Water spray for intercooler?

tgambob

New member
Hi all I was driving around today in the rain and one of the Temps I'm monitoring in forscan is charge air cooler temp (why not I'm just kind of figuring out functions still). Ambient temperature is within 2 degrees from yesterday yet cac temp was down almost 30. Iat also within a few degrees of each other on the logs. So that got me thinking what about a sti style water spray bar or nozzle on the intercooler?
 
That's a cool idea I saw it on Google and was researching it too, there are kits but way easier to do byself. Trying to decide if it worth doing, general consensus so far says yes. Not sure why it not more popular on street, I can see why not so applicable at track , car dripping water......
 
Would this be spraying the outside of the cac or the inside?  I assume the outside, since we dont want to increase the chances of hydrolock?
 
I thought I had heard of people doing the same but with compressed CO2. Like turning a air can duster upside down, no significant liquid other than the frost melting off the IC and spray bar.
 
SHOdded said:
Would this be spraying the outside of the cac or the inside?  I assume the outside, since we dont want to increase the chances of hydrolock?

Yeah, outside. You could just do 100% water injection with a meth kit.
 
SHOdded said:
Would this be spraying the outside of the cac or the inside?  I assume the outside, since we dont want to increase the chances of hydrolock?

Outside- to decrease the temps on the metal improving its heat absorbtion, and increase heat removal via evaporation
 
I had a friend that took out his windshield washer sprayers, mounted them in front of the intercooler and used that as his setup.  This was 10 years ago on a supercharged miata. 
 
sholxgt said:
People do this also...

http://nitrousexpress.com/192676/1/43/663/20000-10-n-tercooler-spray-ring-reduces-air-inlet-temp-on-turbo-applications-with-10lb-bottle.html

I see it as a waste of perfectly good N2O that could be going into the motor instead.

Yeah I was going to mention that in my post but feel the same way, what a waste. I'm sure thats where the CO2 idea came from. I think the only reason people use this is if they already have a N2O system they can just do a bit of plumbing and have a spray bar setup.
 
Is the current production intercooler built to take that kind of regular stress from "water cooling"?
 
SHOdded said:
Is the current production intercooler built to take that kind of regular stress from "water cooling"?

I sure hope so as it gets blasted by cold water during every summer storm.

I don't think any of the kits run very much pressure.  The idea is just to mist the intercooler for heat dissipation. 
 
I have considered doing the co2 spray on the outside of the intercooler. I have an unlimited amout of co2 available at work and access to all the solenoids, piping and controls needed. Mmmmm.....
 
glock-coma said:
I have considered doing the co2 spray on the outside of the intercooler. I have an unlimited amout of co2 available at work and access to all the solenoids, piping and controls needed. Mmmmm.....
Ruh Roh ... :D  Do it Do it Do it ;)
 
glock-coma said:
I have considered doing the co2 spray on the outside of the intercooler. I have an unlimited amout of co2 available at work and access to all the solenoids, piping and controls needed. Mmmmm.....

LOL, somehow I picture one of those long industrial tanks sticking out the back of glock's car.
 
What....hold my beer I'll make it fit.
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Most rally cars and a couple of tuned up mercs I know use this method of water spray cooling. If Subaru and the rest deem it important enough to include on a actual rally car there must be merit to it.  There is a co2 system called cryo2
 
Yes only kit I saw was a DEI for 75 bucks. Friend of friend had a paintball Co2 tank upside down and shot onto his intercooler, shot ice cold Co2 with 6 nosels in a ring. Said it could drop temps in 30 seconds 40 degrees lower. Is that alot? Said can fill the tank every Wednesday at his paintball store. It was free Wednesday co2 other it cheap anyways, he had 4 spare tanks so not sure how much it used etc. I might do a kit. 70 bucks in a kit probably actually only cost kit maker 20 but I like convenience kit style no hassle. Another guy said he mixes/uses windshield wiper fluid because it has alcohol and helps cool better, yes it was on the outside.... surprised not many others mention doing this. Seems common on other forums in WRX community. Also mentioned high speed 7 inch radiator fans?
 
Any idea what the cost/benefit ratios are for these approaches?  I can see justification for track/dragstrip, can you extend the logic to daily driving or would you even want to?
 
SHOdded said:
Any idea what the cost/benefit ratios are for these approaches?  I can see justification for track/dragstrip, can you extend the logic to daily driving or would you even want to?
Maybe boost controlled with CO2 in hot climates?

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