As most will have read, I recently had my supercharger and intercooler off the engine and on the desk. While it was sitting there, I decided to stick a additional heat barrier on the intercooler. My intercooler was replaced less than a year ago with a thermal coated I/C so now I'm on my 3rd. configuration. Today I took a 20 mile joy ride with a stop for gas at the halfway point so my impressions are preliminary.

From my first trip my observations are: the IAT's took longer to rise. As long as I was moving, they stayed cooler than before the wrapping. When I stopped for gas and restarted the car they read 150º. (92º ambient BTW) 2 blocks down the road 130º. Got on the interstate 4 more blocks down the road and came down to 115º. My prior experience is the IAT's would come down to 40º over ambient rapidly but from there it took a long time to come down to 30º over. For my car close to 30º over ambient is "normal". The race track will reveal a bit more and I hope for a positive result. I see 180º IAT's on track and when I had a leaking intercooler, would boil the water. (distilled with chill charger)


I'd like to hear the experiences of those who've done this mod. Post up your observations.

Les

 

I have very different cooling mods but the exact same results.

 

I wanted to line the bottom and sides of the valley with the aluminum material but couldn't find enough in a hurry. I don't know if it's possible to funnel more air under there or not, my other idea. I'll look into it but don't know if it's possible.

Les

 

i have some material from brianbrave i never used you can have. it wont help though. longer to heat longer to cool. this will kill you on a road course. drag strip not so bad

 

Thanks for the kind offer Steve. If I think of a use for it I'll let you know. I take it you've tried the baked potato yourself?

Les

 

OP, which IC pump are you using? Running the CM30 myself on stock hardware and my IATs don't seem as bad given the same ambient... (confused)

 

I replaced the stock 010 Bosch with a brand new one recently with no change. I've run a split system, split with small reservoir, plain original I/C, thermal coated I/C and now thermal coated and aluminum wrapped I/C. I've switched back and forth between the stock H/E, E55AMG H/E and a single pass supercooler sized radiator. I've got the pump on with the key. I've sprayed water/meth through the supercharger, changed the supercharger oil, sprayed water/meth into the Y pipe. In other words a whole lot of effort and little results. I know a guy with an E55 AMG and his IAT's (according to him) ran 10º over ambient with the stock H/E. Guess who's stock H/E I've got in my car at this very moment. I've used stock coolant mix, plain water with chill charger and varying concentrations of each. No difference. I've given up for the moment. As long as the IAT's don't over temp at the track I'm taking a break but still searching. Hustler's made some suggestions that I'll give a chance the next time the nose of my car comes off. And I'm considering buying a Needswings dual pass supercooler. Mines a single pass of the same size.

Les

 

never did the mod. after brian sent it to me it was incase i ever had the s/c off. but his data showed me what i needed to know. slow to heat slow to cool.

iirc robs supercooler is a single pass. the supercooler i bought from tighead1 was a dual pass and grip has it now

 

Really! I have tighed1's too but I must have the passes backwards. I agree with the slower to heat and slower to cool while not moving. With the car moving, my jury's is still out. So far the potato mod allows the water to lower the IAT's quickly while moving. Water, not exposure to the atmosphere cools the IAT's. I haven't tested extended periods at WOT yet. The intercooler and supercharger are directly touching only at S/C outlet with a space of approximately 1/2" between the 2 parts from that point backwards. I didn't wrap that area on top BTW. The way I wrapped the I/C I believe I can yank the wrap off without removing the supercharger if necessary. You know me and listening, a life long problem of mine so don't get upset with me.

Les

 

I appreciate the reply and insights. Always focused on cooler temps so I was a bit surprised when I read your results.

 

I don't think this mod helps on a daily driver. As soon as you park the car for a stop somewhere it traps the heat. It comes down pretty quick while moving but I'm still around 30º over ambient on a long drive. Track testing is still pending, rain has canceled everything recently. I'll be swapping my H/E out again and reinstalling the supercooler to see how it works in conjunction with the baked potato mod.

Les

 

Les , In case you didn't know.... and for what it's worth....

I also wired my HE Pump to run full time when the key is in the "ON" position. (park and not moving)

While your engine may no longer be "Boosting" and thus - your HE Pump no longer "Flowing"... this simple mods keeps the fluid running thru the HE and cooling down the intercooler, whatever the RPM or torque may be..

Makes for a speedier recovery....

Give it a try and measure your results....

 

Hi Brian, mine is wired to be running with the key in the on position already. Search function is marvelous. I had a track day over the weekend and I'am looking at the videos and will be downloading the logs to see what happened with the temps. I'll have my answer on the wrapping soon.

Les