Air/water intercooler installed in my 240D
 

For my last auto project for 2006 I installed an air/water intercooler in my 240D. I Have lost about 1 or 2 PSI of boost, which will be regained by installing a boost controller once I have turned up the injection pump. My EGTs have dropped 100 or 150 degrees to 450 F during normal driving. I have not done an extended full power run yet.

Pictures:

1: Honda Goldwing radiator too cool the intercooler
2: Mercedes Aux water pump to circulate the coolant
3: Clocking the turbo

More pictures:

4: Old intake manifold removed
5: Intercooler temporarily in place
6: All installed.

That looks pretty sick, now I wish I had a turbo. :)
-Zach

Where did you get that intercooloer and how much did you pay?

Good work. I'd have one as well by now if one eBay seller had not screwed me out of my money and disappeared.

I got it from this fellow here for $120 plus shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BRAND-NEW-LIQUID-INTERCOOLER-ASSEMBLY-AIR-WATER_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33742QQhashZitem300063909150QQihZ020QQitemZ300063909150QQrdZ1

I found some data on what happens when you add an intercooler with no fuel adjustment.


(From the Diesel Engine Reference Book, Second edition) Get a copy!!!

What is BMEP and SFC?

BMEP = Brake Mean Effective Pressure
The average presure on the piston from the top to the bottom of the power stroke which gives you the brake power.

SFC = Specific Fuel Consumption
The amount of fuel used to generate a unit of power. In this case grams of fuel divided by kilowatt hour produced. A lower value means you generate the same amount of power with less fuel or you generate more power for the same amount of fuel.

Just to share in the goodness - here is my Air to Air unit!
Looks great!
Jake

You have a V8 in that car correct?

Supercharged Ford V6 if I'm remembering it right.

Yes it's a six....I was 15 when I did the swap...well when my dad taught me how to weld, fabricate, and make what ever you want...

Jake

More Pictures:

Exhaust temps pre-turbo with the intercooler are under 250 F at idle, 450-650 on the freeway, and around 400 around town. I have yet to see 1000F with the intercooler in.

What is considered the "safe" limit for pre-turbine EGTs on these motors?

After looking here and there, I'm feeling like it's time for me to learn to weld aluminum. I've got the steel welding thing down pretty good. I like the Saab 9000 intercooler for it's huge area and it's slim profile. It should leave room for a slimline fan, A/C condenser and radiator and still let the hood close. I just don't care for the Plastic endcaps. I will be running a VNT-25 and don't feel like popping the intercooler. They have all aluminum ones for $700, but for that price I'm inspired to learn al welding and make my own endcaps. :D

Andrew

If you mean a VNT25 from a 2.2L Shelby, it's too small for a 300SD.

No, I don't. I mean a VNT-25 from a European Opel 3.0L TD. I'm quite sure it's not at all too small, at least it's bigger than yours. :D

Andrew

I've got a nice little GT2256V for you if you want to trade. I'll pay the shipping for both. ;)

Thanks for the offer, but I'll stick with what I've got. It took me forever to get it. It's a brand new one from Germany. :D

So what's the max pre-turbine EGT?

Andrew

1250*f constant, 1400* for short bursts.

Have you guys done any modification to the fuel pump? Because as far as I know a 603 turbo engine's stock IP is good up to 180hp. Do you really need a larger turbo?

I wouldn't mind a working vnt turbo though, so I can still have the same peak hp (as much as the stock ip allows) but with extra torque down low.

whoa!
 

That sure is some nice little setups! I wouldnt mind the air to air setup myself with some water squirt nozzles in the front for hot days.. :D

Oh the days of my old 94' twin turbo supra.......:rolleyes:


Well grand national, neon srt-4, and turbo supras come to mind when looking for intercoolers.. What do you guys think?

It's a tight fit for any air/air up there...if you want to keep the AC. The non-crossflow engine is also not conducive to an air/air setup IMO.

The Saab 9000 intercooler with some custom endcaps should sneak right in along with a slimline fan and still let the hood close. Also, as far as space goes, you either need to fit the air to air intercooler, or the extra radiator for the air to water setup. Seems like a wash to me.

Andrew

The trick with an air/air is routing the 3 inch tubing back across the front of the car to the intake. It's much easier to route 3/4" coolant hose. The air/water also should give less lag because there is only about 6” of tubing needed.

3" tubing is overkill for 120hp. But if you can fit it, it won't hurt beyond a little lag.

2.5" is about optimum between flow capacity, space occupation and turbo lag. Especially with the stock intake, it will restrict it back down to 2.5" anyways.

I'm using 2" tubing for my air/air system. However, it will cause the turbo to surge at low RPM's from it's lower flow capacity.

So it didn't surge before the intercooler?

When I had a direct connection to the intake? No, it didn't.

Interesting! Good to know...

In my upgrade to 2.5" tubes I will need:
75* angle tube- 1
45* angle tube- 1
90* angle tubes- 4

Total length from the turbo outlet to the intake mouth will be about 3.5 feet (Not counting the intercooler).

I fabricated an air-air intercooler in my Datsun 280Z, which has a straight-6 non-crossflow engine. Total length of that system, using 2" tubing out of the turbo to the intercooler and opening the 2" to 3" before the intake, was about 6'. I have no noticeable lag; I attribute that to a restriction-free exhaust and a stock T3 turbine. The car dynoed 313 hp to the wheels.

I've added several air to air intercoolers to several TD engines and have never noticed an increase in lag. That being said, I've also always gone for the non-restrictive exhaust. I live at 7,000 ft of elevation so any extra lag is more than noticeable.

Andrew

I found some interesting info. An intercooled OM617 at 14psi (75*f air and 75% volumetric efficiency) should flow about 400cfm.

Are those numbers at STP? or are they corrected for the speed of sound at 14 psi, 75*F? Just curious.
BB

I believe that is for pure, uncompressed CFM airflow. I don't have the book, although I'll look into getting it soon, so I'm just relaying info.

Yeah, I have Corky's book. My 2" piping for the Z is definitely undersized, but I didn't want to modify my intercooler's 2" inlet and outlet. Not optimal, but it sure is fun.

hey were you talking about this 9000 SAAB intercooler???? Well here's a pic of one, and i find that a good size of tubing for intercooler set ups is 2.75" i never seen that back in boston. So i guess its a canadian thing or something, because they have some at my parts supplier. if you have more boost then stock then, you should go with 3" tubing depending on the size of the intercooler too and all the intake related items.

For the turbo did you just unbolt the intake side, turn it so the outlet is up and bolt it back on? Is the intake manifold magnesium or aluminim and what type of welding process did you use?

No 3" tubes here... and certainly no lag.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...setup002-1.jpg

that is one tight fit.
what did all that come out of? 2.5 T? inquiring minds want to know...
there is no lag, because there is only about 4" of tubing... the others discussing lag and 3" tubing etc have the intercooler up front and piping going to it, yours has the intercooler ontop of the turbo and the cooling air plumbed up front... nice!

Yes, I had to remove the nuts that hold the manifolds on to get enough room to rotate the compressor housing. There are 6 bolts on the back side of the compressor housing that when loosened allow it to rotate.

The intake manifold is cast aluminum and was TIG welded.

You should check out the e-bay store Just-intercoolers. They have quit a few intercoolers that could work for under $100.

Pressure test them first, cheap A-W intercoolers are cheap for a reason. You don't want any water getting into the intake through a bad weld.

I agree a 100% there is nothing more to say! then get a A-A intercooler ;)

That's a Saab intercooler with some shrouding. I grabbed one of those, and the GM airbox he is using at the yard, but have decided not to intercool my other car. They are available in the parts section. :)