From what I understand, intercooler is sized to turbo, engine.
I posted a link to ARE in Australia that do test's with different size, type of intercoolers and you can see their results. They do alot of reasearch, testing (flow testing, response testing, etc), including playing with end tank designs to get more flow from intercooler.
Here's the link to ARE website -
Also I think more local to you dudes (USA?), is Bell Intercoolers that are famous for I gather was F1, etc intercoolers, that can make custom intercoolers to your application -
They display the CFM for each core with I think was 1.0psi pressure drop and show the dimensions of core, so it's easier to match to CFM of turbo at certain psi to max CFM of intercooler -
You'll probably need to workout turbo to engine via formula's, then intercooler to match CFM of turbo at certain psi.
Like for example with a T3 60 trim compressor wheel on a turbo that flows 490CFM at 29.4psi (compressor chart) and is suited to a 2 litre RB20DET engine.
490CFM / 29.4 psi (max psi)= 16.666666666666666666666666666667
16.666666666666666666666666666667 x 12psi (psi I want to run) = 200CFM
So I find a intercooler core that flows 200CFM with a 1.0psi pressure drop and intercooler core fits in the area I need it to fit into. Or I could go for a core that flows 490CFM, so I never run into a restriction problems if I decide to up the boost level.
Buying a bigger intercooler (core size) that flows 500CFM and I only have a turbo that say flows 200 CFM at max psi to push air through it is wrong. What you'll probably find, is you'll have a big pressure drop and bad response / performance until turbo is upgraded to match intercooler size and get a 1.0psi pressure drop.
At least that's how I understand how it's worked out. I would advise to talk to Bell or ARE, as they would know way more than me.
I posted a link to ARE in Australia that do test's with different size, type of intercoolers and you can see their results. They do alot of reasearch, testing (flow testing, response testing, etc), including playing with end tank designs to get more flow from intercooler.
Here's the link to ARE website -
Also I think more local to you dudes (USA?), is Bell Intercoolers that are famous for I gather was F1, etc intercoolers, that can make custom intercoolers to your application -
They display the CFM for each core with I think was 1.0psi pressure drop and show the dimensions of core, so it's easier to match to CFM of turbo at certain psi to max CFM of intercooler -
You'll probably need to workout turbo to engine via formula's, then intercooler to match CFM of turbo at certain psi.
Like for example with a T3 60 trim compressor wheel on a turbo that flows 490CFM at 29.4psi (compressor chart) and is suited to a 2 litre RB20DET engine.
490CFM / 29.4 psi (max psi)= 16.666666666666666666666666666667
16.666666666666666666666666666667 x 12psi (psi I want to run) = 200CFM
So I find a intercooler core that flows 200CFM with a 1.0psi pressure drop and intercooler core fits in the area I need it to fit into. Or I could go for a core that flows 490CFM, so I never run into a restriction problems if I decide to up the boost level.
Buying a bigger intercooler (core size) that flows 500CFM and I only have a turbo that say flows 200 CFM at max psi to push air through it is wrong. What you'll probably find, is you'll have a big pressure drop and bad response / performance until turbo is upgraded to match intercooler size and get a 1.0psi pressure drop.
At least that's how I understand how it's worked out. I would advise to talk to Bell or ARE, as they would know way more than me.
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