Chargecooler - opinions and reviews

[J-1]

Looking for some advice / reviews / thoughts / opinions on the following chargecoolers:

Precision PT1000
PWR barrel (6" x 8")
Radtec

It's for my 5SGTE / GT3076 track car. Road use will be minimal.
I've ditched the boot mount intercooler setup I had as it's just too hard to get a constant flow of cold / clean air (excluding fans), so now planning of trying charge-cooling.

The charge-cooler core will be supported by a Radtec pre-rad and a heavy duty marine grade bilge pump. Ultimate goal is 500bhp. Whether or not I see that is a different story, however I want to make sure I have the right core for the job.

What are the pros / cons of the above mentioned chargecoolers in the real world? Is one more efficient than the other? If so, why?

I know Ash favours the Precision, and Nath and Gullz the PWR.

Appreciate the advice.

[Martin F]

I have had issues with cooling air so, so many times in my mr2 ownership. I have lost countless ££ because of high temps on the dyno as well as losing lots of hp due to the issue stopping mapping in it's tracks.
For me the radtec has failed twice above 1.5-1.6 bar as that is when it couldn't keep temps at bay.
I may have gone a bit overboard on my most recent set up but it works and it works well. I am seeing 6-8 degrees above ambient after a hard pull, mapping went great (for a change) and i may even have got more out of the turbo than i would have otherwise got on a smaller core.

I can't comment on the others you mentioned but i wouldn't risk the radtec core if you are aiming for 500 bhp (even though it may have been done before)

In my install i have the raised engine lid (which is a great cooling mod in itself) so it allowed me to stick it above where the standard engine lid should be...

[J-1]

Any other pics of the core / engine as that core looks massive in the pic!!! May be deceiving...

Who made that core?

[androo007]

Pete did a lot of testing on cc with Simon hicks car.

The radtech was at its upper limits at low to mid 400''s

- taken from another thread.

So for 500 not good enough. Hope that helps.

[Martin F]

Any other pics of the core / engine as that core looks massive in the pic!!! May be deceiving...

Who made that core?

It was a cheap ebay core, similar to this one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CXRacing-Interc ... 0324267251

Running off a radtec pre rad and pump. All the pipes are 3" from the turbo to inlet. I had to weld the rait sensor bung, BOV mount and a couple of bleed holes in the core but apart from that it was just a case of measuring and ordering the parts as i went along.
At the end of the day it works and it works well. I am seeing around 470 bhp on a GT3076 with an A/R 0.63, i'm seeing 1.2 bar at just 4k rpm on my low boost setting with lower start duty than my high boost setting.









I have since managed to shorten the pipe tracts, planning on colour coding the lot with the same colour as the car.

[J-1]

Any other pics of the core / engine as that core looks massive in the pic!!! May be deceiving...

Who made that core?

It was a cheap ebay core, similar to this one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CXRacing-Interc ... 0324267251

Running off a radtec pre rad and pump. All the pipes are 3" from the turbo to inlet. I had to weld the rait sensor bung, BOV mount and a couple of bleed holes in the core but apart from that it was just a case of measuring and ordering the parts as i went along.
At the end of the day it works and it works well. I am seeing around 470 bhp on a GT3076 with an A/R 0.63, i'm seeing 1.2 bar at just 4k rpm on my low boost setting with lower start duty than my high boost setting.









I have since managed to shorten the pipe tracts, planning on colour coding the lot with the same colour as the car.

Really?! Doesn't look bad for an eBay special. Seems to do the business as well!

How do you find the GT3076? That's what I'll be running on my 5S track car.
WRC manifold as well.

[Martin F]

For a road car it is great, at wastegate pressure (1.1-1.2 bar) i was slightly quicker than a 65 plate m3, think that's a v6 twin turbo so no slouch.

spools really well, losing power up top because of the 0.63 which has made me consider upgrading to a BW turbo but that's a story for a different day. I am running 1.92-1.95 bar for my high boost setting. Here is a dyno graph of 1.8 bar, rwhp though so not flywheel figures...



I am getting more power at 4250 revs than a ct20b puts out at 1.2 bar and 7k revs

[Poker Face]

I wondered what CC you had Martin. I'd toyed with the idea of that one myself but didn't know if the ebay special would be any good. I'm stuck at 300rwhp with the one o bought off you. Which at the time of purchase was my goal but now I'm forged I want more.

[Martin F]

I wondered what CC you had Martin. I'd toyed with the idea of that one myself but didn't know if the ebay special would be any good. I'm stuck at 300rwhp with the one o bought off you. Which at the time of purchase was my goal but now I'm forged I want more.

What were the ambient temps when you got 300 rwhp ? The core i bought could only be sourced from america, unfortunately after delivery and taxes cost me a fair whack.
JimGTS bought the slightly smaller core for his setup and it worked fine for him and that one could be sourced from the uk or europe for pretty much half the price i paid.
I just wanted to go overboard as i was fed up of buying something then wanting bigger

The spearco is pretty much as good as it gets for a sidemount but because of that you will always be able to sell it on for whatever you paid for it, what turbo are you running ?

[Poker Face]

I'll have to find out what temp's they were getting when they mapped it. Saying that I've got a thermocouple I could run through and see for myself.
I'm running a Precision 5558 turbo.

[Martin F]

I'll have to find out what temp's they were getting when they mapped it. Saying that I've got a thermocouple I could run through and see for myself.
I'm running a Precision 5558 turbo.

That would be a good idea as the position of the standard sensor is in a bad location and therefore doesn't give you a true reading, especially so if sitting on a dyno... what's the boost pressure ?

what is the turbo capable off ? a chargecooler would certainly be the next step up....

[Poker Face]

590 according to the specs.
http://www.owendevelopments.co.uk/produ ... CEA%C2%AE/

I'm aiming for around 400bhp and not too much lag. Getting a quote for a cc as I don't have the time to do it myself.

[tiff_lee]

I'll have to find out what temp's they were getting when they mapped it. Saying that I've got a thermocouple I could run through and see for myself.
I'm running a Precision 5558 turbo.

How are you planning on mounting the thermocouple lead? would you get away of slipping it under a silicone hose and clamping over the top?

[Poker Face]

I'll have to find out what temp's they were getting when they mapped it. Saying that I've got a thermocouple I could run through and see for myself.
I'm running a Precision 5558 turbo.

How are you planning on mounting the thermocouple lead? would you get away of slipping it under a silicone hose and clamping over the top?

That was the plan, someone said to me put it through with a thin straw the but I don't think that is a good idea. Given the size of the wires I think it will seal okay and not damage the thermocouple.

[Martin F]

590 according to the specs.
http://www.owendevelopments.co.uk/produ ... CEA%C2%AE/

I'm aiming for around 400bhp and not too much lag. Getting a quote for a cc as I don't have the time to do it myself.

So you should comfortably get into the 500 bhp area, then just turn your boost down so you are running 400 bhp ,

Getting the cooling sorted out is what you need to do. i pressume everything else is in place, ie. fueling/clutch etc. ?

[tiff_lee]

I'll have to find out what temp's they were getting when they mapped it. Saying that I've got a thermocouple I could run through and see for myself.
I'm running a Precision 5558 turbo.

How are you planning on mounting the thermocouple lead? would you get away of slipping it under a silicone hose and clamping over the top?

That was the plan, someone said to me put it through with a thin straw the but I don't think that is a good idea. Given the size of the wires I think it will seal okay and not damage the thermocouple.

Yeah I had a similar plan. I have a dual thermo couple unit so was going to fit it to chargecooler inlet/outlet.

[Poker Face]

Yeah I'm good on the clutch , pistons etc. My injectors are only 800's so I may need to go larger for 500. Baby steps 300 at the wheels is quite exciting at the moment.

[Poker Face]

How are you planning on mounting the thermocouple lead? would you get away of slipping it under a silicone hose and clamping over the top?

That was the plan, someone said to me put it through with a thin straw the but I don't think that is a good idea. Given the size of the wires I think it will seal okay and not damage the thermocouple.

Yeah I had a similar plan. I have a dual thermo couple unit so was going to fit it to chargecooler inlet/outlet.

Good idea, you can see how effective it is. I can't remember ifor mine is one or two channels, if two I'll do the same

[tiff_lee]

That was the plan, someone said to me put it through with a thin straw the but I don't think that is a good idea. Given the size of the wires I think it will seal okay and not damage the thermocouple.

Yeah I had a similar plan. I have a dual thermo couple unit so was going to fit it to chargecooler inlet/outlet.

Good idea, you can see how effective it is. I can't remember ifor mine is one or two channels, if two I'll do the same

They are cheap enough £16

http://www.banggood.com/GM1312-Digital- ... mds=search

[pbmr2]

I tend to put a tiny blob liquid gasket on the cable so it seals better under the rubber joiner.