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Intercooler - now veering onto fuel economy mods

G

Guest

Guest
Fitting an intercooler lowers the temperature of the air once its been through the turbo.
Cooler air burns better, and therefore gives you more power/economy.
Thats why you car goes better at dawn on a crisp morning, rather than midday in summer :)
Intercoolers/fuel pump mods/exhaust/boost are a common series of mods in the Land Rover world which I currently know better than the cruiser world.
Intercoolers don't add much benefit at very slow speed unless fan assisted.
I've also heard that people claim economy/power benefits from a safari snorkel, cool air being rammed in, being the theory.
I'm more dubious of that one, expecting contorted pipe runs will minimise any gains.
Andy
Wannabe 80-series owner
 
Gareth
I can see how that combination would give you better combustion over a
wider speed / power range, and hence better overall fuel economy.
But I don't see how any of those except the free flow exhaust could help
the economy at normal 70mph cruise - assuming of course that my fuel/air
mixture is currently about right at 2500 rpm under load.
Which suggests that if money is to be spent to achieve economy then it
should go first into a larger diameter exhaust. And didn't someone fit
one recently? (Who??) And has it helped?
CB

| Discuss anyone?
|
| Merely fitting the intercooler and doing nothing else would
| be of little benefit.
|
| However, fit the interccoler, turn up the boost, increase the
| fueling and preferably with a freeflowing exhaust, you will
| get better performance and economy. I had my 4Runner 3.0
| turbo diesel intercooled, after fitting a freeflow exhaust,
| and it was considerably improved.
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Chris,
as day to day driving encompasses all scenarios I am unable to comment on the economy at a specific and constant speed.
I can only say that "overall" - things got better with the intercooler fitted.
Big bore exhausts - that was me.
3 inch / 75 mm i/d. Stainleess steel. from turbo to tailpipe. One straight through silencer. Yes it is noiseier than std. The turbo spins up quicker. Supplier Longlife exhausts. Beautifully made, well tucked up out of harms way, well bracked, great welding.
Next mod fit my Walbro pump. Next but one mod - intercool.
Gareth.
 
Hi Christopher,
The engine would be running more efficiently and therefore should in theory
use less fuel for the same speed.
Don't forget Dermott's 24 valve with the intercooler and big bore exhaust
averaging 35mpg, going down to 32 when pushed/towing.
--
Regards,
Julian Voelcker
Mobile: 07971 540362
Cirencester, United Kingdom
1994 HDJ80, 2.5" OME Lift
 
Andrew, cooler air - yes.
The main thing to remember is the density of the air - which is, as you say, is a function of temperature.
The denser the air the more air and hence oxygen we have at our disposal to combine with the available fuel.
We can up the boost pressure, which raises the air temperature, but we more than offset this by the cooling effect of a properly sized intercooler, to get more air.
Thus as we have more air we can add a bit more fuel to get a "bigger bang".
If we optimise our fueling we can get better economy and power.
This is where electronically controlled boost control and fueling curves are beneficial. We can alter parts of the system not just all of it.
Now having got all that extra air in we have to get it out, so this is where the bigger diameter exhaust comes in. Larger cross sectional area and less restrictive silencers combined with mandrel bent curves =3D better flow.
Regards Gareth Jones.
 
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