Need intercooler sizing help.

[Blown353]

As the subject states. I need help both sizing and then fabbing an air-air intercooler for my car (I can't weld aluminum worth a darn so this will have to be outsourced.)

As with any intercooler, packaging space is limited. I'm looking for something that flows about 1500cfm without much pressure drop. I can fairly easily package up to a 4.5" thick core.

Engine is centrifugally supercharged and 16psi of boost is the maximum.



So far I have looked at Spearco and Bell cores and their rating system must be wildly different-- because a Spearco core rated for 1500cfm is typically half the size of a Bell core rated for the same CFM.

Thanks!

[DeltaT]

I recommend Corky Bell's book "Supercharged!" for intercooler sizing tips and calculations.

Are you sure the orientation is the same for the cores your are comparing? There's a huge difference based on whether the hot air flows through lengthwise through a few long channels as opposed to flowing a shorter distance through a lot more channels.

Jim

[Blown353]

Yes, charge air path cross section is the same. For almost identical charge air cross sectional area, the Bell cores are rated much more conservatively than Spearco's.

I talked with Gerhard Schruf at Bell Intercoolers today (co-owner/engineer with Corky Bell) and got everything figured out in 5 minutes. I'm finalizing my end tank & tubing designs this weekend and ordering next week. Bell says they can build my design and ship in 3-5 days. Yay!

I'm going with a 28" x 3" core (charge air cross section) in either 8" or 10" high. Gerhard said even 6" core height would be plenty given my reasonable discharge air temps but more height will aid in efficiency especially on those 100-110F summer days and the additional height gives up almost nothing in terms of pumping losses through the core.

Now all I need to do is take a sawzall to my radiator support between the headlights, lose my center hood latch, and rebuild from there.

[Thrillrr]

When it comes in I would like to see some pics of it. I have a friend who I got a Procharger D1 for his 68 Chevelle and we're are in the process of looking for an intercooler for it.

[Blown353]

When it comes in I would like to see some pics of it. I have a friend who I got a Procharger D1 for his 68 Chevelle and we're are in the process of looking for an intercooler for it.

It isn't going to be bolt in-- that's for sure. I've stewed over it for well over a year now and I can't think of any elegant way to just bolt something into the car with the AC condensor & power steering cooler in place let alone the oil cooler I'm going to add. The hood latch is in the way, the factory radiator support to hoodlatch & valance brace is in the way, etc. That's why the sawzall is coming out. It will leave the shop better than when it came in.

I have two plans for mounting the IC right now, trying to decide which is best. I should be able to retain the factory hoodlatch with either solution... worst case I'll go to hoodpins only or twin latches on the sides.