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Stock Intercooler Performance

scott87star

By scott87star,
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scott87star Enthusiast

scott87star

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I was just digging through my old laptop for some data to post in another topic and came across these, I see the question get asked on occasion so here you go, pressure drop and temperature drop in the stock intercooler on a stock 87 widebody.

 

 

http://picturehosting.com/images/oblique9881/copcv1presschart_1.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://picturehosting.com/images/oblique9881/copcv1tempchart_1.jpg

 

 

 

 

This is a run up from 1500-5000 rpm if I remember correctly. Yes, the stock turbo is actually putting out about 11 psi boost to get 7.5 of it into the manifold, loosing two in the intercooler and 2.5 across the throttle body. Yes, I measured 7.5 psi boost in the manifold downstream of the tb. The factory boost gauge was pretty accurate where it was calibrated.

Edited by scott87star
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Lizzord30 Newbie

Lizzord30

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years back we measured the Tainer's car in order to show 15 lbs at the intake we had to run 19.5 lbs out of the turbo , at the time I belief they were running a T3T4 turbo

 

I think that was with the 60trim t3/t4 if i remember right, not really that great of a setup at the time.

Makes me think maybe the 12a is very poor match for inter-cooler, being it can only do a rather low amount of boost efficiently..... since at the same boost the turbo is doing less work. Just and idea.

Edited by Lizzord30
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StarquestRescue Newbie

StarquestRescue

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Is it the restriction on the stock intercooler and/or the thin sheet metal endtanks or?

When you cool air it becomes denser and looses pressure. So pressure drop is not necessarily a bad thing. Unless it comes from restriction. But even the best intercooler will have some restriction.
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Lizzord30 Newbie

Lizzord30

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Ahh good point. but im sure the 2.5psi at the tb must mean its too small. I cant remember when we tested my conquest if it was with the stock IC or with my big one. But it does help explain my great results at lower boost then most, since i have a larger IC then most. Curious now for what the pressure drop on a non IC car is from turbo to OVCP. The efficany of the turbo is based on the difference from the inlet to the outlet. Not the pressure at the intake.
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Shelby Newbie

Shelby

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what he means is there HAS to be a pressure drop , no drop in pressure means almost no decreas in air temps , so in reality any IC that does not have any pressure drop may not be the best for your set up

in fact may be worse , isn't the whole point to make the air charge as dence/cool as possible

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Caliber308 Collaborator

Caliber308

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isn't the whole point to make the air charge as dence/cool as possible

 

Yep. It really doesn't matter what size Intercooler your running if the Ambiant Temperature conditions are not at the optimum. 40 degrees? Hell yea, your car will perform like a champ. 90 degrees..... Not so much. So.Should we spend a lot of money on a larger than Stock Intercooler when we live in Arizona during the summer???? I wouldn't. And let's face it.....The Aftermarket Intercooler does not really produce a more significant volume of cooler air compared to the Stock unit to justify the added cost for a TBI set up. Want to increase output on your TBI set up???? MAF-Translator, Larger Fuel Injectors, Adjustable BCRRFPR,Aftermarket Fuel Pump,OVC and Intercooler hardpipes,A/F Wideband and Upgraded electronics (Coil,Spark Plug Wires and ECU).

 

Bill

Edited by Caliber308
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Lizzord30 Newbie

Lizzord30

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Yep. It really doesn't matter what size Intercooler your running if the Ambiant Temperature conditions are not at the optimum. 40 degrees? Hell yea, your car will perform like a champ. 90 degrees..... Not so much. So.Should we spend a lot of money on a larger than Stock Intercooler when we live in Arizona during the summer???? I wouldn't. And let's face it.....The Aftermarket Intercooler does not really produce a more significant volume of air flow compared to the Stock unit to justify the added cost for a TBI set up. Want to increase output on your TBI set up???? MAF-Translator, Larger Fuel Injectors, Adjustable BCRRFPR,Aftermarket Fuel Pump,OVC and Intercooler hardpipes,A/F Wideband and Upgraded electronics (Coil,Spark Plug Wires and ECU).

 

Bill

 

So because its warm out you dont want to bother with a larger IC???? Interesting..... Maybe just go without a IC if its over 100 out!! then dont have to worry about spool or flow restriction :o

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Fuze Grand Master

Fuze

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The intercooler also performs differently when being hit by fast airflow over it's surface, than when it's sitting idling soaking up heat and not dissipating it effectively.

 

Air removes heat as it passes over the surface. As with any Aluminum heatsink, more surface area = faster heat dissipation, that's both internal and external surface area, which is why the bar and plate style IC's became so popular. (More surface area, same size package)

 

A bigger IC not only has more surface area, but bigger inlet/outlets reducing restriction. Most of the quality intercoolers I see drop about 2PSI at medium boost, 16-18PSI. You also have to factor the bigger IC piping being less of a restriction. An intercooler upgrade makes sense if you are spending money on a turbo and exhaust.

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Caliber308 Collaborator

Caliber308

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So because its warm out you dont want to bother with a larger IC???? Interesting..... Maybe just go without a IC if its over 100 out!! then dont have to worry about spool or flow restriction :o

 

You didn't read my entire post.Maybe you should.

 

Bill

 

 

Edited by Caliber308
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Lizzord30 Newbie

Lizzord30

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You didn't read my entire post.Maybe you should.

 

Bill

Yep. It really doesn't matter what size Intercooler your running if the Ambiant Temperature conditions are not at the optimum.

 

Just trying to make a point you have flawed logic. The turbo will heat up the air a % over the inlet temp so doesn't matter (well it does somewhat) if its 100 or 0 out the turbo will heat it and the ic will drop around the same amount. As for stock TBI I deff dont think a ic should be the first upgrade, everything has to flow good one things wont do much. But I think its only logical that people that would care about the efficenfy of the stock IC already have most of the upgrade your posted (and I agree should do most of thoes before doing the IC). It does matter what size your ic is. unless your in like northern canada and its always cold then no real need, but even then colder air will be more dense.

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Shelby Newbie

Shelby

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actualy if you can SEE thru an IC it's not as good as one that you can't see thru

if you check the ic closely you'll see that the air fins are made in such a way they actualy block air flow , not block but change the air flow direction causeing the air to contact as much fin surface as possible , it's the fin's that do the cooling not the tubes them selves , as with any radiator rocks bugs etc will block air flow thus reduceing the over all performance of the IC

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Caliber308 Collaborator

Caliber308

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Not checking your Stock Inter cooler for debris and cleaning it,or not installing a Mesh or screen in front of your Inter cooler to prevent this is on you as the owner. Installing a Larger Inter cooler sometimes is not the answer. Maintaining the Stock one you have.....YEP.I installed a Aluminum Mesh diamond shaped Inter cooler cover years ago, and clean the front of my Stock Inter cooler with a pressure washer every time I wash the car. Do I have a problem with cooling the air from the Turbo to the Throttle Body through the Stock Inter cooler? NO.

 

I do recommend replacing the Turbo to Inter cooler hoses with hard pipes and good Purosil or the like couplers.The same with the Stock OVC pipe (half of it is hard pipe,the balance is a cloth covered rubber hose).

 

P.S. Average cost for a upgraded Starquest Inter cooler...........$725.00. Hell, for that much money I could do a hell of a lot of other aftermarket upgrades that would make a bigger difference elsewhere on my Starquest. I.E:

 

After market upgraded Fuel Pump.

After market upgraded Fuel Injectors.

Adjustable Rising Rate Fuel Pressure Regulator.

After market upgraded Turbocharger.

High Performance Spark Plug Wires.

Digital Ignition Box.

After market upgraded Cylinder head.

After market upgraded Camshaft.

After market upgraded Exhaust.

Wideband AFR Gauge.

 

 

I could go on and on.I think most, but not all of the members on SQC understand what I'm saying.

 

Bill

Edited by Caliber308
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Fuze Grand Master

Fuze

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Wait what?

 

Just mean until you empty the bottle ;)

 

 

P.S. Average cost for a upgraded Inter cooler...........$725.00.

 

 

They are actually mostly less than $200 these days... I do remember the days when Spearco was the only option but things are different now...

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Caliber308 Collaborator

Caliber308

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They are actually mostly less than $200 these days.

 

Fed Ex me what you were smoking when you posted the above comment.

 

A 1990 to 1994 Mitsubishi Eclipse after market Intercooler with ALL the piping,couplers and clamps is $500.00.And that is a Intercooler package that is mass produced. So, are you going to continue to say that you can get the same Intercooler package at $200.00 for a Starquest?

 

If you can get a After market Intercooler package (Intercooler,Pipes and Clamps) from a reputable manufacturer at $200.00 for a Starquest....Put me down for five of them.

 

Bill

Edited by Caliber308
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Starwolf Newbie

Starwolf

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Uhhh I bought a big (however it was an ebay intercooler) pipes and let a shop weld it and run the pipes and it wasn't even close to $750.

 

Intercooler itself was about $140. Then again it doesn't really matter because I am running methanol so I can't tell you how much it helped :D

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scott87star Enthusiast

scott87star

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No argument there! It's good have specs for comparison though. And don't fall for horsepower specs, that's marketing. Engineering specifications for an inter cooler are pressure drop and thermal efficiency.
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