D22 2.5 water to air intercooler

[gazza414]

Just wondering if anyone has done this conversion and removed the top mount intercooler ?

if they have lets ask some more questions as to why the conversion was done.

...I see PWR do a universal conversion kit

something to consider ? or not ?

 

[joshman]

The top mount intercooler is an air-to-air IC, and is only doing its job if the vehicle is traveling at speed, so any slow, low ranger work, the intercooler is doing bugger all, and in some case maybe making it worse.

Being mounted above the engine block isn't a very efficient place to put the IC, because of the heat soak from the block.

A water-to-air IC give the flexibility of mounting locations, and will also allow the IC to do its job in low speed applications.

 

[lee_fio]

Sorry guys I'm new here and just have a quick question if the turbo fails and peices fly into the water to air intercooler is there any chance or putting a hole in it and water flowing into the intake or do you guys think it will be strong enough thank you

 

[RustyNav09]

Im gonna use an old thread for my question.

Had a random thought before about water to air intercoolers. Is there any way you could plumb a air to air inline with a water to air. So effectively keeping the topmount intercooler and then installing a water to air under the bonnet and plumbing it in. So for high speed you have the air to air, but then off-road you have the cooling of a water to air in the slow stuff? To much loss of pressure or any other problems I may face?

 

[justdrinkbeer]

I think people have dome that, can't think where I read up on it. I think from memory the pressure drop on a water air cooler is pretty minimal but can't think where I got that from either.

I've been thinking of putting a water air cooler before the air air cooler plumbed to my water tank for hot showers

 

[RustyNav09]

I was thinking of having the whole setup on switches so its not running all the time. Put the water pump on a toggle switch and also have s tap on the water feed for the intercooler so I have to turn it on when I'm doing slow stuff. Then I'm thinking the water to air cooler may get heat soak from the air to air but it should be cooled anyway

 

[4x4 ST-R]

Sooo, did anyone end up doing a water to air intercooler???

 

[sparra04]

i believe the early model wrx has a water to air top mount almost identical in size to our 2.5 top mount i/c
still trying to source one

 

[4x4 ST-R]

i believe the early model wrx has a water to air top mount almost identical in size to our 2.5 top mount i/c
still trying to source one

I've got the 3.0 ltr. And as its water to air it shouldn't matter where you mount it, which is why im interested in this type, just the heat exchanger unit would need air flow.

 

[gazza414]

Remember the heat exchanger for a water to water is an air to water out the front and its doing buggar all too at low speeds.

LOOK AT THE SYSTEM for an overall solution

log boost and temps 1st before making any leaps

 

[4x4 ST-R]

I would have a thermo fan mounted on the heat exchanger. Probably on a sensor so it activates when the coolant hits a certain temp ie warmed up at low speeds. Then shuts down once cooled ie at high speeds/air flow.

 

[mr1jz]

Just run the fan from an ignition source so runs when the water pump runs. The longer the heat exchanger stays cooler, the better.


Has anyone thought of running a fan on top of the factory cooler to compensate for low speeds. Something is better then nothing.

 

[4x4 ST-R]

My mates pootrol has one mounted on top of it - pushing air through. It was on there when he bought it, so he doesn't know if it runs any different.

Good idea about the thermo fan link up.

 

[bods]

Just run the fan from an ignition source so runs when the water pump runs. The longer the heat exchanger stays cooler, the better.


Has anyone thought of running a fan on top of the factory cooler to compensate for low speeds. Something is better then nothing.

Rusty put a fan under it but he had to do a 1" body lift first and then make I/c mounts 10mm higher I believe. That was with the thinnest fan he could find. I don't think a fan would work well on top because of how low the scoop is compared to the height of the intercooler, you wouldn't really get much air through the fan. You may be able to raise the intercooler a little bit to fit a fan under without a body lift but i I'm not sure how much room there is to spare

 

[4x4 ST-R]

You could use a pootrol bonnet scoop as they sit higher afaik, or just find a scoop that does fit. The fan would spin as fast whether is is pushing or pulling air, so in theory it should have the same effect.

 

[bods]

Yeah, It will spin the same speed, the issue I'm thinking is it will sit so close to the underside of the scoop it won't be able to get much air in between the scoop and it.

Under would probably have the best effect being there is more surface area for the fan to pull air across the intercooler instead of trying to push it across. I agree, the patrol ones seem to work well whether they are on top or under, the bonnets on them must have more clearance above the motor...

 

[4x4 ST-R]

Yeah, It will spin the same speed, the issue I'm thinking is it will sit so close to the underside of the scoop it won't be able to get much air in between the scoop and it.

Under would probably have the best effect being there is more surface area for the fan to pull air across the intercooler instead of trying to push it across. I agree, the patrol ones seem to work well whether they are on top or under, the bonnets on them must have more clearance above the motor...

Ok, my Nav isn't intercooled and I haven't really taken much notice of how my mates thermo fan sits, but as it sits on top of the I/C under the bonnet scoop, wouldn't it be able to draw as much air as it wants as the scoop creates and opening to fresh cool air. I've never measured an I/C either but if it was 10 inches across, then buy a 10 inch thermo fan and just smash it with fresh air from above. That's what I think, obviously both methods have some pros and cons, ie top mounted thermo fan won't require a body lift but may require a new bonnet scoop.

All of this doesn't really worry me as I am getting a water to air I/C (eventually).

 

[dilmah]

I have a 12V fan sitting at home, might wire it up on the weekend and see if it makes any difference

 

[4x4 ST-R]

Yeh bro, let us know if it works. Maybe you can do skids again! Lol

 

[4x4 ST-R]

I have a 12V fan sitting at home, might wire it up on the weekend and see if it makes any difference

Did you get the fan fitted up?