I have learned firsthand what a huge difference intake air temps make at the drag strip. I have tried the conventional mods, but I am still seeing IATs 10-20* F over ambient at the starting line and 40-50* F over ambient by the end of the ¼ mile! This is with stock pulleys!

I want to install a trunk-mounted ice tank. An ice tank or a killer chiller is the only way to get IATs BELOW ambient temperature. I want consistent, fast runs, even in hot weather. Especially now that I am looking at a pulley upgrade.

The tank will help control IATs off the drag strip too, because the considerable volume of extra water will not heat up as much during acceleration runs. Even during spirited driving, the intercooler water heats up quickly, but there is plenty of time for the heat exchanger to cool the water down between WOT sprints.

I can’t find an off-the-shelf ice tank that I like; there are cheap ones on ebay, but they don’t hold enough ice, have small openings to fill, don’t fit the trunk, etc. I have read from others that 1 gallon of ice only lasts 2 quarter mile passes. So, I am going to fabricate my own. I want it to hold up to 50 lb of ice, have a huge lid for easy filling, a quick and easy drain, and cross-flow connections.

I am looking into buying materials now. Would anyone else like for me to make/sell you one? If there is interest, I will buy more material and make a small batch of them. It will help pay for the new spool gun I need to buy for my welder too. It’s too early to tell yet, but I want to keep the cost no more than $200-$250, for the best, custom-fit, ice tank that you can imagine.

 

Just thinking out loud, but what if instead of ice your big trunk mount tank had a large evaporator core inside hooked up to the A/C compressor. No worries about the A/C kicking off a WOT.

 

Below is a rough outline of the ice tank size & placement I am planning. I don't want to put it in the spare tire well because that deep space is useful for so many other things. So I am going to put it on the "shelf" toward the front of the car right between the wheels. This area is impossible to access with the roof stowed anyway.

trunk3tank-1.jpg

Warning: I have an SLK32 AMG. That is what I am building the ice tank to fit. If you have an SRT6 or C32 AMG and are want an ice tank also, someone will need to verify the dimensions. The picture below shows what I measured for the SLK32 AMG. These are the maximum exterior dimensions of the tank. It will fit underneath the luggage tarp, be as deep as possible without overhanging the spare tire well, and will set between the places in the front corners of the trunk floor where it raises up at an angle. This gives 3.5" on either side for the fittings, and flanges to secure the tank to the trunk floor.

trunk3dimensioned-1.jpg

 

I think that could be done as well. Similar to a killer chiller, but with the extra water capacity and room for a larger evaporator. That's a neat idea. I think using ice will be simpler and a lot cheaper though.

 

Whats a spare tire????Woody

 

With everyone else trying to shed weight, do you really want another 50 lbs over the rear axle. But I do believe it will make an awesome beer cooler.

 

I recomend that you let Donny build one for you. Hi builds the best intercooler tanks out there. Here is his webpage: Dad's Custom Intercooler Tanks

 

I don't have a spare tire either. Confession: that trunk picture if from a random SLK320 from google. The SLK32s have an empty compartment where the spare would be. Same with the SRT6s then?

 

I actually already sent him some sketches and got a quote. That was what made me decide to look into building my own. His work does look good.

 

I have ABSOLUTELY thought about storing beer/bottled water/soft drinks back there when I am at the track or car shows.

I don't like adding weight either. if you must though, right over the rear axle is where you want it. I have shaved 60 lbs off the battery and exhaust, so let's call it even. For daily use, you don't have to keep the tank FULL of water. The tank itself will be aluminum and won't weight much. When it comes to using ice at the track, I am sure the benefit will far exceed the weight.

 

considering i spin thru 2 gears on the launch adding 50 lbs doesnt really matter. amx has 200 lbs in the trunk to try and get traction.

matt just buy the killer chiller i have. an e55 ran at the track and logged 57* at the start and 120* at the end. gained 60* with no k/c OR heat exchanger during the run but was well below any timing being pulled. within 5 min he was back at 57*

 

At approximately what AIT does the timing start getting pulled?

 

Did this a few years ago when I had my car and it worked well at the track. 1 Gallon RCI fuel cell with johnson Cm30 pump mounted where the spare tools/pump used to be. Still had 100% trunk space avail and was all hidden by trunk mat/cover.

 

Just a thought, I had my interior all out when getting my trailer hitch installed and it got realy hot back there due to the exhaust, If you do this I would reommend throwing down some insulation of some sort just to help you out that little bit more

 

I am not hearing a whole lot of interest for ice tanks so I am just going to get a small sheet of aluminum and make 2-3. I will post pics & results and let you guys know how it works.

 

Also remember that Aluminum sweats so you're going to end up with a wet trunk.

 

Its still there and works good

 

I have thought about condensation. If It's a problem I will insulate the tank. Simply keeping the trunk closed when using ice in the trunk should help limit the condensation.

 

Please consider - if it ever does get hot - it will take a "long lnog" time to cool as well.....
But I agree AIT are the key.
As per 32Krazy - the KC would be the best thing - with an optionally bigger Air Conditioning Compressor to go really cold.

 

Not if you keep shoveling the ice; which is the whole idea right.