I've just read a interesting article on intercooling that offers some interesting concepts.

Because my car is missing it's small radiator I'm going to try a couple of experiments. I'll start off with a static amount of water to see if that improves things at all, if it does I may try the candle wax idea. I'm also going to try getting a small radiator or larger heater matrix from the scrap yard and try that too before I pay for a new one from GSF which are around £70. In fact if it works well I may not bother with the pukka thing.

Steve.

Hi Steve

If my information is correct, the 2.5 uses an air/water intercooler, the 2.1 has a radiator sized intercooler in front of the radiator, could you not use one of those, or as I suspect is there not room for it?

Peter.N.

Hi Peter,

I could but getting the fat induction pipes to it would take some doing and finding the necessary parts on my very tight budget whereas just rigging up a small car radiator or large heater matrix would only involve a short length of heater hose and some means of supporting the said radiator/matrix.

I'll let you know if it makes much difference when I've done it.

Steve.

Why don't you get an old washer pump, and rig up an IC waterspray.

Its an expensive option on all these performance cars now didn't you know!
Whats the candle wax idea, not heard of that one?

With regards to fitting your own rad etc, there are plenty of kits you see for these chav-mobiles, with small, rectangular radiatiors that fit behind the lower bumper, and flexible silicon hoses to plumb them in. Might be worth a look if you're unable to get anything else to fit.



Ciarán

Hi Ciaran,

I've seen the water spray idea, didn't one of the Subaru's offer that? All I'm after is adding back in what should already be there. My brother has an old oil cooler off a Mercedes van that sounds about right for what I need. I'll just need to flush it with solvent to make sure it's clear of oil residue. Not long ago I would have used petrol for that but now it's cheaper to use other solvents.

As for the phase change idea, the basics are simple. If the phase change material (PCM) 'melts' at say 60 degrees then the PCM absorbs heat until 60 degrees is reached (during this time the PCM temperature rises) but then once changing phase then temperature of the PCM doesn't rise because it's absortbing the heat energy to change state. Once all the PCM has all melted then the temperature will begin to rise again. The reason why this should work OK on a road car because it isn't always on boost and when off boost the heat will be absorbed back into the induction system cooling the PCM ready for the next amount of boost heat.

If you check the link on the OP it's explained far better.

Steve.

I don't know if I understand this correctly. Are you proposing to fill a small radiator with candlewax and manufacture a housing around with connections for the turbo air?

Derek