I have conducted a test to record the cooling efficiency of my new intercooler. Temperature measurements were recorded using a thermocouple device with display in the cabin. The test car was a auto VL turbo running @12 psi, as this is considered by most to be the maximum boost that a non intercooled engine can handle before detonation. Standard turbo, standard exhaust and inlet manifold. 600 x 300 x 75 cooler with 3" piping. The car had a 3" turbo back exhaust, and a pod filter located where the air box would usually sit. Temp measurements were taken from a) After the compressor outlet (non intercooled temp) b) Before the throttle body (after the intercooler) More efficient results could have been recorded at the intercooler entry and exits but the wiring would not reach to the cabin. The test conducted on 28'C day. Maximum boost was 12 psi. Cruising = fixed speed, not accelerating/ decelerating (80km/hr). Small Throttle Opening (STO) = slowly accelerating but not boosting. Planted = Foot to the floor, 2 gear only from 2000 rpm to 5500rpm. 5 min wait = Sitting in Maccas drive through in the shade, not moving for 5 mins. Results Situation a) After compressor outlet b) Before throttle body. Cruising 75 - 85'C 35 - 38'C STO 85 - 90'C 30 - 33'C Planted 110 - 120'C 28 - 30'C 5 min wait 90'C 50'C It was noted that under any opening of the throttle whether small or large, a) temp went up slowly for small opening and very quickly for full throttle. b) temp went down slowly for small opening and qucker for full throttle until ambient temp was reached. Now who is buying a cooler for their car?? What are your thoughts about this test.

looks the goods - so long as you have a fast-reaction quick sample (10 times a second for example) thermocouple then it's fine and dandy. interesting to note that WOT temps were about the same as cruising temps, probably because of the higher speed flow across the core at 100km/h+ good results, was the cooler a standard generic brand hybrid core?

Cool, you'd be a happy camper then yeah? What cooler was that with?

Sir 5.7 cooler and JSPEC piping kit.

sounds good. i have a bar and plate 600*300*100mm fmic and bresciani planium. I have a air temp sensor(microtech) at rear of planium, on full boost caining it only goes to 32d

Those results are very good IMO. Can't expect much better for $200, infact i will conduct some tests when i get mine running between a expensive core vs hybrid copy.

thats a very clever bit of research done there mate, i always wondered what the air intake temprature difference would be from before coler and after cooler

nah, these coolers are only good for 13 second passes Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Can you back that up. I know a few people who could put that claim to rest.

lol joking, just something somebody else mentioned in a hybrid cooler thread do you have a differential pressure guage? or at least 2 pressure gauges? be great if you could see exactly what the pressure drop across the cooler is whilst on the road, that along with your temps would pretty much prove they are fine

Looks pretty good temperature wise, what is the pressure drop through the core flat out ? From the size of the cooler and pipework, pressure drop probably isn't much, maybe around 1.0 psi (guess) ??? To really interpret the results, you need to calculate air density before and after the cooler as well as just the temperatures. Still a pretty good effort though, well done !

now where did i put that psychometric chart of mine Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

You don't need a psychometric chart or steam tables to work out air density, only the relative change in absolute pressure and absolute temperature. The point is, that dropping the temperature right down is good, provided you don't loose all of your boost pressure doing it. The air coming out of the cooler should be more dense than the air going in, and that is what makes power, not just having cold air. Air density is proportional to absolute pressure divided by absolute temperature. So, outlet pressure/outlet temperature should be greater than inlet pressure/inlet temperature.

Already worked out those formulas but didn't post them as you can imagine trying to post formulas on here. Anyway the difference is 120'C @ 12psi puts in x amount of air. For the 28 'C, to put in same same amount of air (x) the boost only has to be @ 9 psi. I would measure pressure drop but that wouold involve tapping fittings in to pipe work. Not as easy as slipping the probe under the hose.

I will be doing a uni report on the efficiancy of a cooler core and how much energy they can displace in the next few weeks, i will be needing to also find out the relative pressure drop as part of the calculations, will find out and let you all know when i do. Cheers But RB30X, if you dont mind can i use your data as the basis for my results? i was going to have to do it myself.

Yeah, pressure drop is very important. You can get a massive temperature drop just by restricting the flow through the core ! (Joule Thompson effect). A really crap intercooler could in theory cool the air down LOWER than ambient temperature. A typical density increase of a well designed cooler might be 10% or more, and that is 10% FREE power. But you need to get the cooling without significant pressure loss, and that is the trick.

Ahh. Does being under pressure have anything to do with it too. I know radiators work better when they are working under pressure. Unfortunently there is not much chance of me doing a pressure difference comparission. I've got some gauges and fittings but don't have the energy.

Try this: Open your mouth really wide and blow onto the palm of your hand straight from your throat. Your exhaled breath feels hot right ? Now blow as hard as you can through tightly closed lips, the air feels cool. The first case is the hot air coming straight from your lungs, which is hot. The second case is when you blow really hard through your lips. The air is compressed in your mouth, but when it quickly expands through your lips, it suddenly drops in temperature. The outlet from a compressed air hose always feels cool too from the sudden expansion back to atmospheric pressure. Google "Joule Thompson Effect" for a better explanation of this. Now if your intercooler has a really big pressure drop through it, the air will cool just from the big drop in pressure through the core and badly designed end tanks. A big temperature drop through an intercooler core is good, if it is caused by heat actually being removed. It is bad if the temperature drop comes from a drop in boost pressure. There will always be a bit of both in any intercooler. The way to tell a really good intercooler from a bad one, is by calculating air density at both inlet and outlet. A really crap core may still drop the temperature but the air coming out could be less dense than the air going in. That will LOSE you power. A really good intercooler will increase air density, and that is FREE power, and what you are really after, not just a reduction in temperature.

When I first read "open your mouth really wide and blow" I thought it was going to be some smart arse comment. Nice explanation.