Thread: Dual intercooler set up

Not likely as the radiator to shed the heat from the Water to Air would be in front of the Air to Air unit

a water to air then a air to air work fine but how much heat are you trying to take out and whats your current intake temp?
a water to air will generaly get temp down to 100degC or so then a air to air will get it down near ambiamt.
if you want supper cooled you will need to be pumping liguid nitrogen or co2 around

and contra flow the WTA unit.

jc

Still not convinced of all the spool up time issues such a long inlet tract will bring..

And additional heat load up front will likely cause other issues with cooling systems.

Sounds like your over complicating a simple system.

ive only really seen it used on trucks and tractors where compound turbos are used and upto 60Psi boost pressure, they needed both to get temps down

Works well o. The tdi300.

A small air to coolant heat exchanger can be fitted in place of the pipe from the turbo to the intercooler.

I'm currently in the process of doing it to the wifes tdi which is just slightly tweaked.

Via the modern day equivalent to smoke signals fromsome place other than the cave where my hat hangs.

things to consider:

Water to air coolers have the benefit of removing the cooling to ambient radiator away from the air intake path. This allows you to have less volume/path length between compressor and engine intake resulting in less lag when increasing/changing boost. The reintroduction of an air to air cooler will generally result in the reintroduction of volume/path length and the associated boost lag.

Having two coolers requires for you to find more frontal area to have good air flow or you start to stack your coolers, engine radiator, air conditioning condenser and oil coolers with some resulting efficiency loss. You could use fans to help but ultimately you have to find the space whether you stack or spread them out in a single layer.

Top mount air to air would result in less pipe length however the volume/surface area of the cooler is still required to remove the heat.

Simplicity and reduced working parts have driven designers down the air to air path.

The use of both air to air and water to air results in the disadvantage of both being present and the removal of the advantages of both. You may get cooler air in the intake but the cost will go up and boost lag will be there negating the typical reduction in inlet path provided by water to air coolers.

Waste of time. Just fit the biggest air to air cooler you can. Water to air coolers have an extra layer of insulation in them that slows heat transfer.