I have been researching a custom air to water intertercooler for my superchaged 4th gen. I looks to be easy to do on a 4th gen, I dunno about a 5th gen.

You would have to relocate your battery to the trunk because the AWIC would be installed in its place. I have found a Spearco AWIC wich is perfect. The best price I could find on it so far is $475. You also need a durable electric water pump for this, I have found one from the same company for $165.

You will need to do a little custom work to install this stuff and make a system for your car, your own your own with that. I was hoping that their would be others who might be interested in doing this and be willing to do a group buy on the AWIC and Pump. These two items are the most expensive part of the kit.

My guesstimate for total cost for a DIY install is ~$900 including a water resivior, radiator for the water, hoses, tubing, hose clamps, battery relocation, etc. If your a good junk yard cruiser you could probably come in for under $900.

I havent spoken to my vendor about a quantity discount yet, I'm just gauging seirous interest for a purchase in a month or two.

If you need to know about performance gains do some self research on air to water intecoolers. This is a custom thing so who knows how big the gains are going to be, but they should be substantial for those running high boost.

Look here for my insperation on this project.
http://home.ccci.org/key_information/AirWaterIC.htm

 

I just saw I30Krab's car. He has a Vortech air to water after cooler. Aren't they pretty expensive after all the plumbings and the extra radiator? Wouldn't an air to air one be alot cheaper?

 

The Vortech kits run about $1500 list for specific cars...

I'm not sure how much help they would be unless we are boosting over 10 psi...

I've been thinking of custom fabricating a 'unit/heatsink' between the MAF and TB and just cooling it down with Peltier coolers! Just dreaming a little dream...

I'm in if you want help with this project...

Air to Air IC require you to route the air in front of the radiator... longer length = drop in boost.

 

This is my logic for favoring air to air. The charger itself is capable of doing more boost since it was designed for other cars ie. Mustangs, Camaros. The drop in boost can be make up by changing to a smaller pulley. If the charger was at its maximum capacity, then air to water will be the logical choice. Parts are just cheaper for the air to air. You would need custom piping for both anyway. A big air cooler is about ~$800 while a water cooler is about ~$1400. One thing I like about the air to water is the ability to use ice. Anyway, both has been done on the maxima. I believe this company did I30Krab's kit. http://www.climaxracing.com/ You might able to contact them for more info.

 

It take power to make boost, so trying to over come a best case of 1.5psi boost loss using a FMIC with a smalley pulley is not good. Spearco claims that its AWIC will only drop 0.25psi at full flow.

As far as "custom" tubing goes it will be more expensive to do a FMIC. The tubing on the AWIC mounted by the battery will be simple enough to require no welding, just a few silicone couplers and hose clamps.

The Vortech system is expensive but its complete. However with some creativity it can be done properly for ~$900. A FMIC would cost perhaps the same or more to get the same cooling as a AWIC.

Did you do your research????? Guess not!!! I did.

 

Nope...didn't do any research, just from what I read and seen. Domestic guys love air to water. They must work The water cell is going to take up some space in the trunk, but besides that I don't see any draw back. Maybe the extra radiator will block some flow to the main radiator.

 

Im getting a custom air to water intercooler for my 5th gen dun. The shop has already dun one. It's gonnna go right out fron and all you will see is intercooler. That guys droped a little less than 1 psi. I think he gained about 35 hp though so it's worth it.

 

Here is a pic of my buddies 99 GXE with a custom AWIC
he ran 13.3@106 with almost no traction on STOCK 15s and 8 psi

 

Good God. That sucker is huge. It's like two times bigger than the Vortech one.

 

I would like to do an intercooler but I am very unsure of what to do. I think we should all do some of our own research, and compare....Then we could all get a group deal on a set of them

-Mike

 

Wow... I don't think we'll need one that big... Air to Water IC have a much greater thermal stability the Air to Air ones... Plus my Pelteir cooler idea could work with it! hehe....

 

That is sweet. I think air to water are better bcause You can pack it and it says colder than a air to air.

 

Sign me up... most of the work on my end is already done... heehee

 

Whoa, that is huge!

Can you hook me up with contact info on your friend via PM?

 

If we got air/water IC's then we could go the next step and get refrigeration units. I have a friend that is a MR2 owner and he said that they make a kit for his deuce that has the compressor and everything.

Refigeration would be crazy

 

I got in touch with the shop that did this install, they quoted me $975 for the intercooler, radiator & water resivor, plus $140 for the pump. Then you would still have to do the custom tubing to make it work. Sounds to me like this guy spent close to $1500 to do this. I still think I can do it for under $900.

 

That setup is kinda odd. I know it's the stock filter but it's bring in warmer air right there than if he had a cold air supply. Then the intercooler is right there with the rest of the heat...thats alot of hot air.

The shop that is going to do mine is going to make all new custom powder coated pipes, new filter, Air to water intercooler out front. And everthing else for about 3g's...now there in a rich area so they charge alot. But I think 900 bucks is way low. Normal price for all that is prob gonna be around 2000gs retail. I mean the air to watter intercooler mostly go for over 1g anyway.

 

First of all it dosent have to look pretty to be fast, my car proves this . As far as costing under $900, I think its very possible with some creative junk yard scavenging and buying the propper sized AWIC. A 3L V6 @ 6500rpms with 10psi of boost is moving 522cfm, at 14psi its moving 607cfm. The Spearco AWIC that I found for $475 is rated at 570cfm with a 0.25psi pressure drop. Thats awesome!!!

If you do a honkin large shiney overkill system it will be much more expensive, but no more effective. IMHO.

 

That smaller one by Spearco should do the job... you'll need the other heat exchanger plus the water pump... I don't think we will need a reservoir...

 

Mabye, but if you ever want to do ice water you will.

 

I've been running A/W for over a year with no problems. Go ahead and get the Spearco core, it's a good one. I'm using a core from a Ford Lightning.

However, you can run a much cheaper pump. I'm using a Groco unit that's designed for use recirculating bait tank water. You can find these things all over, check camping/RV/marine shops. What's most important is a high flow rating as the water lines are quite restrictive. I think mine is 20gpm @ 6 amps.

You late model guys are lucky. There is a ton of space in the nose of the car for a good radiator. Try to use a Honda radiator if you can; they're thin, light, and small + designed for cooling water. Don't use an oil cooler, they're the wrong application. I have three small radiators running in parallel, two in front of the car, and one in the drivers fender well. This is the limiting factor in cooling the car, as the charge air temps are basically the temp of the water in the system.

A reservor is necessary to ensure the pump always gets water, and not air bubbles. Also if you want to go to the track, you can add ice.

Good luck.

MK

 

I wasn't trying to knock ya I just thought 900 sounded real low. If you can do it do it. That would be kewl. I never said it woun't be effective alot of cars come with intercoolers in the engine bay. i think the wrx has that. So I know it works I was just saying it's kinda odd looking. I just Gotta look pretty while going fast.

 

So you're going to drive with your hood open?

 

The Lightning core didn't show any pressure drop, and charge temps again are the same as the coolant temp, thus often about 10 deg above ambient. (Measured with a two channel Fluke). I used 2.5" plumbing to the I/C and 3" from it to the enigne.

Here's another site to get an idea about a cheap system.
http://home.ccci.org/key_information/AirWaterIC.htm

I think I spent less than $200 to put my stuff together, but it looks that way. Someone handy could do a Spearco core system for less than $750.

n/a Cores
16 pump
7 relay / socket /switch
25 3/4" heater hose
25 hose clamps
10 nipples, fittings
40 aluminum sheet, for end tanks, brackets
15 silicon couplers
30 steel mandrel bends
10 SAAB reservour
5 JB weld

good luck,

MK

 

The intercooler would be out front. Therefor when I fly up behind you you would see it in the mirror.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by j30_vg30et

Hey J30_VG30ET, you wouldn't happen to own a white turboed 3rd gen in the new england area, would you? I noticed thats a 3rd gen intake manifold. Hmm.. sweetness. Got any more pics? Can you email me some? Thanks..

 

Why would you want an AWIC out in front, one of the benifits of am AWIC is you can make the tubing shorter thus having less boost loss. If your going to put it out front just do a FMIC.

 

Are you sure you're not talking about a front mount air-to-air intercooler?

 

Thanks!

Is it a stock core from a Lightning? Wana make one up for me? How much would it cost?

What was the cost of your pump? Do you have a model number? Is it quiet or can you hear it while your ideling?

 

If you feel the IC box(big silver thing) after he's been driving around for 10 minutes the thing is literally ice cold. His DOES mount in front and you can see it when you look in your rear-view....

 

Front mount air to watter intercooler. There's alot of cars that have it. Supra's, drag cars etc. But it's pretty common

 

hmmmm

 

I put some info on my web page for those who are believers.

http://www.geocities.com/mardigrasmax/awicproj.htm

 

The car is a white '91 and is in souther california.

The Lightning intercooler core is one of the later model units from the '01 trucks. After welding one set of end tanks, I'm done. Just go with the Spearco core, they're nice and if it leaks you might be able to warranty it.

Good luck.