intercooler as radiator?

Post by **mud4b** » Wed May 16, 2007 8:42 pm

can i use a intercooler as a alloy radiator?

its for a buggy..

would it work the same since it still has cores?

Post by **j-top paj** » Wed May 16, 2007 8:43 pm

arent radiators made out of different materia to handle the liquid flowing through them?

Post by **Gwagensteve** » Wed May 16, 2007 9:12 pm

I would have thought that the passages would be too big to work efficiently as a radiator - I know it doesn't work around the other way.

If it's on a buggy though, it might be okay for a stage or so - the relatively large volume of water it would hold would help.

Steve.

Post by **blurredvision** » Wed May 16, 2007 9:47 pm

I don't know about a radiator, but I have used a tube and fin intercooler core for a dual pass transmission cooler., It worked very effectively at dropping the ATF fluid temp down.

Post by **mud4b** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:52 pm

hmmm
i think it will work, i just wanted more opinions..
its the size as you mentioned of the cores.. but the principal is the same..

Post by **Eddy** » Thu May 17, 2007 9:12 am

Why bother when ya can get alloy radiators anyway, and ya know they're going to work.

Post by **nastytroll** » Thu May 17, 2007 10:21 am

my old boss made a radiator for a suzuki tl1000 out of a air con core after he skittled it down the lane way

Post by **mud4b** » Thu May 17, 2007 11:15 am

Eddy wrote:Why bother when ya can get alloy radiators anyway, and ya know they're going to work.

why bother.. ebay has intercoolers for cheap and in the right size i need to squish into the buggy also they have no radiator cap that i will have to seal off.. you ever priced a alloy radiator?

Post by **Guy** » Thu May 17, 2007 12:40 pm

How do you propose to get all the air out of the system ? Put a cap inline somewhere ?

Post by **pongo** » Thu May 17, 2007 3:03 pm

love_mud wrote:How do you propose to get all the air out of the system ? Put a cap inline somewhere ?

its easy. all you need is a bleed point at the highest point

Post by **mud4b** » Thu May 17, 2007 3:10 pm

pongo wrote:
love_mud wrote:How do you propose to get all the air out of the system ? Put a cap inline somewhere ?
its easy. all you need is a bleed point at the highest point

spot on...
well i guess ill just give it a go..

Post by **Eddy** » Thu May 17, 2007 3:25 pm

mud4b wrote:
Eddy wrote:Why bother when ya can get alloy radiators anyway, and ya know they're going to work.
why bother.. ebay has intercoolers for cheap and in the right size i need to squish into the buggy also they have no radiator cap that i will have to seal off..

ok ... fair enough

you ever priced a alloy radiator?

yep, and they are a bit $$$ ... ... but then ... so's a cooked motor ...

.

Post by **blurredvision** » Thu May 17, 2007 3:51 pm

Have you priced a complete Falcon radiator and fans, I thought that the price was pretty good for what you got. Also when I mentioned that it was for racing purposes the guy chopped more off the price.
Just a thought.

Post by **mud4b** » Thu May 17, 2007 3:55 pm

blurredvision wrote:Have you priced a complete Falcon radiator and fans, I thought that the price was pretty good for what you got. Also when I mentioned that it was for racing purposes the guy chopped more off the price.
Just a thought.

not yet, its prolly too big... i need something around 500mm high can be nearly any length though..

Post by **sierrajim** » Thu May 17, 2007 4:22 pm

There's heaps of small alloy radiators around.

The Rodent is way small, we're running a radiator out of a Honda something.

Engine cooling relies on two things, 1. The radiator/cooling system and 2. Air flow through the engine bay over the engine.

In a buggy, you don't have a good flow of air over the engine as you're not really going fast enough. Find the space for a radiator when you build the buggy, trying to retro fit one into something tight will be a PITA. (we're trying to find a suitable location for the steering cooler ATM.

Post by **moose** » Fri May 18, 2007 7:46 am

rob put a 2nd front mount radiator in his buggy the other day , this thing is small , with its own thermo fan !!
pretty sure it came out of a subaru !! ( or something similar !!)

Post by **mud4b** » Fri May 18, 2007 9:28 am

sierrajim wrote: Find the space for a radiator when you build the buggy, trying to retro fit one into something tight will be a PITA. (we're trying to find a suitable location for the steering cooler ATM.

i did have a space when i built it but due to the fawkin huge lexus engine i had to change where it goes, i do have a few places to fit it but its the size i need to get right hence why i thought about a intercooler..

hmm do you think a smallish (i know they are thin) factory alloy rad will cool the lexus v8 any good?

Post by **Highway-Star** » Fri May 18, 2007 3:51 pm

Talk to someone in a radiator shop, they should be able to tell of heaps of radiators that are under 500mm high. (I should think so anyway)

I know that some Subaru radiators are quite low profile (gotta be some bloody ricer upgrading and selling one cheap), and think that my Parent's XJ jeep is too.

I am under the impression that Lexus V8's do run rather warm, but I don't have any first hand experience with them. Anyway, if you end up with a too small radiator, get it as a triple core or put two in the buggy (in series).

Post by **Sean** » Fri May 18, 2007 11:25 pm

what a few of the ricers do is put some dry ice in the bottom of the inter cooler. Don't know how effective it would be for this application, just thought I'd throw it out there.

cheers,
Sean

Post by **sidewayz** » Sat May 19, 2007 9:23 am

i run an alloy radiator in my r32 skyline drift car. 45mm core thickness, for $400 delivered. good quality.

pm me if you are after something similar.

Post by **sierrajim** » Sun May 20, 2007 12:14 am

mud4b wrote:
sierrajim wrote: Find the space for a radiator when you build the buggy, trying to retro fit one into something tight will be a PITA. (we're trying to find a suitable location for the steering cooler ATM.

i did have a space when i built it but due to the fawkin huge lexus engine i had to change where it goes, i do have a few places to fit it but its the size i need to get right hence why i thought about a intercooler..

hmm do you think a smallish (i know they are thin) factory alloy rad will cool the lexus v8 any good?

Assuming this is shorty's buggy? From memory he wanted to wheel it more for fun than comps. Fun wheeling will generally have it running for longer requiring a more efficient cooling system.

Do a search on Ebay for radiators, heaps on there with sizes and specs listed. Cheap as well.

Post by **moose** » Sun May 20, 2007 5:18 am

thats the rason Rob & Bill put the lil' 1 in !!
SAND-DUNES !!
they take it to Portand all the time , & just needed a bit more cooling , over extended periods , than what the rear alone could provide !!

it works so well , it has been left in there for comps now !!!

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intercooler as radiator?

intercooler as radiator?

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