Interesting idea...though I would not recommend using the copper/brass version of the Probe core, they tend to fail in this application...I say that from experience.

Cheers,

cold water.

Anyplan to make a couple of these to sell?


I am Loving this thread.

I think you mentioned that once before. Any idea why it failed? I can't find the aluminum version anywhere. Not to mention the Al version has tighter fins, more resistance to airflow IMO.

While I was carving them out on the mill, I seriously contemplated if this works (minumum 10K miles with no adverse effects), I might try to market them. They wood be alot cheaper than the high-tech plastic one ZZP sells. And frankly, dissipate the heat even better.

I don't think it responds well to the heat cycling. In my case it was the solder joint of the fins to the tank that failed.

You can buy the aluminum one from ZZP. Yes the fins are more dense, but that provides better cooling. I never noticed any difference in flow between the units.

Cheers,

I want to mention this to a friend, but I know I'd never hear the end of how horrible and idea this is because the radiator blocks airflow. Please inform me of the potential of how well this works so that I not only mention the idea but also some facts about it. I want the conversation to be like this:

"I saw online how someone made a wood intercooler with a radiator to cool off the airflow."
"That'* impossible! No one in his/her right mind would ever do this because - "
Insert smashing of facts into his face.

This intercooler is a great idea, and I've for the longest time been wanting to see one and look into one for the S1 engine. Indeed, you do have the largest wood in the 3800 community.

Essentially, any pressure drop across the "radiator" (loss of boost) is offset by the advantage of much cooler air entering the engine. The */c is very inefficient and creates alot of heat. The pcm cannot run as much timing and much enrich the fuel mixture to compensate for the heated air. If the air-charge is cooler, it is also denser, which means more oxygen for the bang.

The sandwich intercooler has been used for a long timenow on the L67 SII engines. The bigger the i/c, the more cooling it provides.

maybe this was already stated and i missed it but, where does this go. i think its going between the LIM and the charger. is that correct? if so what about the coolant passages?

If yours was in an aluminum core box, it might have easily seen temps high enough to melt the solder joints. However, mine will be isolated from that kind of heat in the wood box. I will be running extensive testing on the wood before I run any water thru it. I will use it as a "spacer" for a while to make sure they don't warp, shrink, leak, the pcv works, re-torque, etc, etc. Once I have assured myself it'* o.k, I'll pull it off and pressure test the assembly to check for leaks.

I hate to buy something with 100% mark-up when I should be able to buy it wholesale myself. I'm not crazy out the extra fins. I know it has cooling advantage, but it also creates a much higher pressure drop.

Anyway, I am double intercooled. The inlet air temps will be well below ambient, probably near dew-point for any given day. The one under the */c is onlt to remove the added heat from the */c, not to try to take away any heat from the inlet air, too.