intercooler questions

[gsxr141]

i finally solved my boost leak issue, so now i'm on to the next thing.
is there any advantage to havint the inlet and outlet on opposite sides on an intercooler? i've heard that there's better cooling with them on opposite sides, but i know that the piping is shorter the other way. on the same subject..... what is the stock cooler good to? if it will get me to 400hp, then i'll just upgrade the piping for now. if it will make a noticeable difference to upgrade it, i'll have to figure out which driftmotion kit works better as far as the piping is concerned.
thanks guys..............

 

[IJ.]

Air doesn't have to do a 180 degree turn at the end so pressure drop will be less with an In/Out on opposite ends.

Downside is you'll need an FFIM to make it work without a maze of pipes.

 

[gsxr141]

that's what i figured. the older DM kit has the inlet and outlet on opposite sides. what do you think about this kit?
http://store.driftmotion.com/static/i-7mgteintercoolerkit.php

 

[IJ.]

Nice kit but taking the charge pipe out under the cooler limits how large a core can be used so is a bit of a compromise, all depends on your power goals.

 

[gsxr141]

i'm shooting for no more than 500. i plan on using one of albert's turbos, lex afm, 560's, afcII, walbro 255, full 3" exhaust with a bic ddp, and a greddy profec b boost controller. right now i'm on the stock turbo, bic ddp, and running 10lbs.

 

[Nick M]

The Cartech intercooler (now 6" instead of 8") is top to bottom for the same pressure loss reasons.

 

[gsxr141]

do the top-botom intercoolers cool as good as the other ones? i was told that they aren't as effective as the other style ones. also, at the power level i'm looking for is an aftermarket cooler necessary? can the stock one be used for anything above 400hp? if so, i can just get a piping kit.

 

[Turbo Habanero]

500whp will be hard to achieve with any ct26 upgrade in my opinion. Not impossible but I think you'll be pushing the turbo to the limits at that point.

Anyway Aaron said that the new style kit is good for 400-500 and the older style is better for 500+

 

[gsxr141]

i was hoping for 500 at the crank. i'd be happy with 400 wheel. i want to stay with a ct26 based turbo for now because i have a nice downpipe, and don't really need more power than that anyway. i found a cx racing piping kit in the for sale section pretty cheap. i was thinking about just getting that for now to replace my stock setup. i probably won't be getting the turbo till this winter, but i'd like to do the intercooler or piping upgrade asap.

 

[shipkiller]

60-1 with appropriate mod.
full standalone
water meth
precise tune.

you'll be close to 500whp but at the very limit of a 7m/ct26

 

[19supra90]

http://store.driftmotion.com/static/i-new7mickit.php
what do you think about this kit?

 

[Dan_Gyoba]

I think that if I didn't already have my Spearco replica, I'd buy it.

 

[Orion ZyGarian]

do the top-botom intercoolers cool as good as the other ones? i was told that they aren't as effective as the other style ones. also, at the power level i'm looking for is an aftermarket cooler necessary? can the stock one be used for anything above 400hp? if so, i can just get a piping kit.

According to Corky Bell's Maximum Boost, the "top-to-bottom" style intercoolers effectively use more of the intercooler and are supposed to work better. However, I imagine they might not flow quite as well, since the air has to take two 90* turns inside the intercooler. One thing that I've always been curious about is if this is the case, why don't we see many more people doing this aftermarket? Everyone has pretty much the same cookie cutter style intercooler. Internal ducting should be almost as important as external ducting as well, but it doesnt seem like too many people go that route. As far as I know, Treadstone is the only big manufacturer that even has an internal duct.

There is much research and science to be done, methinks

 

[destrux]

With a same-side intercooler you're effectively cutting the core height in half and making it twice as long. A long, skinny intercooler... Less flow capability and more pressure drop, but lower output temps..... to a point. Once you hit a certain core length the temperature drop levels off and a longer core just increases pressure drop without lowering the temperature a worthwhile amount. I don't like them at all.

I prefer a horizontal flow core with center inlet/outlet. It reduces the need for internal ducting to use a larger part of the core. Although internal ducting always helps. The big downside is they're a pain to fit into our cars because of the frame rails. I had to tilt mine like the OEM core, which probably deflects some air, but I don't have a wind tunnel so I don't know for sure.

As for vertical flow cores, they do work well. The downside is you're trading core area for tank area on most cars because of limited space. I wouldn't worry about the air making turns in the tanks. It makes two 90 degree turns going through the tanks on a side flow core (except the air that happens to go through the core between the inlet and outlet tubes).

 

[destrux]

With a same-side intercooler you're effectively cutting the core height in half and making it twice as long. A long, skinny intercooler... Less flow capability and more pressure drop, but lower output temps..... to a point. Once you hit a certain core length the temperature drop levels off and a longer core just increases pressure drop without lowering the temperature a worthwhile amount. I don't like them at all.

I prefer a horizontal flow core with center inlet/outlet. It reduces the need for internal ducting to use a larger part of the core. Although internal ducting always helps. The big downside is they're a pain to fit into our cars because of the frame rails. I had to tilt mine like the OEM core, which probably deflects some air, but I don't have a wind tunnel so I don't know for sure.

As for vertical flow cores, they do work well. The downside is you're trading core area for tank area on most cars because of limited space. I wouldn't worry about the air making turns in the tanks. It makes two 90 degree turns going through the tanks on a side flow core (except the air that happens to go through the core between the inlet and outlet tubes).

 

[Nick M]

do the top-botom intercoolers cool as good as the other ones? i was told that they aren't as effective as the other style ones. also, at the power level i'm looking for is an aftermarket cooler necessary? can the stock one be used for anything above 400hp? if so, i can just get a piping kit.

The dynos I have seen (turning back the clock) are best with top down on the 7M. With the intake going over the turbo, the routing has to turn around. So then it just becomes a matter of how many turns and angles. I don't have one, but the old Cartech I mentioned had the highest effeciency rating by Turbo Magazine with the lowest pressure drop.

 

[gsxr141]

good stuff guys. for now i'm going with a cx racing piping kit for the stock cooler. my stock piping is a bunch of crap thrown together due to leaks. for now the stock cooler should be fine. i'll grab an intercooler to replace the stocker from DM later on. i think they have something that will work for me.