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air to water intercooler

3K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  Blownblue 
#1 ·
Has anyone used one of these? Looking at using it for sled pulling. If so was there much of a gain over the factory air to air? Whose set up did you use? Thanks any info will be very helpfull. Roger
 
#2 ·
To my knowledge, the factory ATA is more effecient than Water To Air.
 
#3 ·
Air to Water intercoolers can achieve 100+% efficiencies, where as a good air to air will get 80-90%. BBunting used one last year with good results. I am doing one for this year. There is one for sale on alldieselmotorsports.com by DART505, I believe it is a PT-900 with resv, piping and pump. Precision Turbo in Hebron IN is where quite a few guys have been sourcing them from. Check on Turbonetics website, they have some good info on benefits and different types. I beleive David at DI is also getting in the business, I'm pretty sure he runs one on Snow White. The ATPA Superfarm tractors also run them. With an air to water, if you want to street drive, you will need a heat exchanger or you will just heat soak the water and it will be worthless.
 
#4 ·
We ran air to water on Cummings NTA motors for quite a while. When Cat came out with air to air there was a huge discussion as to which was best.

Somewhere I have some test data and comments from Cummings engineering division on the comparison.
 
#8 ·
the problem with old water to air coolers, (atleast on john deeres) was they were hooked up to the cooling system so your cooler was only getting as cool as the water temp, that system would be dirt cheap to convirt to a resivoir setup if you were to use it for tractor pulling. The competition Air/water coolers are the same aspect except the water is pumped through a confined Ice box that isnt for extended periods of use. If you want to daily drive it some i would find a good air/air. If its for a dedicated puller and you want to step it up to super street in the next year(s) I would go ahead and buy a air/water. They are a PITA to plumb, but for going down a track in 90 degree weather at 20 MPH they are going to be way more effeicant. I would assume this is for a Duramax. I don't know much about who makes Air/Air coolers for Dmax's, so you might have to get a custom setup if you want a high boost setup, If there isnt someone that doesnt make it already.
 
#15 ·
brian i was hoping you would know, you know that i am building my truck to pull/race but still want to go wax ricers and mucel cars on the weekends, could i run a spearco and a small watter cooler and just run the watter when i pull, kind of inline if you get what i am saying???
sorry i am still prety new to this stuff
robert
out
 
#16 ·
air to water?

The best setup for a street application is the air to air intercooler. If you want both then the best setup would be an air to liquid intercooler but with a heat exchanger that will cool the water down to ambient temps when used on the street. when your at the track you can have your water box with ice water and that will allow you to get the best cooling when your doing your pulls when you bypass the heat exchanger.

Brian
 
#17 ·
alldiesels said:
brian i was hoping you would know, you know that i am building my truck to pull/race but still want to go wax ricers and mucel cars on the weekends, could i run a spearco and a small watter cooler and just run the watter when i pull, kind of inline if you get what i am saying???
sorry i am still prety new to this stuff
robert
out
Robert

Start with the Spearco 6.0 air/air-log some IAT's and report back the change from turbo outlet, and intercooler outlet. If you need more cooling like my A/W, we can go that route.
 
#18 ·
I think if your gonna pull or do alot of all out drag stuff the a-w is a perfect thing. For most it is overkill and has some drawbacks (weight, refilling ice)

What you can do to make it usable on the street moreso is to put in some heat exchangers to cycle the liquid though.

I have ran a-w in my drag car for 6 years now and love it the pain of draining the water out and adding ice is just what comes with it having the capabilities of running super cold temps is very easily done where as it can be a bit tougher with a-a. I tried a few diff odd things trying to get temps colder but ran into fuel freezing issues and came back to water/ice its just cheap and easy.

For a pull truck there could be some added gains with if you wanted to add more water/ice to add weight or lower the level if you needed to drop some weight.

just my .02 if your gonna go all out pulling or racing can't beat the a-w.
 
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