Hey Fellow Wagoneers,

I am interested in knowing what people think of different styles of intercoolers. I only recently found out that PWR have bought out a "barrel" style, duel pass, water to air intercooler that you can fit between your standard intercooler & the T/B. The full setup (intercooler, pump, radiator, & plumbing) costs about the same as a decent sized Air to Air installed, but has a lot more stelth & from what I've read, alot more efficiant.

Before everyone directs me to the search button & gives me instructions on it's use, I have used it.

What i'm after is your opinion &/or ideas on how we can further cool intake temps.

Regards,
Jeff

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the only reason you'd go for a water-air intercooler is when there's no room for an air-air. they're more efficient as the energy only has to transfer one medium, not two (water to air still has a radiator making it from air - water - air)

i am also looking at fitting a water to air cooler and have looked at several options but the water to air option seems to be the way i will go as it is more discreet as well as being a bit more efficient, i will however watch this thread for updates and also opinions

Value for money an air-air cooling will be best.

I mean, youll get a bit less response, but if you can feel it when driving, you are not driving hard enough, or high enough in the rev range.


Went for a drive last night and after stopping to let everything cool down, my GTR cooler was hot to touch on one side and very cold on the other. I mean, how much more cooling could you possibly want.


To the best of my knowledge, apart from times when air-air's dont fit, the use of a air-water-air cooler is for drag racing when you want to have instant cold intake temps off the line.

Mate, if you want to go all out, get a big box of dry ice, run about a metre of pipe through that box, and theres your cooler. Air will be ice cold when it exists.

only reason other than being discreet for fitting a water to air type is that you wont have to butcher the front of the car to fit it in there! and you also have less pipework to stuff in the bay.

i'm just investigating getting a 600x240x75(80) IC made up that should sneak under the front bar support and therefore less hassle installing but still provide ample cooling for a quick shopping trolley.

it'll be a few weeks...

It's all about your power target and what you use the car for. What is good intercooling for a 200 4wkw daily driver is not good intercooling for a 600 4wkw drag car.

Until I have some idea of the power target and the intended usage pattern I don't think I can respond to the question.

cheers

PS, I don't believe a W2A intercooler system (water pump, controller, stainless steel barrel, water pipes, modified inlet pipe work and a heat exchanger in front of the radiator) is any more stealth than a return style, A2A FMIC painted black.

in alot of ways i agree with you sydneykid but i am yet to find any one that has fitted an A2A to a series2 without butchering it? if i were to fit an A2A it would be painted matt black but am still looking at the W2A options too.
if you know of anyone who has done a series2 fit out i would be keen to see pics or get details of which kit? as all the ones i have seen in the forums have beeen on series1 stags

oxford if you wait a few weeks i will have a series II done.

Quick Question Guys!

In regards to the Standard panel filter - is it ok to drive the car day to day without the airbox lid on? Is there any real downsides?

Uhh, as long as the filter is there, filtering, i dont see any issues with it.

Cheers Alex. Let me know how you go with yours

Well, I'm going to fit an intercooler water spray this weekend that i'm making from a corrolla wash bottle($10 from wreakers, a couple of garden watering system mist nozzles $2 each & a switch i had in the garage, about $5).

I'll get some pics & a how to incase anyone else wants to have a go.

Should be interesting to see how it goes.

How did it go?

Haha 6 months down the track, dig it up, I like it, nice work Hugh!

How did it go, you could hook up some type of thermal switch that was also linked to rpm that would switch it on when required too... If it was effective?

Luke

I dont see any real benefit to lower intake temps beyond the std air boxs affect.

If I was serious about it, id get a hole saw, cut a hole where the stock SMIC pipe goes and run a pod to where the stock SMIC sits, otherwise I wouldnt really bother.

I personally cant see a water spray kit being that effective... unless, you sprayed liquid nitrogen or submerged the intercooler in a box of dry ice.

Infact, I think its 1hp for each 1 degree centigrade or something and a water spray kit wont bring the temperature down beyond ambient either. So lets say a decent FMIC which is probaly 10 degrees above ambient... so much effort, so little return.