Quality Intercoolers Vs Ebay specials

[blackmav]

Cheap is better than nothing but how much more effective are the big dollar coolers compared to an Ebay special?
Mine is a Bar and plate 600x300x75.(cheapie)
Defiately works well. One side gets bloody hot and the other just gets warmish.

Front mount air to air.

[big lux]

mate realy depends on alot of thing mre info ie engine mods power chasing ive biult track cars and budget bak yarders. its all gots match up stock turbo big cooler waste o time. mabe consider fitting a thermo to yur cooler for 4x4ing

[Dzltec]

The most important things to look at are pressure drop accross the core and how much the air temps drop. Cheap will have more pressure drop and less temp drop, they may also leak.


Hope this helps.


Andy

[80's_delirious]

some good technical info on this site. http://www.bellintercoolers.com/pages/t ... html#FAQ_3

[bigears]

what are a good brand of cooler to get ?

[me3@neuralfibre.com]

But then again mroe core size (cores in parallel) reduces resistance and increases flow.

Size comnpensate for efficiency

And leaks won't bother a diesel

Kinda depends how much you need it. At 12PSI, it's gonna be fine for me (Repco WRX front mount one in shed - inc pipes $275)

Paul

[gqpete]

i run a GARRET cooler and very happy with.

[HotFourOk]

The most important things to look at are pressure drop accross the core and how much the air temps drop. Cheap will have more pressure drop and less temp drop, they may also leak.

So then again, cheap is not necessarily better than nothing.

[HotFourOk]

And leaks won't bother a diesel

It'd bother me

[blackmav]

The most important things to look at are pressure drop accross the core and how much the air temps drop. Cheap will have more pressure drop and less temp drop, they may also leak

I only lost 1.5 psi at the most.

Td42,mtq manifold with a mitsubishi turbo.

[PGS 4WD]

Dzltec is right, but don't be fooed into thinking you can have no pressure drop, as air density increases due to cooling the pressure drops, if one cooler cools the air more effectivly it will show a bigger pressure drop unless you are just measuring pressure drop on a test bench with ambient temperature air and no attemp to cool it, under these conditions you can measure pressure drop otherwise get out the calculator so you can factor in the change in temperature relative to the change in pressure.

Joel

[ferret]

For the majority of applications out there the ebay specials are fine, if you're really leaning on it then it'd pay to invest in something a bit better, but otherwise I wouldn't bother. A mate's SR20 makes just over 200rwkw with a cheapy ebay cooler in it, made about the same with a good quality bar and plate one previously.

[Red_Zook]

i ran a 13.3 second FWD 400mtr pass on a ebay special..
28psi boost ca18det...

they work sweet as!!!!

[V8Patrol]

Quality Intercoolers Vs Ebay specials ........

old mate bought a name brand unit for his car ( 300ZX )

I bought the same sized unit for my 300ZX



Major Differances ..... none that we could pick

but.....
the finish on the ebay job was better .... polished to the max ... better welding on the tanks to core .... & far superior clamps were supplied.

The name brand core was better finished off inside the tanks & the piping was an easier fit and lined up nearly perfectly, where as the ebay job had to have a cut n shut on 2 tubes to pickup the intercooler's alignment properly. Both took about the same time to fit.

At a guess I'd say the intercoolers were made in the same factory, they were that similar, the accessories however were obviously sorced from elsewhere.
The silicon couplings were identicle but the clamps supplied with his were shyte and have allready started to show surface rust, whilst mine are stainless steel.
The hard pipes on his were almost a perfect fit.... a minor teak in the pipe bender fixed the slight missalignment issue whilst mine required cutting and re-welding to get right on 2 of the pipes.

Oh..... my hard pipes were spotless inside (before the cut n shut) and the other set had a hard waxy coating that took ages to remove.... almost like tree sap !



Differance in the products .... minor

Differance in the cost ...... major

Kingy

[pantheas18_hj47]

kingy

any links to the ebay shop u used?

[Surfection]

kingy

any links to the ebay shop u used?

This is where we got ours from, couldn't be happier with the quality and service, they've got heaps of other cool shite as well.

*Scroll down the bottom of the page*
http://www.justjap.com/parts_nintercoolers.htm

Jeremy

[Slunnie]

I think you'll also find the good cores are finned on the inside for better thermal transfer.

[Ruffy]

And leaks won't bother a diesel

It'd bother me

It'd bother me too.. I don't see how a leak in an intercooler wouldn't bother a diesel

[80's_delirious]

Repco down the road from me has some real nice looking intercoolers (think PWR brand but not sure)
they have fine fins running along the inside of the cores and all the fab work looks 100%, the transition from the end tanks into the cores are nice and smooth, fins between the cores on the outside are neat and even.

JustJap are just down the road too, been in there and theirs look a bit povo compared to the repco ones. just not as neatly made, the cores and the fins between cores a bit inconsistent and not quite so bling on the polish but about 1/3 the price

I reckon the repco one would probably flow a little better and be a bit more efficient at cooling

[its aford not a nissan]

And leaks won't bother a diesel

It'd bother me

It'd bother me too.. I don't see how a leak in an intercooler wouldn't bother a diesel

define "leak"

weeping oil mist or venting air

[NutterGQ]

Repco down the road from me has some real nice looking intercoolers (think PWR brand but not sure)
they have fine fins running along the inside of the cores and all the fab work looks 100%, the transition from the end tanks into the cores are nice and smooth, fins between the cores on the outside are neat and even.

JustJap are just down the road too, been in there and theirs look a bit povo compared to the repco ones. just not as neatly made, the cores and the fins between cores a bit inconsistent and not quite so bling on the polish but about 1/3 the price

I reckon the repco one would probably flow a little better and be a bit more efficient at cooling

Why? because its shinier or because you have tested both?


Love internet opinions people will support or bag a product they don't even own

[80's_delirious]

Repco down the road from me has some real nice looking intercoolers (think PWR brand but not sure)
they have fine fins running along the inside of the cores and all the fab work looks 100%, the transition from the end tanks into the cores are nice and smooth, fins between the cores on the outside are neat and even.

JustJap are just down the road too, been in there and theirs look a bit povo compared to the repco ones. just not as neatly made, the cores and the fins between cores a bit inconsistent and not quite so bling on the polish but about 1/3 the price

I reckon the repco one would probably flow a little better and be a bit more efficient at cooling

Why? because its shinier or because you have tested both?


Love internet opinions people will support or bag a product they don't even own

No I dont own and havent tested either of these.

If youd seen my 4b youd know shiny dont mean jack to me.

I will be adding an intercooler as soon as $$ allow so I have spent some time checking out what is available.
there was some fairly obvious differences in design and in the quality of finish and workmanship in the two units I mentioned, and that goes far beyond the shine.

check out some well written info here http://www.bellintercoolers.com/pages/t ... html#FAQ_3
bell intercoolers was setup by Corky Bell who AFAIK has been well known for turbo and supercharged performance for a long time.

keep this in mind

The most important things to look at are pressure drop accross the core and how much the air temps drop. Cheap will have more pressure drop and less temp drop, they may also leak.

check out products for yourself, then decide on whats value for money for you. I was going to go down the Evil-BAY route for intercooler myself but after having a close look at some of whats available I would be a little hesitant without checking out the product first[/list]

[ferret]

The rate of heat transfer and flow properties afforded by the turbulators that are in the good quality coolers are great........if you're looking to lean on your engine really hard and make big power. The average fleabay 600x300 cooler is still pretty efficient up to around 400hp+ at the flywheel, and something tells me that the average turbo diesel 4b ain't quite there (or most turbo anything streeters for that matter).

[lshobie]

I would think that most intercoolers are probably made in china or the likes whether you buy them on ebay or not. Not sure where bell or garret intercoolers are made - but wouldn't it make sense for them to buy product from a well priced manufacturer as well???

I spoke with one of the guys at bell and he just said stick the biggest intercooler in the opening that I could fit in there - pretty technical eh.

A leak in an intercooler or the piping is a bad thing - you don't want any leaks at all.

I have seen ebay specials and reputed american made - and they both look like they were welded by one of those pro child labour 5 year old welder kids - honestly very good welds.

Gidday.

[V8Patrol]

kingy

any links to the ebay shop u used?

http://stores.ebay.com.au/auturbo_W0QQs ... 3a45QQtZkm

[RN]

At the 4WD show there was a stall selling exhaust systems for fourbies. Also sell intercoolers. Any one check out the neat round water/air I/C...stillunder design as it is not producing the numbers as yet. Will RRP about $1,500.

[hotrod4x4]

just seen one fitted to a GU4.2T
apparently works well

[Gutless]

Repco down the road from me has some real nice looking intercoolers (think PWR brand but not sure)
they have fine fins running along the inside of the cores and all the fab work looks 100%, the transition from the end tanks into the cores are nice and smooth, fins between the cores on the outside are neat and even.

JustJap are just down the road too, been in there and theirs look a bit povo compared to the repco ones. just not as neatly made, the cores and the fins between cores a bit inconsistent and not quite so bling on the polish but about 1/3 the price

I reckon the repco one would probably flow a little better and be a bit more efficient at cooling

I recently bought a PWR cooler, and they ARE great quality. Yes it was dearer than the Taiwanese specials off Ebay, but I am supporting an Aussie made product, and If I ever have any dramas I have somewhere to take it for warranty. Piece of mind is worth a little extra

[bogged]

I would think that most intercoolers are probably made in china

Most but not all...


AWILL4X4 is god from Carrum Downs

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/vi ... p?t=118390


Standard GU 4.2/2.8 cooler V The Modded one