In that case, a nice chiller (or water spray) on the front heat exchanger ought to do the job of reducing coolant temp of the intercooler.

 

Then if the upper plenum is still getting hot I don't understand the functionality of the Stillen Intercooler. There is no way it could work effectively with such a small cross sectional area. The intake air only has a moments contact with that intercooler plate...if it is not cooling (or insulating) the upper plenum then how well can it really work to cool the intake charge???

 

the dyno says it works. It wouldn't cool the top of the plenum anyway. Thats where the compression takes place, and the heat is generated. It would be the lower plenum that would be cooler, if anywhere. And since the whole thing is aluminum, the casings would be the same temp due to the way aluminum conducts heat. Its the air passing through the lower half thats cooler.

 

I'd like to know if a water sprayer for the intercooler would work.Eveyone I've talked to said it wouldn't work for this kit.I don't understand how it couldnt.
The extra injector is located before the compressor cooling it down while it adds fuel.
I heard that the more water with less coolant in the intercooler works a little better

 

Interesting !
Someone study the AMG air to water intercooling system.
The intake temp dominates horse power !
AMG kompressor models have intake temp sensors(reading),
put it on the dyno and do some comparison

Intake temp reading vs Dyno numbers (crank hp)
1) cool under 50 C => 550+ ps
2) Heat up to 70 C => 500 ps
3) >= 80 C => 470 ps close to claim numbers.

It turns out to be a very healthy mod =>
To lower the intake temp & get the horse power instead of
risking on up boost. (shrink the crank pulley,advance timing....)
the latter can gain hp first then lose it quickly.

 

One more interesting fact

BMW 330 vs Mercedes C320, the factory bmw get superior power than Mercedes,in fact no competition for Mercedes !

enthusiasts of both sides seek FI solution to further
their power.

BMW FI tuners provide traditional air to air intercooling
Mercedes FI tuners use air to water system.

The world is totally changed ....... C320 + K outperforms !