intercooler flow testing

[94awdcoupe]

Did some flow testing a couple of years ago.. Not really sure how useful this info is but I had fun doing it. I got an idea of testing airflow using the mass air meter. My next door neighbor has new dynojet so I had him bring home the most powerful fan he had. Holding the airflow meter in front of the fan yielded 450hz. My plan was to make a big funnel for the fan which would have been alot of work. Then he shows me this other fan he had that blows up those large for rent yard bouncing toys . We put the air meter in front of it and it read 813hz. I thought to myself that should do the trick.
airflow numbers for reference
idle 50hz
lite cruise 140hz
8 psi boost third gear 655hz
26psi 1970hz

test results:
bare air meter 813hz
air meter w/coupler 804

coolers left to right:
xs engineering 471
PWR 461
ebay 24X12X4 RNR race 604
greddy 3 row supra core 599
Nisie street 399
ebay AMS copy (xspower) 480hz
slowboy (spearco wave) 462
AMS street 426
stock evo8 IC 416

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[matthewdesigns]

Thanks for setting this up. I just saw your response in the other thread and was hoping you'd get this posted up.

An eBay core flowed the most...interesting. Were these all bar/plate cores?

 

[Red97Eclipseboy]

Thanks for setting this up. I just saw your response in the other thread and was hoping you'd get this posted up.

An eBay core flowed the most...interesting. Were these all bar/plate cores?

If I was in the market for a new IC, I would take the one that had the best overall pressure drop, flow and cooling. Not just flow. I would love see a test of all three. If I could do it, I sure would.

 

[Boosted98gsx]

Now try a DVDT Fab

 

[kahl23]

Do you mind posting up the dimensions of all the cores, inlet/outlet sizes, core type, etc? It's great to have some data on this, but I see a lot of variables here.

 

[wishihadatalon]

If I was in the market for a new IC, I would take the one that had the best overall pressure drop, flow and cooling. Not just flow. I would love see a test of all three. If I could do it, I sure would.

Couldn't agree more. Based on what Kiggly has posted here about his ebay core vs the garrett core that he had (AMS uses the garrett cores), the ebay one was horrible. Very high pressure drop compared to the garrett core, which causes the turbo to work much harder.

 

[DSMunknown]

Evo 8 FMIC inlet/outlet end tanks pipes are have 2.25 ID with tube-and-fin design.

Core = 2.75x11.5x19.5 (pix here)

 

[dsm-onster]

FWIW I sourced my boost gauge signal before and after my ebay IC in the same 10 minutes, same stretch of road, same ambient and IAT, no other fixtures (no boost valve, BOV, or even FPR), and the pressure drop was 1/2 to 3/4 psi at 30 psi boost with the h1c. Sorry, but the flow is there for at least this one. I can run 22-23 psi with no watermeth injection with the small 16g and see zero knock with 93 octane gas, logging 36lb/min. If cools well enough to keep about 350whp in check with pump gas stock timing curve and 11:1 A?F ratio based on my lm-1. This is a 20" X 9" X 2.5" core. IF I need any more I just turn on the injection and am always a nozzle away from whatever any setup I run throws at it. All the while only .5psi pressure drop at 30+ psi.

Now try a DVDT Fab

It costs the most so it must flow the best anyway

 

[2slow4utsi]

LMFAO^. That is just what I was about to say. Why not get a DVDT fab SMIM too? I mean it's only like 1200 bucks or something right? Hell, lets get a one-off exhaust manifold made too while were at it. Spend 4k on the FMIC, SMIM and Mani.

 

[DSMunknown]

Would have been nice Matt if you also installed a couple temp sensors too.

 

[dsm-onster]

Yep. I'm not debating on whether or not it will cool at higher boost. It cools well enough to keep mild boost conditions just fine for an aggressive tune. I put the other $150 I had into a decent water injection setup. There's no turbo that will ever be too big for what this setup can cool to below ambient and there's still such minimal pressure drop that I don't even worry about it. I'm only a nozzle away from the next upgrade.

Ironically, although boasting 'better technology', the biggest competitor to high dollar intercoolers is better technology, I.E. water/meth injection. I can spend 150 on a high flowing ebay FMIC that cools well enough for anything before my injection activates (7.5psi) to keep intake temps consistant and relatively cool, then 150 more for everything else; resulting in an intake manifold that is ICE cold to the touch after several runs at 30psi on a 98*F Eastern Shore VA August day. . . Still only a .5psi pressure drop. I didn't need to install temp sensors when there's so much temp difference that the plenum sweats . So. . .

High dollar FMIC

or

Low dollar fmic that flows just as well or better, in lieu of cooling as well. . . add water/meth injection. Now I have better cooling (sub-ambient temps). Plus enough money left over for a SMIM and cams if I wanted them.

Hmmm.

The SMIM and cams certainly lower the required boost for reaching a goal. By the adabiatic process, all of the heat generated by the compressor is due to raising the pressure. So I can get FAR better cooling results with 1/3 the cost (ebay fmic + water/meth injection) or I could go to a whole other level with an ebay FMIC, water meth injection, cams, SMIM, etc. that would total what a name brand FMIC kit like ETS would cost. And have even lower intake temps because less boost would be required to meet the same goal . I don't see the point of an $800 intercooler kit.

 

[kahl23]

One more question, there was actually a shop called RnR, is that intercooler from them and sold on eBay, or a straight up ebay no name? The website has been down for a while (2+ years), and unfortunately it looks like nothing other than their homepage was archived:
Welcome to RnR Racing Online

 

[Defiant]

Be sure to catch this as well:
cooler test

Note that Gus's site is finally down, apparently.

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

ooooh nice thread. test out an SSAC/VRS core