Why don't they make copper intercoolers?

[truwarrior]

Why don't they make copper intercoolers? Doesn't copper transfer heat better? Would it heat soak to fast? I guess it's heavier but owell.

 

[jsicfy]

Its heavy and the thinner stuff is hard to weld.

 

[m4t]

not sure that this is the reason why, but copper oxidizes, more quickly at higher temperatures and airflows. ever seen the statue of liberty? it's copper, but green from oxidization. certain other oxides can form and flake off. i'm thinking that probably wouldn't be the best thing to be sucked into your engine. other than that, i don't know. copper is used a lot for heat sinks in computers, refrigerators, etc.
-matt

 

[drk mrk iv]

The intercooler would weight way too much. Every compared copper to aluminum?

 

[Defiant]

Those are pretty much it. Weight, cost, fabrication complexity, corrosion, work-hardening and other bad things. Even brass is largely surpassed by aluminum for radiators these days.

As for heat transfer, I'm not sure copper would work better than aluminum. The only way it would have a better resistance to heat-soak is if it started out cooler and was thicker, and then you'd wind up with less heat rejection.

A few on here have used copper for IC piping, however. Some people just have to do things differently.