Intercooler Core Size? [Merged 5-7]

[FastRthenU]

I can get intercoolers fairly cheap. But im not sure if they are going to be big enough. The intercooler i was looking at has a core size of
20x10x3 . this is a spearco core. I want to know if this is going to be big enough? I plan on running a T3/T4 60trim with a .63 ar. 272 cams, and other suporting mods. Will this intercooler be ok, or will it just heat soak? It seems that alot of the intercoolers out there are 3.5 inches think. this one is only 3 inches thick. Will this make a huge difference?

 

[Antilles]

I doubt that will be big enough for a 60 trim. Thats about the same overall core size as the supra sidemount. Better that the supra sidemount mind you, but not by a whole lot. I would look at something AT LEAST the size of the IRC/Buschur street core.

chris

 

[KenTSIII]

Spearco doesn't make cores that size either.

 

[FastRthenU]

Ok well the proper size is 2.87" X 10.5" X 20.0". I just wanted to give you a rough idea

 

[KenTSIII]

Still not a spearco... sounds like a garrett or griffen core.

 

[GunnerTSi]

Actually Ken, I believe that is a spearco that he's describing, in fact, it sounds a lot like this one.....

3-183 INTERCOOLER CORE - 2.87" X 10.5" X 20.0" information from.....


Spearco IC cores

I still think that would be a little on the small side for a 60 trim though. It would work, but something bigger, like the standard 2-120, or 2-216 would be much more effective.

 

[FastRthenU]

GUNNER TSI

PLEASE COME DOWN

YOU ARE THE NEXT CONTESTENT ON NAME THAT CORE :laugh:


Im sorry Ken. But i think you should do your home work. It is a spearco
Yep im thinkin it is to small now to. Oh well i will spend the big buck then to get a better one

 

[KenTSIII]

I do alot of research... esp on FMIC cores. Spearco/Turbonetics no longer offers the 3-xxx cores due to lack of demand & inferior performance to the bar & plate design.

 

[FastRthenU]

Still, you should make sure your correct before you say somthing. I dont really care. But just make sure next time

 

[2-0turbo]

Originally posted by Antilles
I doubt that will be big enough for a 60 trim. Thats about the same overall core size as the supra sidemount.
chris

How's that math work?

 

[Antilles]

20x10x3= 600 cubic inches. I measure my SSMIC core and it came to about 590 cubic inches. The supra sidemount is not as small as most people think.

chris

 

[Spidey]

Originally posted by FastRthenU
Still, you should make sure your correct before you say somthing. I dont really care. But just make sure next time

Not to start a flame ware, but he was correct, the core is no longer made/offered, therefore it is not a Spearco anymore.

 

[Antilles]

I would have to agree with Spidey. I kinda thought when i saw your post

 

[GunnerTSi]

Originally posted by Spidey


Not to start a flame ware, but he was correct, the core is no longer made/offered, therefore it is not a Spearco anymore.

To follow your logic........because it is no longer made by spearco, then it wasn't made by spearco because they stopped making it, and it follows that, even though it was in fact made by spearco before they stopped making it, it is still not a spearco core because they no longer make it.

What he found was indeed an old 3-183 SPEARCO core, yes, that's right, a spearco core that it just happens they no longer make.

 

[FastRthenU]

I dont want to start a flame war either. But spidey, your reply makes no sense. Its like saying a Toyota Supra is no longer a Toyota Supra anymore because they no longer make the car???????

It is still a Spearco core. You just cant buy them anymore. unless you can find them somwhere

 

[KenTSIII]

But to awnser the above question... The 3-183 flows 920 CFM @ 1.5 psi pressure drop. And according to the catalog can support 645HP.

 

[FastRthenU]

Nice job Ken. THis is the info i was looking for. So then this intercooler should be fine for a T3/T4 60 trim stage 3 .63ar then.
What do the rest of you think?

 

[Antilles]

Um, i wouldnt count on it. Theres a guy on here with an intercooler double that size with a 14B. Like i said earlier...a BR or IRC street core would be the smallest thing i would ever consider. With a 60 trim, i would personally go with a IRC Race core or customize my own.

That IC is really small as far as front mounts go. But in the end its all up to you. How much will you sacrifice to save a buck?

 

[FastRthenU]

Its not the size of the intercooler, but how you use it

why would i not use this intercooler if it can flow that much CFM and is good for horespower like that????

 

[Antilles]

The catalog says its good for 600+ hp. i wonder what the catalog says the IRC street core is good for then? 1200hp?

and people gripe about the greddy cores being small...

all im saying is that its small. not just small, but tiny. thats the kind of IC you would put on a turbo'd neon with a miniature turbo. you want to try it with a 60 trim? go for it, but dont be suprised at how fast it heatsoaks.

lastly, if you got the bucks to run a 60 trim, why go cheap on the intercooler?

 

[FastRthenU]

Its not that im going for a cheap intercooler. But if i can buy it cheap and it works well, why not?

Well if this intercooler is so small then, i guess the Dsmsport intercooler's arnt that big then?

221 FMIC assembly (from there site)
This FMIC assembly uses the core #2-115 18" wide, 6"tall, 3.5" thick. It is top to bottom flow, with cast endtanks of 2.5"in/outlet. This core is rated by Spearco to flow 1080CFM at 1.5psi pressure drop. The endtanks are welded on at Spearco, and add approximately 5" to the overall height It is recommended for T25-14B-16G cars because the piping is simple to connect to your existing upper and lower IC pipes. This allows continued use of parts you might have already upgraded. 20g equipped DSM's have gone 10's on this intercooler.

120 FMIC (from there site)
This intercooler is a custom assembly with sheet metal endtanks using core #2-120. Core measures 24" wide,7.9" tall, 3.5" thick and is side-to-side flow. We can custom order to your specifications on inlet and outlet size


the first intercooler is less wide by 2 inches, and is shorter then 4 inchs. But is a half a inch wider. so really this intercooler is small then the one i want. But ppl have gone 10's with it
why does this one not heat soak??

The other one is 4inchs longer, 2 inches shorter, and a half inch wider. Its not that much bigger. Any they recomend this for any street car.

216 FMIC (from there site)
This Intercooler is a custom assembly with sheet metal endtanks using core #2-216. Core measures 28" wide, 10.5" tall, 3.5" thick and is also side-to-side flow. Rated by Spearco to flow 790CFM at 1.5psi pressure drop. Cooling capacity and flow rate are increased from the Street FMIC

Now this one is there RACE intercooler. They use it on there race car. Now what i can not understand is. It only flows 790CFM, and it say's it flow's more then there street unit.(the 120 FMIC) So if this is the case then, the intercooler i want out flows both there race, and street unit??? I know that the race will cool more though becasue of its size. But the thing that is getting me is, that the first FMIC out flow's them all (Rated for 1080 cfm) and is able to put a car into the 10's, but is smaller then the one i want. The one you say will just heat soak???

CAN SOMEONE HELP ME OUT

 

[GunnerTSi]

CFM, and the cores ability to reduce the air temp are not necessarily related. Just because one IC flows great numbers doesn't mean it will lower the temp better than another core. You'll never be pushing 1080cfm through that IC anyways, no matter how big of a turbo you get.

The bottom line is that the 2-120, and 2-216 are the two most proven IC setups out there. They allow for the shortest routed piping which helps a huge deal.

The 2-221 top to bottom flowing core has gone 10's, I believe Al Blaha ran that core, even coated black for a nice sleeper look, and he'd be the one to have gone 10's with it.

 

[FastRthenU]

I know CFM doesnt mean its going to cool better. But the thing i dont understand is about the first interooler.(221 FMIC) it is smaller then the one i want but you can go 10's with it????

but ppl say the one i want is going to heat soak. But speaco rates it for 600 + horse's and it flows good cfm which will help VE.

 

[Antilles]

What you need to understand is that a 60 trim is a very large turbo. Would you use 2.5" exhaust or use a 190lph fuel pump or use 550cc injectors? I wouldnt. The 2-120 is a street core....big enough for most aplications, but i would be hesitant with a large turbo. I see you also want 272/272 race cams. The intercooler would deffinately be the weakest link and hardest obstical to overcome in a setup like that.

As far as small intercoolers going fast, yeah, they can and do, but often times with other things to assist in reducing knock and or cooling. water sprayers, water injection, or nitrous.

 

[GunnerTSi]

I never said that core you're looking at wouldn't work. In fact if might work just fine, but the others are defintely better alternatives.

Blaha is the only one I KNOW of that ran 10's with that core, there might be others, but I'll say one thing, there are guys like Al, Curt Brown, and Sheps that do things that the ordinary guy will never be able to match.