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No boost but add intercooler?

  • Thread starter Thread starter keepinitril
  • Start date Start date Feb 12, 2010
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keepinitril

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I was thinking about this the other day

To cool down the intake charge, an intercooler is generally added, because of the compressing gas it also creates heat so this cold it down

but on the note of a cold air intake, what if you put down an intercooler and run it to the maf and air filter under the drivers side fender?
would this be a better 'cold air intake'?
 

NIKwoaC

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You, sir, need to take a course in thermodynamics.
 

keepinitril

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I dont think so, an intercool creates more surface area and if air is passing through it, then it will cool it down, AM I WRONG?
 

1987LXragtop

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#4
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wont work. The air running over the intercooler is the same temp as the air coming into the system. cant cool it down more than the outside air temp.

Could always try to old school cool can for the fuel line.
 
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Makdaddymac

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you cant intercool ambient air to a lower temp than surrounding air correct?
but my theory besides the fact that if it rains/puddle you are screwed,

wouldnt this idea allow for a ram air style intake and/or possible hp gains, at least over a stock box???? basically not worth the cash,but if you had the pieces lying around why not i ask???
 

1987LXragtop

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Nope no sense in doing it. Ram air is is more of a direct shot into the intake. you would slow the air down thru an intercooler. better off with a cold air intake thru the fender.
 
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94gtfreak

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1987GTragtop said:
Nope no sense in doing it. Ram air is is more of a direct shot into the intake. you would slow the air down thru an intercooler. better off with a cold air intake thru the fender.
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more. Not only will you slow it down it will take twice as long to get the air into the engine, which will only reek havoc on your computer to try to compensate for a poor air/fuel ratio.
 

srtthis

the guy doing it does every local racers rear end
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Can't go sub ambiant with an air to air and it sounds like a costly way to kill air flow volicity
 

capri debris

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Guys who run large turbos have an air to water intercooler and the water is circulated through an ice tank with a small electric water pump. You could do a similar set up and get much cooler air, but still have the flow problems of trying to suck air through all that plumbing. The net gains would still not be enough to warrant the cost to use a set up like this on a NA engine. So put this whole idea or the idea of trying to cool ambient air with ambient air out of your mind... it's all a waste of time and money.
 

Mustang5L5

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NikwoaC said:
You, sir, need to take a course in thermodynamics.
Click to expand...



Lol, that made me chuckle a bit.


The ambient air vs ambient air thing has been covered.

All that's left to say is the restriction of having the engine trying to draw air through the IC would cancel out any sort of gain you might think if you could somehow cool the air.

A power adder is more efficient PUSHING air through an IC than your engine is at PULLING it through
 

foxmustangman

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keepinitril said:
I dont think so, an intercool creates more surface area and if air is passing through it, then it will cool it down, AM I WRONG?
Click to expand...

Yes. You are wrong. An intercooler creates an equilibrium of the hot air pushed inside and the outside air temperature. i.e. 200* air goes through the intercooler from the supercharger, and cools down from the 70* outside air, making it roughly 135*.

If you put an intercooler on a car with no power adder, you are doing nothing. 70* air goes in, mixes with the 70* air flowing past the intercooler, resulting in a 70* air charge. In other words, nothing happens. In fact you interrupt the flow of air which would acutally result in less air going into your intake.
 

1991notchbackLX

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#12
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This question is similar to asking "can I use a freezer to melt ice?"
 

1987LXragtop

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#13
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Whoa i think for once in my life everyone is agreeing with me. ***gets out calendar and marks the day***
 

keepinitril

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are you familiar with the wind chill factor in weather? if you are traveling at speed, say 60mph, then that is similar as to you being stationary and a 60mph wind hitting you, now how does the windchill happen if the air is the same temp as the wind blowing

Im just throwing an idea out there, I didnt plan on being burnt at the stake for having a new idea!
 

Mustang5L5

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#15
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keepinitril said:
are you familiar with the wind chill factor in weather? if you are traveling at speed, say 60mph, then that is similar as to you being stationary and a 60mph wind hitting you, now how does the windchill happen if the air is the same temp as the wind blowing!
Click to expand...

Windchill only affects LIVING things

For non-living things, the object will only get as cool as the ambient air.

If it's 20 degrees out and you drive 100MPH, the object sticking in the air will still be 20 degrees.

This idea is not gonna work....otherwise it would have been done by now and you would have heard of N/A intercooling
 

metalman85

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#16
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from what you just posted, take a step back and think about it.. if the "wind chill" is going through/past the intercooler then guess what?!.. that same "wind chill" is already going through your air filter. there is no change in intake air temperature while using an intercooler on a naturally aspirated engine. if you are just gonna argue with people who obviously know way more than you... then why ask? and for the sake of argueing with me. get some pipe and mount your air cleaner in the air dam of the front bumper cover and call it a day.
 

foxmustangman

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#17
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  • #17

my awesome drawings

 

Attachments

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  • Itercooler 2.webp
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85_SS_302_Coupe

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#18
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Save yourself the trouble and just do the Direct Exhaust Injection.
 

keepinitril

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#19
  • Feb 12, 2010
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well I dont have any flowcarts saying the air travel through my fender and cool down my filter, so thats why I was throwing this out there, to pick someones brain and see if anyone has done this
 

metalman85

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#20
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foxmustangman just nailed it! awesome diagrams!
 
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