The OEM R56 S intercooler is not very tall and the air path intended for it is partially obstructed by the bumper trim. Notice the upper three rows of Kim's (kimberlein) R56 intercooler fins are dinged from rock and insects, while the lower rows are relatively unscathed. This IC illustrates the disparity more clearly. After cutting openings in the bumper trim, incoming air can flow through the bottom rows. When viewing level with the IC, only the bottom row is in the direct path, but I know incoming air at pressure will pass over the rows above better than without the openings. It will be easy to tell soon enough if the virgin fins become dinged like the others. Logging IAT via ScanGauge II showed only 3F above 98F ambient at 18psi boost.
So what was the IAT delta from Ta at 18psi before the air flow holes? Actually you can just easily perform a before and after controlled experiment with duct tape.
Don't laugh, but my 1st Gen car runs right at 30 deg IAT warmer than Ta street driving. Those top mounted ICs are not exactly the best placement. :frown2:
Mine was just going down the road, in stop/go city driving it's much warmer. So far I haven't had it on the track yet with the Garmin to see what it will do there when I start really working it.... Our weather since I got the Garmin and started watching the readings has been consistantly hot and humid, it'll be interesting to see what it does when it cools off again. But to the OP's idea, more air thru the coil certainly should mean more cool....
LOL Any approach less than 10F is *amazing* and to get it down to 3F at 18psi is impossible with an R53 unless you are running meth in the intake (not to mention the 18psi !!) I'm jealous, but glad I have an R53.
For reference for a 1st Gen car, and since Phil likes thermal data. http://www.motoringalliance.com/forums/track-days-hpde-s/3271-ect-iats-track.html So, yeah 3F over Ta is awesome!
Keith ... I'm interested in doing this, as I haven't gotten a tune yet and don't have any major power adders, so I don't really need a larger intercooler. But, I would like the increased cooling for track days. What did you use for a template? Any more results/tests? Kim, feel free to chime in.
Tape measure, painter's tape, Sharpie, drill bit, hole saw, box cutter, files, sand paper. The bumper cover behind the trim was also cut to create more space.
Hi Ross, I haven't done any systematic tests because I have only a Scangauge II which doesn't support data logging. :sad: I haven't been to the track at all this summer either (also :sad. But on a recent 3-hour highway drive, the temperature difference was about 7 degrees F most of the time (ambient temperature was between 96 and 100F.) When boost was 11psi, the temp difference was 11F. For the trip back, I taped the holes closed with aluminum tape. The ambient temperature was 85-89F and the cruising temperature difference was still 7F most of the time. At 3.5psi boost, the difference was 13F (ambient=87, IAT=100). At 11psi boost, the temp difference was 23F (ambient=89, IAT=112). At 14 psi boost, the temp difference was 30F (ambient=87F, IAT=117F). On a different day (but same stretch of road), with the holes open again (no tape), I recorded temps at a few more boost levels... at 1.3psi boost, delta was 7F (ambient=84, IAT=91); at 5.3psi boost, delta was 12F (ambient=84, IAT=96); at 7.5psi boost, delta was 5F (ambient=80, IAT=85); at 10.7psi boost, delta was 13F (ambient=78, IAT=85). I was going similar speeds on those days and I'll tell you how fast that was in a pm if you're interested. Here's a picture of the aluminum taped holes (next to handsome dog):
Hey Kim, thanks for sharing some data, great idea! The more I think about it the more I think that the next time we meet up for a track event it would be better if you had the tape in position. I'll bring some nice black tape to give it that OEM look.
(old) Alta Turbo Intercooler Air Diverter :cornut08 R56 MCS/JCWm) I have the (old) Alta Intercooler Air Diverter(I got mine 1/2 price close out several yrs ago and Alta no longer lists them so I guess that they weren't popular) and my IAT runs just 3-5F above ambient with ambient temp <45F, 5-7F with ambient air temp 50-99F, cruising at highway speed at 12psi MAP. However,when Texas Jul-Aug ambient temp is > 100F, it then runs 7-9F above ambient. So this compares favorably with k-huevo's 'holes in the bumper' mod to Kimberlein. Now! :drool I wonder if adding the 'holes in the bumper' would lower IAT even more? Jason