Can an intercooler be too small?

[gun32gtr]

Any updates

 

[SFA hilux]

No updates from me sorry, cooler has been put in the back burner.

 

[SFA hilux]

Been a while but I’ve got an update. In late jan this year i but the bullet and bought a top mount intercooler (tiny one 200mm x 140 x 65) and a later model Hilux bonnet scoop and some piping. I’ve only done half a job. I welded up the piping and installed the intercooler off to the side of the engine a little. I’ve been dragging the chain with installing the scoop and actually still haven’t done it
My egts have dropped minimally. But believe it or not I’ve definitely gained power/torque. I think if I held the Same speed up hills that I used to my egts would noticeably decrease.
I know getting cool air to the intercooler would help but I’m living not cutting up my bonnet.

 

[phs]

^ without a scoop you would be decreasing performance

You have installed an interwarmer

 

[SFA hilux]

^ without a scoop you would be decreasing performance

You have installed an interwarmer

There’s no question it’s picked up power, but I do understand you being sceptical.
the only other thing that’s changed is I made new piping,

I’ve read that air temp coming out of the turbo can be over 100 deg c.
There should be a fair bit of air flow going through the radiator and around the intercooler then out underneath the car, even though this is heated air.
Put it this way. The air passing through a large front mount intercooler is heated then goes into the radiator, so air flow but only hot air getting to the radiator, does the radiator start to heat the engine?

 

[phs]

The radiator is in the front getting air, the bottom of the engine bay is open so that is where the air flow is going, from the front then out the bottom of the engine bay

Your cooler is up the top of the engine bay not only does hot air rise but it’s then under a canopy keeping it nice and warm, also the orientation of the cooler fins are facing heat soak from anything coming up

You would see some increase in performance while the engine bay is cool for the first 20 or so mins after it has started but after that it will soak up the heat.

come summer time it will get worse again

Look at it this way have you ever seen any air 2 air top mount coolers that manufactures have designed without a direct air path ?

 

[SFA hilux]

Don’t get me wrong, I agree mostly with what your saying.

The radiator is in the front getting air, the bottom of the engine bay is open so that is where the air flow is going, from the front then out the bottom of the engine bay

Yes I would presume that’s the flow pattern, very possible to be lots of air flow anywhere in the engine bay though. The top part fan and the shroud point straight towards the intercooler only a few hundred mm

Your cooler is up the top of the engine bay not only does hot air rise but it’s then under a canopy keeping it nice and warm, also the orientation of the cooler fins are facing heat soak from anything coming up

agree.

You would see some increase in performance while the engine bay is cool for the first 20 or so mins after it has started but after that it will soak up the heat.

I haven’t done a lot of long drives in it, but it is my daily, 1/2hr+ trips in it most days, I haven’t noticed a drop in performance but I could be missing that, just going off the average driving experience.
it was January when I installed it.

Look at it this way have you ever seen any air 2 air top mount coolers that manufactures have designed without a direct air path ?

No I haven’t.
I’m not saying I have the most efficient set up intercooler, just saying that it works and sharing my experience so far.
manufacturers work with aerodynamics, the don’t just design a car and then put a scoop in it. Having an opening on your car doesn’t guarantee airflow into the scoop.