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Reply With Quotewhat would you suggest to do in the winter? Keep the reservoir empty, or let it freeze solid each night?
This is a discussion on D.I.Y. Intercooler Sprayer within the Engine Performance forums, part of the Tutorials & DIY category; DEFINATELY needs to be stickied....
DEFINATELY needs to be stickied.
what would you suggest to do in the winter? Keep the reservoir empty, or let it freeze solid each night?
fill with regular washer stuff. I'm not leaving water in mine when it gets that cold out. Washer fluid should work ok, might leave some acohol residue on the IC if you accidently pressed the button but that isn't a biggie..
12.98 @ 103mph
1.79 60'
TXS STG 4 VF34
As for the "does it work" issue.
Remember that the hood scoop is ramming air onto the IC.
Have you ever got out of a pool and noticed how could it was?
Well, that's what an intercooler will feel, except 50X more b/c metal is a better conductor of heat than a human, and an IC has 50 times more surface area (fins) than a person.
Bingo, doesn't matter what temp the water is, water has a sky high specific heat ratio and the IC is a HUGE contact area.
O yeah, I want to see someone use a 2 liter soda bottle for a WI resevoir, MUAHAHAHA that would be the most hardcore DIY thing ever!
'03 white rex
O yeah, and if you want, using the windshield wiper fluid will theoretically be even better, since it's got alcohol in it for antifreeze.
Heck, spraying rubbing alcohol onto the IC would be l33t: you'd get the heat disapation plus the evaporative cooling, someone try this...
'03 white rex
I dunno dumping a highly flammable liquid onto things very close to a very hot object seems dangerous.
Plus I know alcohol isn't effective as water for cooling purposes.
On 99% of computer watercooling setups water is always used, with just a little bit of water wetter. Alcohol would be so much safer, but it would conduct very little heat.
Last edited by Chunks; 10-14-2003 at 08:45 PM.
Originally posted by Chunks
I dunno dumping a highly flammable liquid onto things very close to a very hot object seems dangerous.
Plus I know alcohol isn't effective as water for cooling purposes.
On 99% of computer watercooling setups water is always used, with just a little bit of water wetter. Alcohol would be so much safer, but it would conduct very little heat.
whoops...i just ignored the fact that alcohol is high flammable
yes alcohol isn't as effective as water in having a lower specific heat, but it does evaporate much better and latent heat of vaporization for anything >> specific heat.
So fine, a non-flamable liquid with a melting temperature of <150 degrees F at atmospheric pressure would be da bomb.
'03 white rex
Use window wash fluid OR water wetter solution. nothing more is needed. Also, alcohol content in standard isopropyl rubbing alcohol is too high. and it IS HIGHLY flammable. you engine on fire is not intelligent.filtered Water during the summer, windshield washer fluid during the winter.
My dad just went through all those mechanical engineering classes on IC design and heat transfer. He said spraying just a little water on the IC and letting it evaporate would be better than continously dropping water on the IC. The idea is that water as it evaporates pulls 540x the heat energy vs water being sprayed on the surface and collecting at any point in the IC and beading together. I think putting two STI nozzles in my setup was a bad idea heh..
Any opinions on that idea? It might be better to use a different substance that would evaporate quicker but you could spray constantly.
12.98 @ 103mph
1.79 60'
TXS STG 4 VF34
in fact. alcohol is damaging to paint. to boot, washer fluid usually stays liquid when water begins to freeze. meaning its subzero in temp. and you dad is right about it evaporating. race car engineers make the spray amount just enough to coat the top of the intercooler, then evaporate. the next shot comes when the throttle needs boosting . or a cooler air charge. you need to coat it lightly. not saturate it.
I think water is fine, unless you're worried about freezing (dont really need it at those temps anyway). I think your dad's theory would be correct for sitting at a light with no airflow. I usually use short bursts of the IC spray so it can evaporate totally in that situation.Originally posted by xylem007
He said spraying just a little water on the IC and letting it evaporate would be better than continously dropping water on the IC.
Any opinions on that idea?
When moving at speed, I think its OK to keep it on constant at high boost. So much air is moving through the core that water should never accumulate to the point where its not efficient.
Also; Fine mist > coarse mist
2002 WRX Sedan-Silver
Turbo XS UTEC Stage IV (VF34)+TMIC, STI RA gears, Exedy clutch/flywheel
i wrote up my own diy spray thing, i since then did alot of improvments over it. this is a write up on what I started with, now I have a button and a better mister set up.
http://www.mikechaotix.com/wrx/mister.shtml
-1986 RX-7 GXL
-2002 Blue WRX Wagon (given up)
-2001 Prelude, (sold)
-1989 Accord, (sold)
-1984 Dodge RamCharger (Sold)
OMG, Hotrod! LOL
'03 white rex
LOL, yes I love my avatar. I didn't make it tho.Originally posted by verc
OMG, Hotrod! LOL
-1986 RX-7 GXL
-2002 Blue WRX Wagon (given up)
-2001 Prelude, (sold)
-1989 Accord, (sold)
-1984 Dodge RamCharger (Sold)
I use a spray bottle with cold water in it at the autocross and notice a pretty good difference. Here is my DIY mod-lift the hood, soak IC with spray from bottle and close hood. I think that is about all you need for autocrossing. It does sound fun to make a sprayer though...... Okay, I will try it too(damn, I was just starting to get used to the hand spray bottle). Thanks for the mod post.
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