Harold_Fastwake

So for my B series track build car I was thinking of running a half size radiator and then mounting my intercooler beside it filling the other half. Looking to run around 250hp max. I figured instead of mounting the intercooler normally as a front mount I would just maximize the airflow coming through by running the rad and intercooler side by side. For the intercooler I was going to run a mid size, probably one of the universal ebay knockoffs that are made for stock location RX7s.

Anyone think this will not work and the car will have overheating issues?

*I say B series as I have not figured out which motor I will go with. Working with a roller right now.


Image for you mentally challenged individuals.

Kris.Is.Foamin

Find an IC that fits your grill opening entirely, and run your rad right behind it.


You won't be overheating.

Harold_Fastwake

I know I wont overheat that way. But was looking at doing this a more how you say difficult way I guess. I came up with this idea for the sole fact that when I go to the track I will swap front bumpers for one with a splitter. When I come back I will put the stocker back on for my DD. With mounting the IC out of the way it would make the bumper swap that much easier as nothing is in the way.

NX2KDET

I have seen that setup before on some drag cars but they run air-to-liquid cooling in their intercoolers/heat exchangers

Harold_Fastwake

I have seen that as well. But I want this for road courses, drag would be fine but it does not excite me.

Fabrik8

As long as your radiator is efficient enough to cool the engine, and the intercooler is efficient enough to cool the charge air, then do it. Depending on your turbo setup, it may be hard to get enough frontal area from an intercooler that fits within your packaging constraints. You could go with a thicker core, but the cooling efficiency drops off fairly fast with thickness.

That intercooler in the picture is the last thing I'd want to use, unless one of those end tanks was turned around so the fittings are on opposite corners. Air takes the path of least resistance (mostly from fitting to fitting in this case with such shallow end tanks), and that makes that intercooler very narrow. Switch the tank configuration and you'll be able to use much more of the core effectively. Those end tanks are crap though.

Also, if you're looking to get the most out of an intercooler for a limited size, make sure you get a decent core. Efficiency is efficiency, and you won't get what you need if you start with a crap core. It wouldn't be a bad idea to get a raw core of the right dimensions and have someone tank it for you for your configuration.

Harold_Fastwake

I think that is what I may do. Would there be any issues with the inlet being on the bottom and having the outlet up top? I can't see why there would be. Should I have them on opposite corners or have them lined up in the center?

Fabrik8

Opposite corners is usually better, so you have air wanting to go in part of the core on the bottom and the other part of the core from the top, so the core is fairly evenly used. If you put the fittings in the center or on one side, you tend to get more flow directly between the fittings, if that makes sense.

Harold_Fastwake

Yeah it does. Thanks for the help mang.


I am thinking I will give the half rad a go. Once I finally get out on the track I will know if it can hold up or not.

Fabrik8

Make sure you make a top and bottom radiator/intercooler shroud also, so that air gets channeled through the radiator instead of spilling over and under. That's a simple and almost free way to improve the efficiency of whatever you're working with. A little sheet aluminum and some snips and you're good to go.