HD-FT water to air intercooler
- Thread starter syche
- Start date
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mudgudgeon
Resident galah
Very impressive!! 
kevin in okinawa
SILVER Star
nice work.
Just a couple of concerns. 3D printed parts aren't stable at all in engine bay or radiator temperatures. They will soften and creep and those threaded inserts will fall out. You need metal.
If those intake adapters are anything less than sintered aluminium they will fail.
If those intake adapters are anything less than sintered aluminium they will fail.
- Thread starter
- #14
Hi Dougal, thanks for the concern.
The threaded insert can’t fall off, there is no traction forces applied to them that are more of a centering devices for the rubber bushings than anything else. The radiator all assembly is in vertical compression with 2mm preload.
3d materials have a come a long way from pla. Which is softy squishy at 60 degrees and softening from 45/50 degrees.
The grey ish material is rated at 95 deg c for mechanical resistance, except for planning to go through fires, there is no way it get to this temps in this locations. Even more with coolant circulating.
The black intake is rated at 150 degrees, it being post intercooler, i doubt it will see more than 60/80 degrees at worst. On my previous 80 i could put my hand the intake manifold in desert trips, so it was in the 60 range, bellow 80 for sure.
I was pleasantly surprised by the thread-ability of this plastics.
The down side is you need high temps printers and some preparation to print this kind of materials
The threaded insert can’t fall off, there is no traction forces applied to them that are more of a centering devices for the rubber bushings than anything else. The radiator all assembly is in vertical compression with 2mm preload.
3d materials have a come a long way from pla. Which is softy squishy at 60 degrees and softening from 45/50 degrees.
The grey ish material is rated at 95 deg c for mechanical resistance, except for planning to go through fires, there is no way it get to this temps in this locations. Even more with coolant circulating.
The black intake is rated at 150 degrees, it being post intercooler, i doubt it will see more than 60/80 degrees at worst. On my previous 80 i could put my hand the intake manifold in desert trips, so it was in the 60 range, bellow 80 for sure.
I was pleasantly surprised by the thread-ability of this plastics.
The down side is you need high temps printers and some preparation to print this kind of materials
Great work @syche 
first hand experience and doing your own research and testing is fantastic. It all looks great, going to be such an interesting thread to follow. Question about the water pump, curious what flow rating you chose?
Also, pay no attention to the old internet experts around here. They find it hard to keep up with the speed which technology advances at these days.
first hand experience and doing your own research and testing is fantastic. It all looks great, going to be such an interesting thread to follow. Question about the water pump, curious what flow rating you chose?Also, pay no attention to the old internet experts around here. They find it hard to keep up with the speed which technology advances at these days.
mudgudgeon
Resident galah
I was wondering about how durable 3D printed parts would be too.
Harsh environment for sure.
Your design work and execution looks really well thought out and professional. Very interesting to see how it all holds up long term.
Personally, I would do a front mount air to air, but I like the way you've done this.
Harsh environment for sure.
Your design work and execution looks really well thought out and professional. Very interesting to see how it all holds up long term.
Personally, I would do a front mount air to air, but I like the way you've done this.
Love to see some up/down temps & pressures under various load conditions. And a parts list if it all works out. Big ask I know...
- Thread starter
- #19
Hi all thanks for your comments. As for durability, only time will tell 
. But i am confident by material and design used.
I just fitted my munro turbo today, just finish touches to do and it will be running shortly.
Outside temps are pretty low this days about 10 degrres C, crusing 80/90km/h i had 25 to 40 degrees pre ic and 10/18 post ic. Hammering it in 4th with oem turbo at 950gr, uphill, i had 44 degrees peak post ic with pre ic flying past 70/80’degrees but the cooling pump was in mid setting. My pre ic sensor is very short so i am sure i can add 10 to 20 degrres to its reading, i might replace it with a longer probe later one, the same as i used post ic which is right in the flow.
Egt post turbo right behind the turbine said 430 degrees on that peak test.
Post ic temps drop right back off when i lift off just a bit.
More testing to come
. But i am confident by material and design used.I just fitted my munro turbo today, just finish touches to do and it will be running shortly.
Outside temps are pretty low this days about 10 degrres C, crusing 80/90km/h i had 25 to 40 degrees pre ic and 10/18 post ic. Hammering it in 4th with oem turbo at 950gr, uphill, i had 44 degrees peak post ic with pre ic flying past 70/80’degrees but the cooling pump was in mid setting. My pre ic sensor is very short so i am sure i can add 10 to 20 degrres to its reading, i might replace it with a longer probe later one, the same as i used post ic which is right in the flow.
Egt post turbo right behind the turbine said 430 degrees on that peak test.
Post ic temps drop right back off when i lift off just a bit.
More testing to come
- Thread starter
- #20
I was forever wandering if i would go top mount or front mount, had a top mount crosscountry on my previous 80 with a grunter turbo.,
I wanted something different but the front mount piping was an issue for me, too many hoses and stuff for the piping to rubb on the left hand side of the car, it is already too crowded there, i did not feel comfortable adding more piping.
When i see how tight it was for my 2 20mm pipes, i would hate to have to run 57 ou 63mm piping there.
I wanted something different but the front mount piping was an issue for me, too many hoses and stuff for the piping to rubb on the left hand side of the car, it is already too crowded there, i did not feel comfortable adding more piping.
When i see how tight it was for my 2 20mm pipes, i would hate to have to run 57 ou 63mm piping there.
