Lust
Senior Member
- First Name
- Michael
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2018
- Threads
- 16
- Messages
- 1,411
- Reaction score
- 1,777
- Location
- Bay Area
- Vehicle(s)
- 2019 Champ White Type R
- Thread starter
- #1
Hi all,
Now that I’ve had some time to test my C&R intercooler, I can share my results/thoughts.
I think the forum knows the background of PWR/C&R so I won’t go into detail on this thread. If you don’t know, go visit the radiator and oil cooler thread.
First of all why tube and fin? I chose a tube and fin design for several reasons
1. Better overall airflow through the cooling stack (IC, AC condenser, radiator)
2. Ability to consistently shed heat at a much more rapid rate
3. Lower overall weight
Bar and plate designs may initially be less prone to heat soak but have a hard time shedding heat once over saturated. This is a common occurrence for cars that see track duty. This paired with less airflow is a recipe for disaster.
Why did I switch from HKS to C&R, they’re both tube and fin?
1. Size (665x177x87mm)
2. Thermal efficiency
3. Power
The C&R is appropriately sized for track duty in which it cools the charge air adequately without blocking crucial airflow to the radiator. A problem with oversized intercoolers is that it will act as a wall and not allow enough air to reach the radiator. This creates a rise in ECT which could then lead to overheating. C&R determined that a core thickness of 87mm is the absolute maximum before seeing a significant loss in air flow.
The crazy thing about the C&R is that it actually cools the same if not better than my HKS in a smaller package. The fin design is unmatched and is truly a more efficient package.
The HKS intercooler uses turbulated air tubes. Turbulators are used to help cool the charge air but at the cost of lower pressure. So while the HKS might have lower IATs, you’ll actually lose power because of pressure drops. C&R uses extruded tubes which provide efficient cooling without sacrificing pressure. This means more power.
If you look at very high end motorsports, you’ll see all of them are using high end tube and fin intercoolers. C&R/PWR have a lot of experience and supply teams in the highest level of racing their cooling solutions.
From my butt dyno, I’ve noticed that my turbo spool is much smoother and more responsive compared to my HKS. The biggest difference was the overall power at the top end. It was very obvious I had more power from about 5,000 RPM to redline. IATs are very similar depending on the situation. Under normal street driving and track driving, I’ve observed an overall lower ECT. My normal commute is 30 minutes mostly highway. My ECT2 temps hardly budge and are consistently at ambient temps or a few degrees above.
I only have great things to say about this intercooler. It’s an actual work of art and has the performance to back it up. I’ll update this thread sometime soon and provide data logs once my tuning is finished. Please feel free to leave a comment with questions or concerns. If you’re running this intercooler, please share your experience.
Now that I’ve had some time to test my C&R intercooler, I can share my results/thoughts.
I think the forum knows the background of PWR/C&R so I won’t go into detail on this thread. If you don’t know, go visit the radiator and oil cooler thread.
First of all why tube and fin? I chose a tube and fin design for several reasons
1. Better overall airflow through the cooling stack (IC, AC condenser, radiator)
2. Ability to consistently shed heat at a much more rapid rate
3. Lower overall weight
Bar and plate designs may initially be less prone to heat soak but have a hard time shedding heat once over saturated. This is a common occurrence for cars that see track duty. This paired with less airflow is a recipe for disaster.
Why did I switch from HKS to C&R, they’re both tube and fin?
1. Size (665x177x87mm)
2. Thermal efficiency
3. Power
The C&R is appropriately sized for track duty in which it cools the charge air adequately without blocking crucial airflow to the radiator. A problem with oversized intercoolers is that it will act as a wall and not allow enough air to reach the radiator. This creates a rise in ECT which could then lead to overheating. C&R determined that a core thickness of 87mm is the absolute maximum before seeing a significant loss in air flow.
The crazy thing about the C&R is that it actually cools the same if not better than my HKS in a smaller package. The fin design is unmatched and is truly a more efficient package.
The HKS intercooler uses turbulated air tubes. Turbulators are used to help cool the charge air but at the cost of lower pressure. So while the HKS might have lower IATs, you’ll actually lose power because of pressure drops. C&R uses extruded tubes which provide efficient cooling without sacrificing pressure. This means more power.
If you look at very high end motorsports, you’ll see all of them are using high end tube and fin intercoolers. C&R/PWR have a lot of experience and supply teams in the highest level of racing their cooling solutions.
From my butt dyno, I’ve noticed that my turbo spool is much smoother and more responsive compared to my HKS. The biggest difference was the overall power at the top end. It was very obvious I had more power from about 5,000 RPM to redline. IATs are very similar depending on the situation. Under normal street driving and track driving, I’ve observed an overall lower ECT. My normal commute is 30 minutes mostly highway. My ECT2 temps hardly budge and are consistently at ambient temps or a few degrees above.
I only have great things to say about this intercooler. It’s an actual work of art and has the performance to back it up. I’ll update this thread sometime soon and provide data logs once my tuning is finished. Please feel free to leave a comment with questions or concerns. If you’re running this intercooler, please share your experience.
