Vertical Core Vs. Horizontal Core Intercooler(ebay)

[Furinox]

Just wanted to let everyone know some information about the vertical vs horizontal core intercoolers.

The vertical core intercoolers are the ones like procharger sells where the air passages are short and in abundance

The horizontal core intercoolers are the ones like what are in the ebay kits.

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From what I've read the vertical intercoolers have better flow because there are twice as many passages for the air to travel through(top to bottom), and the passages are half as long. This intercooler is not as efficient at cooling the air charge in high boost applications.

The horrizontal intercoolers flow slightly less because the passages are fewer and twice as long. This style intercooler is better for cooling the air charge in high boost applications


A week ago I dyno'd my car and it made 430 consistently in around 85* shop temp with the horizontal core.

On saturday I dyno'd my car and it made 450 with 400 rpm left to go and I ran out of fuel. The shop temp was 100* This was with the vertical core.

This was with no adjustements of the tune, just switching out the intercoolers.


I'm throwing in dual focus pumps with week and then finding out what it makes at full rpm. I hope to hit 470 on a cool morning.

 

[Shin]

Is the intercooler tube and fin?
I suspect it is and because the day was hotter it allowed the intercooler to get heat soaked... you could do a intercooler spray set up Co2/Nitrous/Windex/Water

The windex has alchol in it so it will cool a little better than plain water.

 

[Furinox]

Is the intercooler tube and fin?
I suspect it is and because the day was hotter it allowed the intercooler to get heat soaked... you could do a intercooler spray set up Co2/Nitrous/Windex/Water

The windex has alchol in it so it will cool a little better than plain water.

reread the post, I think you're confused.

 

[Shin]

reread the post, I think you're confused.

You didn't ask a question though :shrug:

I was just giving you a tip on keeping your IATs down :??:

The horizontal should give better results each time unless A. it's a tube and fin while heat soaked.
B. bad design.

Usually with the horizontal you lose a few psi but gain horsepower due to the air being more dense.

 

[Chris98vobra]

Usually with the horizontal you lose a few psi but gain horsepower due to the air being more dense.

This is not what I have experienced or seen in real life, at least under 25lbs of boost. There is a reason why Procharger only sells verticle cores. I think the horizontal is the only option if running over 30lbs of boost because cooling the charge enough is a real issue. Most of us are under 25lbs and loosing boost is a bigger issue.

Nirvana is loosing very little boost, cooling it just above ambient, then spraying water/meth under boost.

 

[Shin]

What's the inlet and outlet size on the horizontal intercoolers vs the same for the verticals?

 

[Chris98vobra]

What's the inlet and outlet size on the horizontal intercoolers vs the same for the verticals?

The options are the same. My last one was 3". This one is 4".

 

[Maynor]

..
Usually with the horizontal you lose a few psi but gain horsepower due to the air being more dense.

Not really, longer tubes generally have more pressure loss but its all relative to the design and placement of the cooler core. Its all a trade-off.

Generally, I'd prefer a vertical design with shorter tube runs to minimize pressure loss without sacrificing efficiency.

Some great intercooler tech here: Corky Bell Technology and FAQs.

His books are well worth the cost by the way.

 

[Chris98vobra]

Furinox - how much increase in boost did you see with the "upgrade"?

 

[Chris98vobra]

Some great intercooler tech here: Corky Bell Technology and FAQs.

His books are well worth the cost by the way.

Hey John - my first core was a Cartech from when Corky Bell was part of it. Looks very much like the low end Procharger one. He knows his stuff.

 

[Furinox]

Furinox - how much increase in boost did you see with the "upgrade"?

not sur eyet. I need fuel lol

 

[Chris98vobra]

not sur eyet. I need fuel lol

Is it fair to say that you saw more boost when you stopped than what you saw at red line before?

 

[flowgoode]

Interesting thread...I've always thought like stated in your first post that the vertical would be good for less pressure loss, and the horizontal would be better for lower air temps.

I guess it really is a trade off, will you make more power with the increased boost you gain from the vertical intercooler, or will you make more power from the lower air temps you get with the horizontal intercooler?

It's probably different from car to car, and dependant on how much boost you're running/losing through the intercoolers. my .02

 

[BADD281]

Both intercoolers have their positives and negatives. The Vertical core intercooler will be less restrictive but will have a decreased IAT than the horizontal core. The vertical will lose less boost since it is moving quicker through the intercooler. The horizontal core has more restriction and therefore causes a greater loss in boost. BUT since the horizontal provides cooler and denser charge to the intake, you can increase timing safely to gain power from the kit.

 

[THAITED]

Good to hear, I have the E-bay one and it works fine at 16 psi.

 

[Chris98vobra]

Both intercoolers have their positives and negatives. The Vertical core intercooler will be less restrictive but will have a decreased IAT than the horizontal core. The vertical will lose less boost since it is moving quicker through the intercooler. The horizontal core has more restriction and therefore causes a greater loss in boost. BUT since the horizontal provides cooler and denser charge to the intake, you can increase timing safely to gain power from the kit.

This applies as long as the restriction isn't so great as to loose significant boost amounts due to inefficiencies. As an example, you're not going to make up 4lbs of boost with higher timing due to maybe 10 or 20 degrees of reduced IAT.

 

[THAITED]

This applies as long as the restriction isn't so great as to loose significant boost amounts due to inefficiencies. As an example, you're not going to make up 4lbs of boost with higher timing due to maybe 10 or 20 degrees of reduced IAT.

I have to get my timing reduce about 3 degree all the way across the board so I can drive safely in summer time.

 

[Mike@TCI]

You do realize Ebay sells both Horizontal flow coolers and Verticle.

Given my experiences, I would opt for a verticle flow core ( on a street Mustang), and properly configured/designed end tanks.

 

[Chris98vobra]

You do realize Ebay sells both Horizontal flow coolers and Verticle.

Given my experiences, I would opt for a verticle flow core ( on a street Mustang), and properly configured/designed end tanks.

If this is a question to me, yes of course. Before I upgraded mine I looked at a few. But the vast majority of the purchasers of ebay cores are buying horizontal ones. They are certainly easier to fit between the bumper support mounts and be abel to center it with the side endtanks than the verticle core ones. Especially if you buy a large one.

 

[Chris98vobra]

I have to get my timing reduce about 3 degree all the way across the board so I can drive safely in summer time.

You should consider adding some alky injection.