For $3300, it better be more than interesting.
The website says that the water capacity is 1.5 gallons, that's not very much. Once it's heat soaked, you're all done.

 

wow that's alotta bread . let's see, vari - cool , dfic . assorted scoops ., and some custom venting . or the gintani . hmmmm .

 

I don't know who is getting the unit installed but Randy Webb ran a Gintani for quite some time on the mule. I saw it in operation a few times and it didn't interfere with the operation of the car--in other words it worked. Never saw any measurements or comparisons with other systems. I know Randy wanted to bring it to market, but I think Gintani had some problems such that it never did, and may never in the future.
I think we don't hear much about water-to-air systems here on NAM for a few reasons: there aren't many in use, those with them do not make measurements or log data, the owners aren't interested in NAM or our IAT obsession.
Back to my polishing...

 

Good points, Phil.
The Gintani site says available July '07, so maybe we'll see someone on here running it soon.

The issues I have with water to air is that there is not enough water capacity, and the added weight of the system.

 

I was watching some truck show on TV and the discussion turned to Intercoolers. They were discussing the usage of IC units on desiel trucks. they said that beginning of IC units was water-to-air but that today the std was air-to-air because they are not only cheaper but the comment was that Air-to-water IC units can not lower temps as much as air-to-air.

Just sharing what I heard.

 

Thanks for sharing, Bart.

I think for our cars, air to air is the way to go.
I don't know how your project is going, but i've got two different IC projects going on. Between the two of us we should have something pretty soon. Hopefully.

 

So essentially you haven't heard anything bad either.
Randy Webb liked his and last I knew still ran one.



Let's face it, until recently if it wasn't M7 stuff it got no air time here.

 

I have heard bad things about it, but didn't feel we needed to get into it.
I appreciate you posting it, and i'm hoping someone who has one will post some kind of data/numbers from it, so I can't just base my judgement on hearsay.

 

Just sharing for I found their comments interesting not knowing didly. From my end the manufactuerer has requested fitment not temp efficiencies or pressure. If they decide to make it then it would be like the GTT - angled as much as possible (low in the front requiering a little grinding and high in the back requiring the removal of all hood pieces.

the pro = Definetly creates better air exit space.
the con = yo gotta custom fit not a straight bolt on.

I would like to add a scoop to the IC and eliminate the hood seal requirements.

 

Water to air does work and very well.
The big advantage is a stable IAT. It may not be as low as the best A2A IATs. In the worst conditions on the street or auto-x W2A is the way to go IMHO. AND use water only, no anti anything, water works better.........
Heat soak is not as big a problem as the preception. W2A will heat soak in extreme conditions. The recovery is slower but faster than most think. The $$$ is the biggest disadvantage. Most of us in the NE would not benifet the $$$ to IAT as someone like Dr Phil.
Partsman - Yesterday reached 101f here & today is hotter. Got some numbers yesterday ( rad shroud - w/ the rubber gasket & w/o ). Leaving for Boston this afternoon, I'll be in some heavy traffic around 4pm = more numbers ( water temp - recovery time - lowest speed for recovery ). The mock up radiator box is on today, taped, had it on last night, no problem with it flying around with tape. As long as there are no big thunderstorms - we're good to go.....

 

Thanks for the update. Most of the time a custom fit is better than cookie cutter, depending on who's doing it, of course.

Funny you mention that, i'm going to be welding one to the front of the DFIC.

 

Thanks for posting, Steve. You make good points, but if I were to run a W2A around here it would have to be a combination of a readily available setup and some custom parts. I would run the line coming out of the front mounted exchanger around to the back of the car, maybe to another exchanger, then back up to the front. This would give you added capacity as well as added cooling.

You state "extreme conditions" for heat soaking of a W2A, but how much heat will the water remove if it's already hot? not soaked, but hot.
Great, very interested in what kind of numbers you get.
The temps down here didn't get that hot, just low 90s. My coolant temps didn't go above 198F on the highway.

 

RECOOP has had the system on his car for quite awhile. IIRC, he has not had negative things to say about it...

 

Bummer. All I knew was it's been a looooong time coming

I'll know soon enough at least on one car.

 

Air flow under tha car is minimized by design to keep pressure lower under the chassis. Less air..less cooling.Tucked tight against the chassis cooling flow would be greatly minimized. Also only helpful in motion. Other than that it's cooking under a car.
Exposure to line damage is greater. Minimal but still...
Much better pump would be required not only due to greater volume but also needs to overcome distance and gravity. Real good one.

Up side - Put a small Dekka battery in and use the extra space for your reservoir.

 

All good points, obviously I haven't put that much thought into it, mainly because I don't ever plan on using W2A.

Now that's a pretty good idea, the lines to and from the bat box will add some capacity. You could even turn it into a cooler and dump some ice on the reservoir.

 

I can see it now: "hey guys, up for a brewsky? Just flip the boot and there it is: a whole cooler full of ice and some brews..." Oh, that's for cooling the intake charge, sorry.

 

I knew there was another reason I thought of that.

 

you could use a cool-can . from summit .

 

97 f today all the way home . ran at 70mph with constant oil temp of 195 f .

 

Already thought of that herbie, and I just might try it after I get a few other projects done. Mine will be custom though, not from Summit.

 

Just to add to melange we have here. My idea for a 45deg intercooler. It would have the depth advantage of the stock IC, but would flow cooling air much better. An Alta-type diverter would seal against the bonnet, and an Aerogel blanket or similar heat shield underneath would keep rising heat down. It would be extremely difficult to make given current core building technology, since they make rectangular cores very easily, but while based on rectangular cores, it would require custom welding of the cooling fins between the intake air flow cores. Otherwise it could be made to fit to the stock end tanks, or larger ones from GRS or Alta. My hypothesis: very low pressure drop, high thermal efficiency, lower heat soak, good recovery.

Can someone make it for me?

 

what's the outcome of the dfic with the flow through scoops?

 

whats that supposed to mean....you dont like talking to me?

 

Not at all, man.
I meant that I have too many other projects going on and not enough time and money. I have a guy down here that could have fixed the cracks in your carbon fiber hood, also a body shop at work where it could have been painted. Basically, it would have been just too easy for me to get the hood done, and took some real will power not to contact you about it and spend money that I don't have.