How To Build a water-cooled Chargecooler/intercooler

[Are-mnja]

I sort of stole your idea to I used an audi a6 cooler, with cast endings. The outlets had to be relocated a little tough...




Still woriking on the pump system, the waterpump is from a Opel Omega A.


Radiator mounted above tranny:

[Paul H]

We just ran this off the shelf charge cooler and it works fine to a point
but over a 1/4 mile run starting with 26 degree AIT temps at 3/4 track temps are over 60 degree's and rising. The system including the header tank
holds over 2 gallon of water and it's mad hot back at the pits. The water system also cools the turbo housing which obviously adds plenty of heat. These systems definately work well but only as good as the radiator.We'll be adding a larger header tank in ally and another radiator (oil cooler) to keep temps below 60degree all the way

[panel]

Great lookin' mill you have there

[paul_f]

Paul, Why don't you just run two cooling circuits? Unless you do that you can't tell how well the charge cooler is working.

The turbo circuit is going to be putting most of that heat into the system, you are probably better off disconnecting the turbo and running it open than heating up the chargecooler circuit.

At Spa Rich's turbo cooling circuit boiled over, the chargecooler circuit stayed much cooler

[Paul H]

Yes I can't tell how much heat the turbo puts in there but it is fairly well exposed hanging out the back. The sytem was a rush job using a old 5litre petrol can as a header tank and some garden hose pipe in there too.
Cruising back from the drag racing the air temp was stable at 40 degrees C no boost and oil temps were 185 deg C. If I get time I'll fit a temp sensor in the water line an extra 96 row mesa cooler and a longer pipe from the header tank so I can easily empty the hot stuff and refill will cold water before a run

[Piledriver]

We just ran this off the shelf charge cooler and it works fine to a point
but over a 1/4 mile run starting with 26 degree AIT temps at 3/4 track temps are over 60 degree's and rising. The system including the header tank
holds over 2 gallon of water and it's mad hot back at the pits. The water system also cools the turbo housing which obviously adds plenty of heat. These systems definately work well but only as good as the radiator.We'll be adding a larger header tank in ally and another radiator (oil cooler) to keep temps below 60degree all the way

Paul, the turbo only needs the water cooling connected to the housing is you are shutting off hot, and even then it only prevents coking.

Cut that off and you will probably find you just increased your cooling capacity 5X.

The only other reason to MAYBE water cool the turbo is to reduce underhood temps, but that does not sound like it applies.

[Paul H]

I'm paranoid about my $$$ turbo

[paul_f]

I have just looked at the data logs Rich took on his drive back from the dyno, and he was running IATs of 21degC, I think the ambient was about 13 or 14degrees.

I still think you will get the better results running two circuits.

It certainly would be easier for this weekend just making it possible to put fresh cold water in there though!

[Paul H]

Yes I think it'll just have to be a cold water fill for now although there's that much waiting around at dragstrips I probably won't have to bother.
The engine and trans will soon be finding a new home in the back of a well prepared splitty bus so all the problems can be dealt with then at someone elses expense

[Paul H]

Further information after the weekend showed AIT at the start line just before burnout was 26 degrees C rising to 46 degree C at the end of the 1/4 mile with boost peaking at 27psi so I think it's quite efficient and with a bit more water capacity and maybe another small radiator the temps could be kept below 35 degrees C. I can compare it soon to the beetle with large air to air IC

[ToRy 70]

i'll post pics of my completed setup soon, after i button up the motor again. took it out to finally fix my cam plug leak, and also add urethane rear mounts and the traction bars.

[ToRy 70]

here's my setup:

intercooler on top of the shroud with a line running into the bottom and out of the top. the top line runs through the vents above the decklid and into the cabin just under the rear window.


on the inside there is the resevoir. it only holds a gallon or so... the whole system maybe 2.5 gallons. i made the opening out of a BIG 4 inch aluminum v-band assembly that i scored for cheap. it makes access for water (and ice) very easy. i also have a drain valve that will drain all but one inch from the bottom of the tank... so i can drain and fill with ice without re-priming the lines.


here's the lines under the car... had to remake the ends when i realized the sway bar was RIGHT in the way. the lines are aluminum tube under the pan for some more cooling. you can also see the pan scoops that go to the engine fan and remote cooler. not sure how much air is under there but we'll see.



then the motorbike radiators up front in the spare tire area... computer fans puling air through them. the pump is on the pan on the other side (opposite the MC).


holes cut for airflow, a little mesh to keep leaves out...


that's pretty much it. the pump is gravity fed from the high resevoir and the whole system is vented to atmosphere at the top. haven't boosted much yet but cruising temps on a 15 mile street drive showed IAT at 10 degrees above ambient, so it does pretty well.

sorry about the cell phone pics.

[Matt Keene]

Nice, clean install Tory. Good work!

[fastback]

many nice design's here.
but be aware of heatsoak when mounted in the engine bay
insulated my Water-intercooler and got a 20°C drop after insulating

[Matt Keene]

Do you have any pics of your insulated
chargecooler? Would be interesting to see. Thanks