Intercooler spray approaches

After seeing this video, I've been sold on building a sprayer for myself

So now, i want to spray the intercooler but i have several approaches in my head:

 

1. using the boost controller power as a lead to a relay that will swtich the sprayer on

 

2. using a simple mechanical thermal switch (thermostat) to switch on the pump at a certain temp

 

3. manual switch on the assumption that you gonna need a constant mist once you are running the car hard

 

4. Hobbs pressure switch

 

The next step is to select the best misting nozzles for this. I'm thinking of two nozzles to start with.

You could use a hobbs switch which will activate under boost at a psi of your choice. That's what I'd do. I used to use one to kick in a booster for my fuel pump on a old build and they work great.

The next step is to select the best misting nozzles for this. I'm thinking of two nozzles to start with. Probably those meth injection nozzles? But these are not so cheap sometimes.

 

Already ordered this pump and bottle for $39.9

 

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTA2NlgxNjAw/z/Wb0AAOxyBvZTVrhW/$_57.JPG

 

And this pressure switch which will be set at 2psi

http://i11.ebayimg.com/02/i/000/c9/33/79c7_1.JPG

The YouTube video is using a hairy dryer? An engine under boost moves a lot more air than a hair dryer. I know some who used n2o and co2 sprayers and had no measureable increase at the track. The air intake temps looks great off the line but that was all that they could quantify looking at a scan tool.

They probably were using FMIC that doesn't suffer from heat soak as much. I for sure know i am suffering from heat soak. Back to back 3rd gear pulls shows increased knock where the very first pull didn't. Up to 3 degrees pulled sometimes.

 

This setup is to suppress heatsoak and also to remove some temps by evaporating the water.

As for a nozzle I'd look into the sprayers grocery stores use to mist their produce. I know big hardware stores will have misters for gardens and such that will probably work for you, plus their cheap.

I think this would be more effective on a temperature switch that monitors post-IC temps. Otherwise the system will remain off the entire time you're sitting in traffic or at a red light, when you suffer from heatsoak the most.

 

Or if you're going to spray based on MAP, I probably would have it start at a higher pressure like 10psi, then have a manual override so you can spray in traffic and such like I mentioned above.

I agree. I was considering a temperature switch.

For the mister I was looking at the 0.5gph nozzles. I plan to use two of them if it mists well enough.

Now i'm wondering do I place this mister on the intercooler, or in the intercooler vent?

Not sure how much amperage the motor draw, but I figure it's less than 15A

http://s23.postimg.org/yqbcr60nv/mister.png

Definitely less than 15 amps. Nice schematic btw. Thanks!

Decided with a 10A

 

Also the corrected the resistor values for the LEDs, at the correct operating voltage 14.4V.

also moved fuses closer to power source

 

Gonna make the circuit later tonight.

That should be a pretty sweet setup. Update with pics.

MY smart phone got farked so I have no pics at the moment.

It's not installed, i just rigged up something to test it out

 

I do not have a temperature probe in the intake duct but.. I did 2 runs 0 to 100mph and pull over right away, pop the bonnet and use an infrared gun thermometer to check the temp of the intercooler

 

Preliminary results:

 

 

without cooler: 46.2 C (117 F) , quarter mile time = 15.39

With cooler: 24.5 C (76.1 F), quarter mile time = 14.94

 

I'm on a 5EAT tranny So i can't launch hard.

 

When I placed my hand on the intercooler after the spray-run, it was as cool as ice water. Remember this is Jamaica and it's about 88F outside.

 

While those temps look good, remember they are on the outside after a hard pull.

 

For me though, the most significant result for me was that i could run 17psi at 6000rpm and get no knock. The run without the cooler showed knock pulls (-2) after 6000 rpm, as all other runs before that usually do

 

After I have this permanently setup, gonna raise my boost a little, timing a little if i'm still knock free. It's just like getting a TMIC upgrade, you have to tune for it to see the REAL results

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE9a2r2k9Eg]20140518 184740 - YouTube[/ame]

 

 

 

 

Sprayed the nozzle rail

http://s28.postimg.org/70xgzmmj1/20140518_115908.jpg

 

Hooking up the pump via accessory.

http://s28.postimg.org/q9z53dw25/20140518_115939.jpg

 

Hobbs pressure switch T-connected to turbo side boost hose

http://s28.postimg.org/uyf4ykl8t/20140518_142517.jpg

 

Initially thought to keep the bottle exposed, so i sprayed it black.

Now the bottle is concealed behind my power amps frame. Pix laterhttp://s17.postimg.org/bf1tn3qcf/20140518_114555.jpg

So far I can hardly hear when the pump comes in. IF it wasn't for the LED that indicates when it's running, i wouldn't know.

 

I can drive around cruise regularly, but as soon as i build boost it comes on.

How is this setup working? Have you tried to mix anything in with the water like rubbing alcohol to see if you gain cooling efficiency?

 

With consistent 100-110F days here in the summer, I'm thinking of setting up something like this.

This is the most thorough and intelligent analysis of this problem I've ever come across: http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&A=0527

 

Too bad the unit isn't available any longer.

How is this setup working? Have you tried to mix anything in with the water like rubbing alcohol to see if you gain cooling efficiency?

 

With consistent 100-110F days here in the summer, I'm thinking of setting up something like this.

 

Less than a full bottle per week if I drive it economically,

if i step on it I'd do a bottle and maybe fill up on friday

 

i have 5 nozzles, there is one there that always get blocked.

I also have installed a normally closed solenoid to prevent water from seeping out overnight as I park on a slight slope.

 

Working alright so far

 

If i had a project car I'd run meth on it.

 

 

Rubbing alky? I'm concerned about it catching fire

Just curious, but why wouldn't you run meth on your daily? I used to be skeptical about these systems but after working with them on customer cars I went ahead and installed one on my own DD. A lot of the scare stories are overblown, and as long you have simple failsafes in place and include the system in your maintenance program I don't see what there is to worry about. It sure is a lot more effective than IC spray and the control strategy is much more simple, and it's pre-packaged.

 

50/50 meth and water is not flammable by the way. Most freeze-resistant windshield washer fluid is roughly a 50/50 meth and water mix.

Rubbing alcohol, AKA isopropyl alcohol, varies in concentration but always contains some water. You should treat all rubbing alcohol as highly flammable. Not recommended for IC spray for this reason, and not for water/alcohol injection mix since the concentration varies so much.

nice writeup and system design.

Rubbing alcohol in a 25/75 mix with water will not ignite (25:alc/75:h20). Rubbing alcohol is not much more/less flammable than methanol.

This is a good article on building a working system if you missed it.

 

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&A=0527

A fan puller fan on the back side will aide the water through the IC.

As per the article, it mentioned that the IC does most of the cooling by collecting the heat into the mass of the metal that it is.

 

since the very entrance of the intercooler is significantly hotter than the rest of the IC, i aimed one of the nozzle slightly to that direction to cool it more.

So today I noticed that while my setup is good if u presoak it and then do some hard driving, the time off throttle is when the IC gets heated up, the time where there isn't any boost. And after that, it would take a really long WOT to get it to cool again...if the heat from the turbo doesn't outdo the water mister.

 

Solution?

I need a temp probe and a circuit to go with that.

knowing me I won't do a circuit with microcontrollers and what not. NO way, not that I can't, but it's too much work.

Far_Side, I'm Gonna do some research and come back with a solution. Watch me

 

UPDATE:

Found this

12V thermostat -50C to 100C

 

Has a 10A relay as the output.

 

OR maybe this one as it has a memory function incase power is lost (like when you turn off the car, this feature is a must)

 

 

Bingo. My work is 80% done.

Just set the probe on the backside of the intercooler or something (so the water doesn't cool the temp sensor)

and use the 10A in parallel with my manual switch