Air to water intercooler quality issues??

I've used CX Racings heat exchangers in my Cobalt SS Supercharged. It was excellent quality and dropped IAT's considerably. I'm now also running a CX Racing IC in my Shiro, same good build quality. I have yet to drive it and see how it performs but I'm confident it will work well.

My guess would be that the cores are fine but I would run a good brand name pump just because.

With that said, I run a cxracing intercooler on my car and also got the piping kit from them. Cheap and works. Nothing wrong with that.

I haven't heard of bad things from CX racing, they seem to be one of the best 'ebay' brands of IC's out there.

I agree with 85z31t88 though, I would spring for a high quality/expensive pump. And remember, the larger the reservoir, the more effective it will be.

I wouldn't spring for the high end shit considering the cheap intercoolers have proven themselves to work just fine. The core designs are VERY similar if not identical. The results are going to be very similar as far as performance. It's like you said, you have bought the cheap stuff before and it works fine. I too have done the same thing. There are some things that are really hard to fuck up. IC cores being one of them. Really the only thing that can go wrong would be if it leaked. Chances are good all the cores everywhere are the same and made in some China sweat shop anyways.

go with the CX Racing. 3 inch inlet/outlet is more than enough and I can't imagine why anyone would try to stuff 3.5inch pipes in a z31 with a vg30.

already stuffed as it is, no reason to complicate.

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Re: Air to water intercooler quality issues??

[quote]SATAN wrote:

Originally posted by Careless

go with the CX Racing. 3 inch inlet/outlet is more than enough and I can't imagine why anyone would try to stuff 3.5inch pipes in a z31 with a vg30.

already stuffed as it is, no reason to complicate.

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It doesn't require 3.5 inch pipes. Plain and simple. It just makes things a harder to get around to and fitment becomes more of an issue. Everything ends up being more expensive. Large clamps, Large piping, Large Couplers… all reduced at the throttle body/plenum anyway.

Am I wrong to assume that the purpose of A2WIC is primarily achieve an improvement in air density due to temperature, and secondarily to do it within the confinements of where a A2A IC would exceed the size of the frontal area in which it has to fit? Because if I am, let me know.

Those 90mm throttle bodies and huge intercooler pipes are neccessary (probably not even) to less than a handful of Z31's that have a VG30ET in it. In the end, I'm saying plan for a 3 inch because it's cheaper, easier to route, and will net the same friggen thing.

This discussion was on HybridZ with a 1600hp SBC making quite a bit of power on small IC pipes and Throttle bodies. People just over do it. Save your money/plan for the rest of the system.

With all due respect, keep it real. If you're asking what "ebay special" A2WIC is better, you're probably not going to be making near 1000 or 1200hp. But please prove me wrong if I'm mistaken.

OK85ZX wrote:

I could say the same thing about you. You haven't said anything worthwhile in a long time. Not once have I seen you post anything with technical merit to accurately refute someone's posts. Instead you pop your head in and act like a wise ass.

Why don't u show me what makes my post a "gem"… let's start there.

actually i sent the wrong link. im not going to get a 3.5 in/out. im only getting 3in. sorry if i sent the wrong link. i was just using it as an example.

Re: Air to water intercooler quality issues??

sorry. I meant anyone other than those of whom we can count on like 1 hand.

Re: Air to water intercooler quality issues??

The actual air to water core is insignificant compared to the pump/heat exchanger/reservoir capacity.

I would focus on a high quality pump and heat exchanger (like the AFCO's used on the Termi Cobras) and building as much volume into the system as possible.

If your going drag racing, remember to incorporate room for ice too.

Im planning on doing a similar setup. I have a xs power IC and bosch 12v water pump commonly used on VW and BMW heater systems. It also looks the same as the water pump on my buddys rouch stage 3 stang. its got an air/water IC.
The bosch pump flows around 6 to 8 gallons a min, more than adequate for an air/water setup, and can be had for less than $100.