AWIC vs WRX Intercooler

snowjob · Post by **snowjob** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 3:36 am

Ok, before I open a huge can of worms, lets check out the benifits and drawbacks of each.
I've got an AWIC and pump, still need the Rad.
I've got a line on a really cheap WRX intercooler

So the question is. Which should I go with
The AWIC has quite a bit of weight with it(liquid) and is electornically more complicated.

Then WRX is lighter but can get heatsoaked.

What are your opinions?

Frazer

Post by **Legacy777** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:08 am

You need to ask yourself, where do you mostly drive? Open highway, or in traffic.

Rather then hash over and over which is better period. You should ask yourself, which is better for my application?

I'm going with AWIC. Right now, the majority of my driving is in town. The electronics & complexity doesn't bother me. I will be sizing a pump and radiator myself....so those things don't bother me.

J-MoNeY · Post by **J-MoNeY** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:15 am

I had the same delema before I choose my current setup. The AWIC isn't a bad idea, but it is going to heat soak just as much as an A2AIC reguardless of where you drive it. As IIRC, water will absorb more heat then air. For the more interesting set up, go with the AWIC. It's not going to be any better. For a *little* less hassle on install, go with the WRX IC. Let me forwarn you that it's not just going to get slapped in there. You can check my thread out to see what I did.

Cliff notes: Go WRX.

Post by **Legacy777** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:18 am

If you size the radiator properly, the chances of heat soaking the AWIC becomes much much less.

J-MoNeY · Post by **J-MoNeY** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:20 am

Legacy777 wrote:If you size the radiator properly, the chances of heat soaking the AWIC becomes much much less.

I could see that helping a little bit, but both will heat soak sitting in traffic with the car not moving.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:25 am

Why would the AWIC heat soak if you had a radiator fan?

J-MoNeY · Post by **J-MoNeY** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:28 am

vrg3 wrote:Why would the AWIC heat soak if you had a radiator fan?

Oh. Now he has a fan.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:34 am

you mean your radiator doesnt have a fan?

J-MoNeY · Post by **J-MoNeY** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:01 am

THAWA wrote:you mean your radiator doesnt have a fan?

H-U-E-M-O-R-E?

If the heater exchange (aka. radiator) has a fan on it for the AWIC then it might be alright.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:13 am

you mean humor?

What do you need another fan for? The AWIC radiator is going to be infront of the Engine radiator.

J-MoNeY · Post by **J-MoNeY** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:19 am

I can't recall if our fans suck the air in or push it though the radiator. I guess it would make more sense that they pull it. Back to the point! Umm, the radiator is just a big wall of heat. I would imagine that a little fan for the heater exchage would be a good idea, given that the radiator is going to prevent some suckage(blowage) of the fan's cooling capibilitys.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:43 am

Our fans pull air through, that's the most effecient way to have a fan on a radiator (we'll depending on the size anyway). It doesn't come stock with a fan right? So why do you need to add another?

J-MoNeY · Post by **J-MoNeY** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:45 am

Because sitting there in the heat of traffic, the majority of the air being sucked it is going to the radiator itself and a little fan on the heater exchange is going to improve flow to that specific unit and help prevent heat soaking.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:50 am

Okay, but that's obviously not a problem in stock form, which is still more power than our cars make.

J-MoNeY · Post by **J-MoNeY** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:53 am

You make a good point, but anything to help make the car more efficient is a good thing.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:54 am

no doubt

snowjob · Post by **snowjob** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 2:07 pm

Wo holly posts overnight, no wonder you three have over a thousand posts each Post whores :}
Your right I need to think of it as where I drive, I'm in traffic a fair bit of the time, but I live an hour outside the city in the country, so both apications work. What type of Radiator are you guys using for your awic setups.?

Frazer

Post by **Legacy777** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 3:57 pm

I haven't gotten into sizing the radiator yet, so I really can't give you any info yet....

J-MoNeY · Post by **J-MoNeY** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:10 pm

snowjob wrote:Wo holly posts overnight, no wonder you three have over a thousand posts each Post whores :}
Your right I need to think of it as where I drive, I'm in traffic a fair bit of the time, but I live an hour outside the city in the country, so both apications work. What type of Radiator are you guys using for your awic setups.?

Frazer

I've always wondered if you could use the stock AC condenser with some custom inlets and outlets made.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:25 pm

You should be able to. Flow would be a little weird because the condensor is designed with refrigerant in mind, which enters it as a gas but leaves it as a liquid. And its fittings might be a bit small. I think it'd work pretty well anyway though. And it's already mounted securely in a great spot.

The fluid should be at fairly low pressure, so you ought to be able to get away with just cutting the fittings off the hard lines with a tubing cutter and then slipping heater/fuel hose over them, securing them with hose clamps.

professor · Post by **professor** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 10:05 pm

if you did use the AC condensor, it would be imperative to use a positive displacement water pump, in other words a pump that can work against several PSI of back pressure. The smaller hoses that would be used to fit up with the small condenser would necessarily generate that back pressure, and you'd want to make sure your flow would hold up. The fluid velocity would be a lot higher in the small hoses to move the same amout of liquid, but that really shouldn't be a problem. If you think about how much water can come out of a 1/2" water pipe in your house, that's a lot of cooling capacity.

With the air mass flow and temperature, it would be pretty easy to do heat balances to figure out how much water you'd need to move ideally, then maybe double it to size the pump.

electric pump is what is normally used ???

snowjob · Post by **snowjob** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 10:55 pm

yes, I picked one up from a gmc typhoon with awic. I was contemplating the ac condensor, but as you guys have said, one side is huge, the other is small. we'll see in the next few weeks.

stipro · Post by **stipro** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 12:13 am

I would use a heater core from a ford pick-up, it has the 3/4" inlet and outlet. Yukonart/Laurellthequeen are using a heater core from a GM application, for her AWIC setup. http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=20158

-K- · Post by **-K-** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 11:59 am

I used the A/C condensor on mine, works great.

The stock system is not all that great in the pump and radiator. But it is still good for a lot more power than most of us have or will any time soon.

The AWIC won't heatsink at a stoplight like a TMIC. My IC stays cool to the touch all the time as long as the pump is running.

Low airflow with the Legacy SS hood scoop is another issue with the TMIC. On the other hand think of how much power a V2 STi makes with a small TMIC and not so big scoop.

Last thing: If you are not going with a bigger turbo or have plans for a lot of mods and HP, I would look into the Forester IC. Looks to be a much better fit and might not require a new coolant tank.

snowjob · Post by **snowjob** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 2:26 am

Hmmm good call, I've considered using the condensor, how did you hook up th lines ? did you cut them where they mount to the condensor, was it big enough, ie. the pipes going in?.
What is your pump?
Thanks
Frazer

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AWIC vs WRX Intercooler

AWIC vs WRX Intercooler