Since I live in Texas and its summer time now, i have decided to help cool my intercooler. I first cut away factory diverter fins from intercooler cover. I decided to follow my friends idea with using fans to cool the intercooler. He has an MR2 with a huge trunk mount intercooler using two radiator fans, but I took that idea and made it MINI. I used 3 CPU Case fans each producing 91cfm and measuring 3.6x3.6". I decided to first seal my interccooler from the engine bay by using foam strips to make an air tight seal around diverter. then decided with the fans at the top of the intercooler i need to divert some air downward when moving at highway speeds. so i took some aluminum, and JB welded it at the right angle to force air down when moving. The fans are there to help me when its stop and go traffic and over 100 degrees.

I did a test and surely enough after hard driving and letting the engine idle afterwards with the fans on, lifted the over off and i could touch both hot side and cold side easily. VERY effective at keeping this thing cool.

Enjoy.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx_AiXdAPrE

 

Wolf, That looks like the work of a true craftsman! Very neatly done. I'm curious to see how those fans endure the underhood heat which may be much more than they were designed for.

Can you tell us exactly what they are and keep us posted regarding their endurance?

Are they wired to run constantly? Thanks

 

They are Delta 92mm CPU Case Fans got them from Newegg . com. I will keep you updated on the endurance, thanks. So far they work super well. I used to not be able to touch the hot side of the intercooler at all cause of the heat and now its not a problem. they are elevated off the intercooler by a little more than a 1/4 of an inch to prevent melting. I have them wired to a realy and a switch inside the cab, so when im driving highway i can kill em and let the air move thru
Thanks

 

Good luck....it wil be interestingto see how long the fans survive....getting over-reved by the wind on the highway, soaked in the rain, baked...if it works, great.
I wonder if the temps when movingis higher...restrected airflow....but better from a start..less heat soak. Good luck, it does look like it was put togeather nicely,,perhaps an automotive fan with sealed bearings (spal makes many....also the ps fan) are avalabe for $20 or so depending ob the size.

 

Are you keeping them dry? are they water proof? Some temperature readings after the intercooler with and with out the fans would really help to prove if the concept actually works. looks pretty good though

 

i have already gotten them wet and they still spin. i turn them off on the highway and let them free spin. This is for the hot stop and go traffic and sitting around between autoX runs

 

But in the stop and go traffic, you don't really need the power provided by a cooler intercooler.

 

Interesting setup , nicely fabricated. Have you done any IAT data logging ?

randy

 

Although i dont need the power from a colder intercooler in stop and go, when i get out of the traffic i want consistent power I have not done any data logging either. I plan on getting temp readings with fans and with out from hot and cold side some time soon

 

Looks like a very nice set up.
Well engineered and very nice construction.

 

Interesting - I've been researching the same idea. Will be following your postings.

Kevin

 

after driving with this setup for a week. i have noticed that i no longer have the "cammed" idle or rough idle that happens when my car gets warm. Its standing the texas heat well and keeping my engine idling properly.

 

I predict the fans will last a long time, but you probably want to spray a little WD40 on the bearings monthly.

 

Don't ever use WD40! It blows. Anything is better like Super Lube or Torco MPZ.

LB

 

idk if they would fit, but the scythes I run in my gaming rig (120x36mm) put out over 130cfm each. loud, but man do they flow some air.

 

I as well live in Texas. Houston that is. It's brutal. I'm interested if this would be better than the Alta water sprayer which I am using now. Looks legit. I'd like to see the intake temp readings

 

the IC is more likely to heatsoak in traffic, I have this problem even in Boston during the summer (which is a
couple weeks in july)

I have a pair of thermaltakes I think that push over 100CFM and yes, they make some noise if I turn 'em up. Funny thing is my new gtx570 has a quieter fan and is 20C cooler at idle than my old 8800. When the gtx decides to heat up though it's got a pretty loud fan too.

 

They wont fit, i ordered the delta 250cfm 120mm and that moves some air. I can fit one of those as is but that would cover most of the intercooler and i wanted to have the front half for free flowing air. that delta 120mm is sooo loud. I might replace my power steering fan with that one.

 

also just drove through a nice Dallas Tx rain storm. heavy rain, and the fans are still dry after 20 minutes of highway driving. Im still finding a way to get temp readings for without fans and with , before intercooler and after.stay tuned

 

Use the KiWi Bluetooth or WiFi and Rev app if you have an iPhone/iPod. It takes great temp readings and records them!

 

subscribed, this is an awesome idea, and looks like a great build.

Any chance of a step-by-step? or similar?

 

Has anyone actually test how much airflow you get through the stock hood/intercooler? It would be intresting to see how a bigger intercooler actuall affects the volume of cold air flowing OVER the intercooler. I guess you could get to the point where no matter hoe big the IC is there simply isn't enough air flow over the IC to remove the heat.

Chris.