Intercoolers

[R31_IceMan]

Just wanting to know the pros and cons of going

bar and plate?????????

or

Tube and Fin?????????

This is cause i have a custom bar and plate lined up for better than what a HKS tube and fin will cost including 3" piping.

cheers Dave

[bbenny]

there was a really good article in HPI i think. it stated all the pros and cons of the two, i cant remember which issue unfortunately.

but i do remember them saying that tube and fin was the way to go.

[Cool Hand Luke]

When i spoke to PWR about my core, they said one of the advantages with a tube and fin is that it doesnt get heat soaked as fast as a bar and plate, and also cools quicker.

[Roy]

For what most of us do with a car, they essentially work as well as one another.

Bar and plate

In theory offers better cooling but a little less flow potential, ie perhaps a higher pressure drop. I cant reference any figures, but it pays to remember this statement could mean you may be looking at 0.75psi pressure drop instead of 0.3psi pressure drop.

Also the bar and plate is commonly recognised as inhibiting airflow to your radiator more then a tube and fin. The cores themselves areactually cheaper. (i was surprised to hear this but apparently true)

Tube and Fin

Generally better flowing, exhibiting less pressure drop at the expense of cooling. Are generally lighter in weight then equivelant bar and plate.

These are rough rules of thumb and dont take into consideration end tank design, inlet/outlet diameters, surface area, thickness or the quality of the core

[Sydneykid]

Hi guys, something to remember, for the same size intercooler tube and fin flows better ambient air to the radiator.

[BOOSTD]

I use the greddy tube and fin model 28c- results speak for them selves.