I'm trying to settle an argument. Since most of the higher power cars here run air to water I thought they were more efficient. Is it just a case that they are more resistant to heat soak after extended driving? Anybody have any concrete data?

 

A2W can & WILL significantly lower the air temps over an A2A if setup properly therefore being more efficient.

BUT...............for street use & simplicity, A2A is definetly the way to go for your avg streetcar. My A2A is 24x18x4" & although i havent logged IAT I dont think they're at the limit of needing an A2W since im still pretty agressive with timing even on pump gas.

-Carm

 

If your running A2W and not icing down the reservoir
than it's not going to perform as well as an A2A.

If it's a track only ride an A2W with ice the reservoir
will yield the best results.

If you drive it on the street an A2A is the best way to go.

 

Air to water is better because when you get thirsty you can pull over and take a drink from the tank.

Also, wouldn't an air/water cooler with a heat exchanger (like the 03-04 cobras and 99-04 lightnings) work just as good as an air/air on a street car since the heat exchanger would lower the water temps even without ice in the tank?

 

i do believe that and air to water is more efficient in both street and track applications, a circulation system with a proper heat exchanger will offer a higher coefficient of heat transfer due to the thermal "inertia" offered by the water in the tank and lines(ambient water temps) wich cant be matched by the air to air until the vehicl maintains enough speed to reject the heat from the compressed intake air thru the aluminum to the outside air, when you do a burnout in the box and build boost at a dead stop there is not enough air flow to absorb heat from the intercooler, and the will begin to heat soak until sufficient airflow is provided, but the water to air has the reserve capacity of the water to keep the intercooler core at constant temperature in relation to resevoir capacity wich can also be increased by using a speed density based system and having the bov open at idle and light throttle cruise vacume allowing the intercooler to become an additional heat exchanger when not under boost conditions.

 

:agree: Could not have said it better, great response

 

Practicality also comes into play......most A2W require in car mounting, a water resevoir in the trunk, holes through the firewall etc...If this is a streetcar it may not be the best thing for you. On the STREET, A2A.....on the TRACK, A2W

My $0.02

-Carm

 

i put together an air to water system for my truck consisting of an intercooler from xo racing for 150$, a 12v bilge pump from harbor freight for 15$, a 4 gallon tempo boat gas tank for 18$ and 50$ worth of 5/8 hose,for a total of 183$ as far as simplicity goes if you can put a turbo on an engine you should be able to run two water lines and it will allow you to put the intercooler in tight places where there is no air flow (like inside the fender) freeing up more room in the already crowded engine bay and not preheating the air entering the radiator and possibly compounding an already maxed cooling system.

 

nobody mentioned simplicity.........

-Carm

 

Not necessarily true in all cases where you can mount them in other places other than inside the car. But for the most part yeah considering you odn't have to deal with the water reservoir and the lines/pump then it would be easier.

I am actually in the process of trying to find an air/water cooler that I can put somewhere other than inside the car for my street car. The thing that would be nice even though I'm not sure if there are any would be to find an air/water cooler that I can somehow mount in my front bumper where my air/air is right now.

 

Right now I have a Precision Turbo 850hp? rated air/air cooler...is there any way to figure out how much more it would ba capable of efficiently cooling if it was converted to an air/water using the same core and just doing what you said?

 

VS that sounds cool.....elaborate lol

-Carm

 

its easy just pas water thru the core where the outside air used to flow thru

 

Sounds good VS!!! This may be a pretty good alternative to those who dont want the holes etc. in the firewall....gonna be a little more nose heavy but no big deal i guess.

Thanks VS Racing for the info!

-Carm

 

Is there any wya to gauge how much more power it would be able to support if it was converted over to an air/water (precision 85-hp air/air cooler)?

 

Im wondering the same thing
how much space would need to be left in front of the cores or do you go directly over them if closing them in ?

 

Considering water has a tremendously increased ability to absorb heat over regular air I would imagine the power it could support would be much greater. If your current ic is good for 85-hp I would image it could handle a good 300-400-hp converted!