water to air intercooler

digga · 07-16-2002, 10:16 AM

Are water to air intercoolers more efficient? I found a place that offers one for the rex and was curious. I am interested in upgrading to a bigger intercooler and turbo...any suggestions?

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STEALTH-WRX · 07-16-2002, 10:26 AM

yes much more effecient. water has a 4 to 1 cooling ratio and air has a 1 to 1 cooling ratio. what does that mean to you. water can pull 4 times the heat out of the air than an air to air intercooler. here are some pros and cons:

pros: very very effecient, you can have it where your top mount is, so lag isn't as big as a problem with a front mount, it saves space

cons: it doesn't look as cool as a front mount.

Dori Dori · 07-16-2002, 02:56 PM

pros: ice in the water makes for super-efficient intercooling.

cons: heatsoaks after extended use (track events)

RS ING · 07-16-2002, 06:21 PM

I just finished an air to water intercooler. there are a couple of cars that had them stock. first of all there was a subaru in japan that had it. and then the toyota all-trac turbos had them and the GMC typhoon and syclone had them. My Corrado has a custom made one too. The toughest part of the whole system is finding a pump to flow enough water and then not burn up. Then after you get the air to water IC installed you have to get as much radiator in the car as possible. I also added a reservoir inside of my windshield washer bottle so that I could have a good high point to fill the IC full of water and so I could surround the reservoir with DRY ICE. This setup helped elminate all of my excessive stock plumb and the increased Throttle response is great. Corky Bell's supercharged book talks a little about air to water ICs and there are a number of online places to read up. The best one for you would be to read about the wrx in england that installed one

here is mine:

Dori Dori · 07-16-2002, 09:39 PM

Maximum boost baby! Corky loves water to air.

I have a link that sells them specifically for the MY02 WRX...I'll post it when I get to work tomorrow.

WRChris · 07-17-2002, 12:08 AM

a jacketed stock WRX IC would make a great a/w. ive considered picking up a core off ebay or something and doing it. the entire setup could be put together for ~250 easily

Sordid Philosopher · 07-17-2002, 01:17 AM

Before my car was destroyed I had found someone to jacket a stock IC for me (ala cosie convert). He charged $600 to weld an aluminum jacket and two injectors and two drains. I had purchased two plastic tanks that I placed in the trunk (wagon) and I was using a BMW water pump (very quiet). It worked on the bench but I never installed it. The guy who did the fabricating for me is a marine mechanic - did a really nice job. I don't trust my TIG welding skills as much as his, and since it had to be air tight, I let him do it.

I will put it in my new WRX, sometime between Oct and Jan depending on my refinance.

Good Luck.

Dori Dori · 07-17-2002, 07:43 AM

http://www.subysports.com./products2259.html

WRChris · 07-17-2002, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sordid Philosopher
Before my car was destroyed I had found someone to jacket a stock IC for me (ala cosie convert). He charged $600 to weld an aluminum jacket and two injectors and two drains. I had purchased two plastic tanks that I placed in the trunk (wagon) and I was using a BMW water pump (very quiet). It worked on the bench but I never installed it. The guy who did the fabricating for me is a marine mechanic - did a really nice job. I don't trust my TIG welding skills as much as his, and since it had to be air tight, I let him do it.

I will put it in my new WRX, sometime between Oct and Jan depending on my refinance.

Good Luck.

600$?? owww. ive sourced it around town here for WAAY less.

Sordid Philosopher · 07-18-2002, 12:39 AM

Where? Who did the work?

ImprezaRS dot com · 07-18-2002, 12:47 AM

My new air/water IC going on next week will look like the one here:

www.SubaruPlanet.com/turbosale.htm

We also have them for the WRX as a bolt on kit.

STEALTH-WRX · 07-18-2002, 12:10 PM

you could have had a custom spearco that flows twice as much with twice the core for the same price.

digga · 07-18-2002, 12:19 PM

how about the w/a intercooler at GFactor? Is this one any good?

gfactor

Sordid Philosopher · 07-18-2002, 01:10 PM

Digga - The Gforce a/w intercooler is a good product, but the Gfactor is a suspicious product.

Do a search on my name and gfactor and you'll see what some people said about it.

Good Luck.

ImprezaRS dot com · 07-18-2002, 10:57 PM

we highly recommend the Spearco A/W and the G-Force or SDR Performance Laminova A/W as the most efficient (why we sell 'em).

Larry
www.Subaruplanet.com

Sordid Philosopher · 07-19-2002, 12:11 AM

ImprezaRS dot com - I have real trouble finding your intercoolers (any intercoolers) on your site (www.Subaruplanet.com)...No offense but your site is cumbersome to use...can you direct me where these A/W intercoolers are?

Thanks.

ImprezaRS dot com · 07-20-2002, 12:19 AM

You have to call us at 719-630-SUBY to order.

I have been doing a little work on the site, and will be moving the each of products to their own webpage, and the products page will just be an index of what we sell...

Thanks for the feedback...

07-16-2002, 10:16 AM	#1
digga Scooby Newbie Member#: 21310 Join Date: Jul 2002	water to air intercooler Are water to air intercoolers more efficient? I found a place that offers one for the rex and was curious. I am interested in upgrading to a bigger intercooler and turbo...any suggestions? * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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07-16-2002, 10:26 AM	#2
STEALTH-WRX Scooby Specialist Member#: 7822 Join Date: Jun 2001 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: Huntington Beach, California Vehicle: 2002 WRX Multi layer snot green	yes much more effecient. water has a 4 to 1 cooling ratio and air has a 1 to 1 cooling ratio. what does that mean to you. water can pull 4 times the heat out of the air than an air to air intercooler. here are some pros and cons: pros: very very effecient, you can have it where your top mount is, so lag isn't as big as a problem with a front mount, it saves space cons: it doesn't look as cool as a front mount.

07-16-2002, 02:56 PM	#3
Dori Dori Scooby Specialist Member#: 6780 Join Date: May 2001 Chapter/Region: South East Location: South Florida Vehicle: 1993 Nissan	pros: ice in the water makes for super-efficient intercooling. cons: heatsoaks after extended use (track events)

07-16-2002, 06:21 PM	#4
RS ING Scooby Newbie Member#: 2928 Join Date: Nov 2000 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: SE VA/NC	I just finished an air to water intercooler. there are a couple of cars that had them stock. first of all there was a subaru in japan that had it. and then the toyota all-trac turbos had them and the GMC typhoon and syclone had them. My Corrado has a custom made one too. The toughest part of the whole system is finding a pump to flow enough water and then not burn up. Then after you get the air to water IC installed you have to get as much radiator in the car as possible. I also added a reservoir inside of my windshield washer bottle so that I could have a good high point to fill the IC full of water and so I could surround the reservoir with DRY ICE. This setup helped elminate all of my excessive stock plumb and the increased Throttle response is great. Corky Bell's supercharged book talks a little about air to water ICs and there are a number of online places to read up. The best one for you would be to read about the wrx in england that installed one here is mine:

07-16-2002, 09:39 PM	#5
Dori Dori Scooby Specialist Member#: 6780 Join Date: May 2001 Chapter/Region: South East Location: South Florida Vehicle: 1993 Nissan	Maximum boost baby! Corky loves water to air. I have a link that sells them specifically for the MY02 WRX...I'll post it when I get to work tomorrow.

07-17-2002, 12:08 AM	#6
WRChris Scooby Newbie Member#: 13418 Join Date: Dec 2001 Vehicle: 2002 WRX blur	a jacketed stock WRX IC would make a great a/w. ive considered picking up a core off ebay or something and doing it. the entire setup could be put together for ~250 easily

07-17-2002, 01:17 AM	#7
Sordid Philosopher Scooby Specialist Member#: 16854 Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: East Bay - CA Vehicle: 2003 WRX Sedan White	Before my car was destroyed I had found someone to jacket a stock IC for me (ala cosie convert). He charged $600 to weld an aluminum jacket and two injectors and two drains. I had purchased two plastic tanks that I placed in the trunk (wagon) and I was using a BMW water pump (very quiet). It worked on the bench but I never installed it. The guy who did the fabricating for me is a marine mechanic - did a really nice job. I don't trust my TIG welding skills as much as his, and since it had to be air tight, I let him do it. I will put it in my new WRX, sometime between Oct and Jan depending on my refinance. Good Luck.

07-17-2002, 07:43 AM	#8
Dori Dori Scooby Specialist Member#: 6780 Join Date: May 2001 Chapter/Region: South East Location: South Florida Vehicle: 1993 Nissan	http://www.subysports.com./products2259.html

07-18-2002, 12:39 AM	#10
Sordid Philosopher Scooby Specialist Member#: 16854 Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: East Bay - CA Vehicle: 2003 WRX Sedan White	Where? Who did the work?

07-18-2002, 12:47 AM	#11
ImprezaRS dot com over boosted again Moderator Member#: 1458 Join Date: May 2000 Chapter/Region: RMIC Location: Colorado Springs CO USA Vehicle: 2006 B9 Tribeca LTD 2005 Impreza 2.5 RS	My new air/water IC going on next week will look like the one here: www.SubaruPlanet.com/turbosale.htm We also have them for the WRX as a bolt on kit.

07-18-2002, 12:10 PM	#12
STEALTH-WRX Scooby Specialist Member#: 7822 Join Date: Jun 2001 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: Huntington Beach, California Vehicle: 2002 WRX Multi layer snot green	you could have had a custom spearco that flows twice as much with twice the core for the same price.

07-18-2002, 12:19 PM	#13
digga Scooby Newbie Member#: 21310 Join Date: Jul 2002	how about the w/a intercooler at GFactor? Is this one any good? gfactor

07-18-2002, 01:10 PM	#14
Sordid Philosopher Scooby Specialist Member#: 16854 Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: East Bay - CA Vehicle: 2003 WRX Sedan White	Digga - The Gforce a/w intercooler is a good product, but the Gfactor is a suspicious product. Do a search on my name and gfactor and you'll see what some people said about it. Good Luck.

07-18-2002, 10:57 PM	#15
ImprezaRS dot com over boosted again Moderator Member#: 1458 Join Date: May 2000 Chapter/Region: RMIC Location: Colorado Springs CO USA Vehicle: 2006 B9 Tribeca LTD 2005 Impreza 2.5 RS	we highly recommend the Spearco A/W and the G-Force or SDR Performance Laminova A/W as the most efficient (why we sell 'em). Larry www.Subaruplanet.com

07-19-2002, 12:11 AM	#16
Sordid Philosopher Scooby Specialist Member#: 16854 Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: East Bay - CA Vehicle: 2003 WRX Sedan White	ImprezaRS dot com - I have real trouble finding your intercoolers (any intercoolers) on your site (www.Subaruplanet.com)...No offense but your site is cumbersome to use...can you direct me where these A/W intercoolers are? Thanks.

07-20-2002, 12:19 AM	#17
ImprezaRS dot com over boosted again Moderator Member#: 1458 Join Date: May 2000 Chapter/Region: RMIC Location: Colorado Springs CO USA Vehicle: 2006 B9 Tribeca LTD 2005 Impreza 2.5 RS	You have to call us at 719-630-SUBY to order. I have been doing a little work on the site, and will be moving the each of products to their own webpage, and the products page will just be an index of what we sell... Thanks for the feedback...