Air to Water Intercooler

[wthompson01]

Does anyone have any experience with Frozenboost.com? Specifically their kits. I want to use an air to liquid intercooler. They have several kits and all come with pump and radiator to be mounted in front of the cooling stack that we already have. A plus is that the radiator and the pump are a lot easier to plumb. I just have some reservations. Supposedly a 300 dollar kit will work with our trucks. But it comes close to being too good to be true. I am also questioning intercooler inlet and outlet size. The Banks kit that I have has 2 1/4" outlet on the turbo and the inlet of the snail. 3 inch intercoolers are abundant in the air to water genre. Bottom line. I am looking for the best bang for the buck. Advice gladly accepted.

 

[chillman88]

There was a thread about this a week or two ago. One of the guys used the frozenboost kit

https://www.oilburners.net/threads/air-water-cac-intercooler-on-an-idi.87439/

 

[wthompson01]

There was a thread about this a week or two ago. One of the guys used the frozenboost kit

https://www.oilburners.net/threads/air-water-cac-intercooler-on-an-idi.87439/

Found it and saved it,. Thank you Chillman!

 

[wthompson01]

I see in Asmiths post that he went with a 3 inch intercooler. 2 1/4 out of the turbo into a 3 inch intercooler. And of course the modified intake manifold with a 3 inch inlet. I'm wondering if this induces turbo lag.
Or if the lag if present is insignificant. Knowing the nswer to this will determine which way I go with the intercooler. I may go with Frozenboost with the attitude that if necessary I can always change the coolant pump and/or add a separate
coolant tank.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

It will give you some lag. How much I can't say. By adding an intercooler, you've now increased the time it takes for a given volume of air to get from your turbo outlet into your intake.

 

[wthompson01]

The reason I am questioning a 3" inlet and outlet intercooler. I'm not going drag racing so turbo lag may be a non-issue. It would go from 2.25" to 3.0" and back to 2.25".
So maybe little lag. This is partially what Asmith has done. With the exception that he has a 3" inlet on the intake manifold. And that may be the easy way and work just fine.
Trying to get educated opinions before dropping about 400 bucks +.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

You will also get some boost pressure drop due to the increased volume of air in the intercooler/piping system. This if fine because you'll be getting cooler/denser air into your intake manifold. If you're running much boost, this will actually cause you to gain in power with less boost pressure. That's a win/win in my book.

 

[wthompson01]

You will also get some boost pressure drop due to the increased volume of air in the intercooler/piping system. This if fine because you'll be getting cooler/denser air into your intake manifold. If you're running much boost, this will actually cause you to gain in power with less boost pressure. That's a win/win in my book.

You just answered my question. Thank you!

 

[The_Josh_Bear]

I can't remember all the numbers but IIRC over on FTE there is an old post about gains/losses from 2.25" up to 3"+ charge air piping and you had to be near 20psi for it to make any difference between 2.5" and 3". Point is unless you're running uncommonly high boost 2.5 is going to be cheaper and easier to run. I wish I'd done that with my air to air setup. 3" was really annoying to run.

That said, your total piping length will be shorter than 1/3, and probably 1/4 of mine. So what size you use will not matter much at all. Flow is good. Since tight setups can have tight elbows you might go 3" just to have more area through any 90* elbows you have. And consider a 3" intake hat. Though it will cost almost as much as the rest of the setup.

Either way keep us updated!

 

[Fision]

You will also get some boost pressure drop due to the increased volume of air in the intercooler/piping system. This if fine because you'll be getting cooler/denser air into your intake manifold. If you're running much boost, this will actually cause you to gain in power with less boost pressure. That's a win/win in my book.

Agreed. With the setup you’re discussing It’s doubtful you could measure any increase in lag, much less notice it. Compared to a front mounted air-air you’re probably adding less than half the additional intake plumbing volume. Maybe only a third.
My sig IH4900 uses 5-7’ of 3-3.5” (guesstimating) pipe that connects to an air-air with 692 sq in of frontal area, and I’ve never seen drive pressure exceed boost pressure; the needles climb together until boost takes the lead at about 15psi. As long as there’s enough exhaust pressure to spin the turbine the engine gets fed with seemingly no delay.
The air-H2O setup can be mounted with a much shorter trip from the turbo to the intake.
Power will be up, egt’s down.
Unless you turn up the fuel more to use that extra air. Then power will be up, power will be up

 

[wthompson01]

Given the short pipe runs I think I am going to go with a 3 inch intercooler and piping. May check with a local machine shop about welding a 3 inch stub on the intake manifold.
It's possible that the charge to do that won't break the bank.

 

[wthompson01]

Given the short pipe runs I think I am going to go with a 3 inch intercooler and piping. May check with a local machine shop about welding a 3 inch stub on the intake manifold.
It's possible that the charge to do that won't break the bank.

Update. Air to liquid intercooler kit from Frozenboost will be here tomorrow Monday 4-12. Waiting on injectors from Wes @ Classic Diesel Designs. But I have brake parts here for the rear that need to be taken care of before I can move the truck from one side of the house to the other.
One of the joys of living in the sticks with enough property to have some elbow room. Rear wheel cylinders have leaked for a very long time. New ones and 2 new brake drums. That should get the brakes right. The shoes will clean up nicely and were new when the truck was parked. Drums on it are too thin because I didn't pay attention when I cut them. Head bolts have to be re-torqued and the valve covers sealed up. Then the fun begins. I bought a kit for removing swelled glow plugs so I will find out how well that works.

 

[wthompson01]

I can't remember all the numbers but IIRC over on FTE there is an old post about gains/losses from 2.25" up to 3"+ charge air piping and you had to be near 20psi for it to make any difference between 2.5" and 3". Point is unless you're running uncommonly high boost 2.5 is going to be cheaper and easier to run. I wish I'd done that with my air to air setup. 3" was really annoying to run.

That said, your total piping length will be shorter than 1/3, and probably 1/4 of mine. So what size you use will not matter much at all. Flow is good. Since tight setups can have tight elbows you might go 3" just to have more area through any 90* elbows you have. And consider a 3" intake hat. Though it will cost almost as much as the rest of the setup.

Either way keep us updated!

Wes@ Classic Diesel Designs sells a 2 1/2" intake hat. Just bought one. This should flow better than the snail intake hat and likely make the connection to the intercooler easier.

 

[wthompson01]

FedEx came today! Intercooler kit is here.

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[Laine D]

FedEx came today! Intercooler kit is here.

You must be registered for see images attach

Now which kit is this on their website? It looks like 600 hp kit. I think I may be next in line