Water to air intercooler

Shawnanigans · Feb 25, 2024

Has anyone done a water to air intercooler on the explorer ST yet? I haven’t found any one that has and I have just fabricated a custom water to air but I would like some help gauging what pump would work best. I currently am using a Bosch pump from a gt500. My concern is it won’t have enough flow for a turbo appliance. I have heard of bilge pumps being used or Davis Craig pumps. My current setup may be efficient but I have not had warm enough weather to really put it through its paces. Currently at 29 degree outside my IATs are about 5 to 6 over ambient at WOT. Not sure it will be this good when it’s 80s or 90s. Looking for help from those who have had experience with water to air and why you recommend a certain pump.

UNBROKEN · Feb 25, 2024

Why the hassle when the air to air coolers on the market are doing just as good of a job with a lot less failure points? Even the big single turbo builds are staying with air to air.

WaferTech · Feb 25, 2024

I would install a water to air intercooler in an alternate location that did not block the radiator, it gets up to 120+ degrees F out here in the summer. Haven't installed a air to air intercooler due to concerns about that.

UNBROKEN · Feb 25, 2024

WaferTech said:

The temps you describe is exactly why you need a bigger air to air IC.

WaferTech · Feb 25, 2024

UNBROKEN said:

what about the radiator getting blocked?

Shawnanigans · Feb 25, 2024

Just more flexibility and consistency. The only drawback “was” cost to have someone else fab, or a company make one but then your in $2000 to $3000. If I want to take it to the track I can put ice in my tank and water is better at dissipating heat over air alone.
I like to take a different path. $1000 to $2000 just for the intercooler alone is getting out of control for me, then $500 to $700 for hard piping and another $500 for the upgraded air filter box. I made my water to air for a little under $1800 and that is everything. My only concern with my setup is the pump. Water to air really only has one more failure point over air to air and that is the pump. Again I’m just looking for someone that has attempted this on our platform or someone who is really familiar with water to air pumps.

UNBROKEN · Feb 25, 2024

WaferTech said:

Non issue.

Shawnanigans · Feb 25, 2024

WaferTech said:

my heat exchange is very large and engine temps have not changed but again when I was monitoring all the temps it was 29degrees outside. We are going to be in the 60 tomorrow so I will find out if I get any spikes.

UNBROKEN · Feb 25, 2024

Shawnanigans said:

I’ve done water to air more than once…there are tons more points of possible failure from the pump you mentioned to every line, fitting, etc. Factor in space for a big tank if you want to add enough ice to matter and it just becomes pointless on a daily driven SUV.

WaferTech · Feb 25, 2024

UNBROKEN said:

Ok, thanks

Shawnanigans · Feb 25, 2024

UNBROKEN said:

I’m not sure you get it but our platform is under 1000hp right now and you will still have potential failures with plumbing and water condensing in a large air to air. Also tank size only matters based on power and heat. 2.5gallon will be more than enough with the heat exchanger on return. The pump is my question not “is it a good idea”. I’m there and it is night and day better right now. I’m looking for someone that has done this on here or has insight on good pump options. I could go for days on why I chose this path but that’s not why I’m here.

Cruising68 · Feb 25, 2024

I had water cooled in my supercharged CTSV that I road raced. Heat soak was a big problem even with a much bigger intercooler, bigger tank, and much larger pump. Never had any type of failure hardware-wise but I could easily boil the coolant out of the intercooler loop. Actually have a great on track photo that makes the orange coolant look like flames coming out in front of the passenger door

The Corvette seems to do better with heat soak but I think if I had my choice I would go air to air all day in a turbo or twin turbo motor.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

UNBROKEN · Feb 25, 2024

I don’t think I would call 5 to 6° over ambient at 29° “night and day “better. Any air to air on the market will do the same thing. I’m driving 80 mph right now. Ambient temperature is 80° and my IAT is sitting at 81° with an air to air.
I say, do what you want and have fun, but there’s a reason nobody’s done to water on one of these yet. That reason is it’s absolutely not needed.

Shawnanigans · Feb 25, 2024

UNBROKEN said:

Compared to stock at 120 to 140over ambient, 5 to 6 is night and day. Also I said at WOT. If you’re just here to have a pissing competition I’m not interested. Your stream is strong and you win. Again I’m asking about the pump so unless you have positive info please go belittle someone else.

UNBROKEN · Feb 25, 2024

You haven’t given enough information for anybody to tell you what size pump to run. Nobody knows where your tank is, how long the hose runs are, what size the hoses are… There’s more to it than just picking a pump that flows X gallons per minute.

Shawnanigans · Feb 25, 2024

Shawnanigans said:

To clarify my current pump is a Bosch pump from a Ford Mustang GT500 I have a 2.5 gallon water tank with 3/4 plumbing. 5ft from tank to intercooler, 1.5ft from intercooler to heat exchanger, then about 5.5ft from heat exchanger back to tank. This shouldn’t matter because I and asking about pumps that others have used and I’m willing to adjust to make a possible better pump work. I’m well aware of how my stuff works so I’m not asking for if it will work I want something that I can rely on. My goal is to keep intake temps no more than 10 to 15 above ambient at WOT without ice. Pump specs I have looked at are all over the place and I haven’t found comparable info as well as reliability.

Shawnanigans · Feb 25, 2024

Cruising68 said:

What pumps have you used?
I know large engines with moderate boost really need higher capacity due to that. That’s more or less why I’m asking about pumps. I might auto cross and weekend drag but I want consistent temps and sitting in traffic or staging at an auto cross or drag event would be nice to reduce heat soak. I have other things done to prevent this.

TMac · Feb 25, 2024

80% efficiency water radiator to 80% efficiency intercooler = 64% efficiency. The only good thing about a water core is that it has more mass (h20) which means it takes longer to heat soak. However efficiency goes down and once it gets hot it takes a lot to cool that fluid back down. Usually only used when faced with packaging difficulties of for very specialized applications. Pointless for most vehicles.

Shawnanigans · Feb 25, 2024

TMac said:

80% efficiency water radiator to 80% efficiency intercooler = 64% efficiency. The only good thing about a water core is that it has more mass (h20) which means it takes longer to heat soak. However efficiency goes down and once it gets hot it takes a lot to cool that fluid back down. Usually only used when faced with packaging difficulties of for very specialized applications. Pointless for most vehicles.

What pumps have you used?

Shawnanigans · Feb 25, 2024

So I get there are going to be people here trying to justify why they think water to air is pointless and in most facts I would agree “cost” “power gains” not really worth it. Again I know the system and i am addressing the weak point before I have problems. This is not meant to be a debate about water vs air. Thermodynamics will favor water every time. Improper setup for an air to air or water to air can be detrimental to a specific persons goal. Maybe there needs to be another ST forum for fabricating and modifying that weeds out people just saying there opinions with nothing to support there claims. I’m still learning and am always going to try whatever is hard to come up with real facts and not just what someone else told me.

Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

Water to air intercooler

New Member

4000 Post Club

Member

4000 Post Club

Member

New Member

4000 Post Club

New Member

4000 Post Club

Member

New Member

1000 Post Club

4000 Post Club

New Member

4000 Post Club

New Member

New Member

1000 Post Club

New Member

New Member