Intercooler ... Radiator .. differences?!?!

[Azarael]

Could someone please tell me the difference between a radiator and an intercooler ...

[White240sx]

Radiator is a finned coil that dissipates heat form circulating coolant into the atmosphere. An intercooler is an air handler used to cool compressed intake charge from the compressor to the throttle body. Basically a radiator cools the engine and an intercooler cools intake charge. All water-cooled cars have a radiator and some turbo cars have an intercooler.

[Azarael]

Do you know if placement of the radiator means anything? Cause in my fiero it's all the way in the front, and the engine is all the way in the back, hehe.

[bama240]

Shouldn't mater.  The only thing you are worried about is letting air flow through the fins, to cool the water.  That and a strong water pump to get the water there.  But if I am not mistaken, it is the stock set up, so I am sure that they thought about that when they made the car.

[Azarael]

Well fiero's have been known to catch fire <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'>

I might want to do twin rear mounted radiators like the lamborghini diablo when I do the northstar swap, and put the intercooler up front for the turbos. Might be a better setup, plus i'll have room to make a small trunk in the front.

... just wait till I start working on a 1991 240sx hatch I'll have a ton of questions <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'>

[240meowth]

hey azarael, i think it'll be somewhat difficult to mount twin radiators in the back, simple it is a front engine setup, it should be much simpler w/ mid or rear engine seatup.

[White240sx]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Quote: from Azarael on 5:54 pm on Jan. 23, 2002
Well fiero's have been known to catch fire <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'>

I might want to do twin rear mounted radiators like the lamborghini diablo when I do the northstar swap, and put the intercooler up front for the turbos. Might be a better setup, plus i'll have room to make a small trunk in the front.

... just wait till I start working on a 1991 240sx hatch I'll have a ton of questions <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'>
</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>

You will need probable unattractive scoops for the radiators, plus all that piping required to put the IC up front will defiantly cause a big loss in flow rate. Best to top mount the IC with a fan and perhaps squirt some water on it. Keep the radiators up front; don’t want a V8 to explode only inches behind you…

[240racer]

I think it will hurt the performance to run an intercooler at the front on a rear engine car, then your air has to travel all the way from the turbo to the intercooler at the front and back, that's a lot of 3&quot; tubing to run. &nbsp;Not to mention the huge pressure drop

[Azarael]

hmmm ... then it isn't a good idea for sure ... I got to think of a few possible and good working setups

[240racer]

look into MR2 setups, they make huge horsepower with rear engines. &nbsp;Alot of them use water to air intercoolers, in other words they flow water through an intercooler to cool the intake air.