Throttle body cooler

[kenwa]

I've been thinking (could be dangerous) about a possible mod next spring, and I'm wondering if anybody has heard/tried it.

We've got the throttle body that has hot water flowing through them, until we bypass it. Well, why not use that passageway for something useful? Like more horsepower?

Why not circulate cold water (like about 33 degrees) through the passage? Something like the old Cool Can with ice water in it and a small recirculating pump?

Anyone tried this?

Ken

 

[Ken]

No, I have never seen this modificatoion before, and I'm not so sure it would be of much benefit.

If you bypass the hot water running through the throttle body the ambient temperature should be enough. Intercoolers, another method of cooling the intake charge, is mostly used in either blown or turbo'ed applications.

Normal aspiration usually only requires manifold cooling between rounds at the drag strip.

 

[motorman]

the air passes thru the TB too fast at WOT to make any difference. the reason for removing the hot water from the TB on a C-4 is because the heat is transfered to the aluminum "doghouse" on the C-4 engine. this is the reason the C-5 used a composition intake manifold because it does not conduct heat like the aluminum C-4 intake. for every 10 degrees you lower the intake air temp you will pick up 1% in HP.

 

[92ghost]

IMHO, I think the gains would be minimal if any. I doubt you can get the temp much lower without running some type of cooling system or pump which takes energy to run. I remember someone asking about routing the AC line through the throttle body to act as an intercooler. Yes, there is an initial gain in power but the amount of power lost to turn the AC compressor negates the slight increase in air density. Why do intercoolers work with turbo chargers? I think it's because your lowering the temp 300 degrees or more. Your also introducing Pressure into the equation which is a big factor compared to a normally asperated intake.

There is a formula for density calculation that takes into account Pressure, Volume and temperature, but I'm not about to attempt to explain. I doubt I could to be honest.

 

[Chetzki]

density

The equation is not necessary to explain. The density of a gas is a measure of its compactness (mass per volume). Decreasing temperature, increasing pressure and decreasing volume all increase density because these three actions pack the gas molecules together. The greater the density, the more oxygen contained in the volume for combustion.

And we all know what that means!!!! :blow

Let me know if you want the equation.
Chetzki

 

[Chetzki]

the air passes thru the TB too fast at WOT to make any difference

Motorman is right - to have efficient heat transfer, you have to have a large surface area of a conductive material between the two fluids and/or a large difference in temperature between the fluids and good turbulence in both fluids. The surface area is much too small and the temperature difference too small to have an impact on the air temperature as fast as the air passes through the TB.
Chetzki