Questions on Intercoolers..

[Phil Megroin]

Hi,

Just had a couple of questions on intercoolers..

1) What are the differences between tube & fin and bar & plate?

2) What would you reccommend for an r32 GTST? (intending to do turbo upgrade later as well)

3) How much would it cost all up including fitting and piping kit?

4) What is the difference between air to air and water to air?

I'm considering an r32 GTR FMIC.. i've read the other post about GTR FMIC's and Hybrids.. what other brands do you guys recommend?

Thanks guys.

[Roy]

1) What are the differences between tube & fin and bar & plate?

The difference is in the core type. Tube and fin are generally recognised as being the better flowing cooler with slightly less effeciency (ie ability to cool air) whilst bar and plate are generally recognised as flowing slightly less but are more effecient.

Bar and plates typically also restrict air to the radiator more then tube and fin, but this also depends on cooler thickness etc.

My thinking is the quality of the core and end tanks is more critical then the type of core used. Either correctly sized to your application and budget will be fine:)

2) What would you reccommend for an r32 GTST? (intending to do turbo upgrade later as well)

Id say grab a neat tube and fin one cooler approx 600 x 300 x 75mm with at least 2.5" inlet and outlet" (3" ie GTR is better again). Unless budget isnt an issue id be more concerned about finding a cooler complete with some nice pipes. GTR is fine but be sure you look into the price for piping before fronting the money for the cooler...it can soemtime work out more expensive then buyimng a bolt on HKS/Trust etc intercooler complete with pipes etc.

3) How much would it cost all up including fitting and piping kit?

Depends. Id say a budget of $1,100-1250 should see it all installed, be it as a bought kit or seperate intercooler piped up.

4) What is the difference between air to air and water to air?

One uses water to cool the air going into your engine, think or a radiator inside out. Isntead of air passed around the outside to cool water, water passes around the outside to cool the air

The other uses air passing through it to cool the inlet air

[Phil Megroin]

thanks mate, that was awesome.

[LKE180]

yeah i was about to say that but meh. listen to that guy