So I just had a crazy idea that may or may not work. I know that intercoolers are used a lot to help cool and condense intake air in forced induction. What if you used it on an NA setup, would you still see any real gains. Would it be any better than a cold air intake with box?
Most likely wouldn't make a difference, at least not a noticeable one. F/I compresses air generating heat. NA air intakes, especially with CAI draw in air at atmospheric temperature or maybe a little higher. An intercooler at maximum efficiency can only ideally cool air to atmospheric temperature. At best would work as a more expensive substitute for a CAI.
It would make a NA car perform slightly worse due to the restriction of going through the extra piping and cooler. That said, charge cooling an NA motor is largely pointless regardless of method since it will take more power than you get additional out of it.
Cryogenic oxygen is a bad idea from fore hazard and price reasons, but if you had the fuel maps to support it, could make a ton more power. It wouldn't be making more power because of the temperature though, it would be because of the extra oxygen/fuel.
Intercoolers, as mentioned, work by dumping heat to atmospheric air. When you compress air, it heats rather dramatically (PV/t=PV/t) so it's easy to cool by running lots of ambient air over it. The best way to lower intake temps on an NA motor is just to insulate the intake track as best as you can from the ambient engine heat.
Caprica Junkie
You could maybe later look into a water / alky injection to cool aircharge a little more, but really unless you're running a higher compression or FI, you can address other aspects for results.
The water will leave you with nice and clean internals though.
the best way to get ambient air is to isolate the inlet tract so that it doesnt draw ANY air from under the hood, insulating may things may help slighty but its secondary to drawing air from external sources
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