Can you use a old radiator for a Intercooler???
- Thread starter Brad S.
- Start date
You have me curious as well. Would be cheaper, but only if it worked.
Edit: Thinking on it, I would expect that a radiator would flow less when hooked up to air. Maybe more turbulent flow as well, but I'm not sure how the construction varies between a radiator and intercooler.
Edit: Thinking on it, I would expect that a radiator would flow less when hooked up to air. Maybe more turbulent flow as well, but I'm not sure how the construction varies between a radiator and intercooler.
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Sw1tchfoot
Full Access Member
I'm sure you would see some change, a decrease in fuel economy and power would probably be the main difference..
icanfixall
Official GMM hand model
Good question. I will be watching the answers too. I'm not ready to say it will or will not work.
Why do you think decrease??? I always thought by cooling the air charge you can increase the volume in the cylinder...???
Unless you mean a person would have a heavier right foot on the pedal...???
One of the things that comes to mind why this might not work is pressure??? Would there be more air pressure built up using it as a intercooler, versus using it with water/coolant...???
justinray
Contributor
The average radiator is good for at least 16 psi. The 2 problems I'm seeing is that air is thinner than liquid, thus easier to have a leak; and the inlet and outlet being small for efficient air flow. And you would need to do something with the cap to make it seal better.
rlb245
Full Access Member
I'm working on a system my self! But it's only in the R&D stage rite now. I thing it's might be a great solution based solely on size. Not ready to embarrass my self yet. The famous engineer quote = LOOKS GOOD ON PAPER! 
Cores are different, check the pic. That is a dt466 cac and you can see the extra fins for surface area for heat transfer. The radiator would likely not shed the heat as well as a real cac. I also question it's ability to flow as much volume by their tank design and inlet/outlet size but you could always have it checked at a shop to see what kind of cfm it can pass to know for sure.
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Wyreth
Certifiable Noob
you could defiantly use it as half of a water/air intercooler.
rlb245
Full Access Member
What is the actual cfm of a turbo? Does any one have that data? Does any one no if there is an optimum temperature? To do effective cooling of the air. You need to know the volume of air that's being moved and from that you can calculate the temperatures that are required there for giving you the surf ice area required to reduce the air temperature to a given constant.
That'd be a really nice tid bit of info regard less.
No I do not. Take a peek next time you have to add coolant or service your coolant system. You'll see the plain ol rolled tubing.
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