What's an intercooler?

[Zeirhk]

newbie here and did some searching but didn't find exactly what I was looking for. Can you buy intercoolers in Simulation mode? Which cars can use them and what is the best car to buy for whatever purpose (I have no clue what I'm talking about).

 

[heero 12]

Yes you can, for most turbo powered cars. It's nice, cheap way to get more power. And are you just starting out in the game? if so go buy a PT cruiser, it's they best starter car you can buy. Most people will say that you should get all golds on the B license to get a Miata, but you probably don't have the skill to do that yet, but don't worry. I've only got about 5 golds on all the licenses but I'm doing just fine.

 

[Scaff]

Turbos work by using waste exhaust gas to force more clean air into the engine, the more air you can force in the more fuel you can burn the more power you can get. Its a very simple explination but it does the job.

Now as I'm sur eyou know air at different temperatures has different densities, cooler air being more dense.

If you can feed to the turbo with cooler, denser air you can improve the power output. An intercooler does just that, it cooler the air before it gets to the turbo, allowing cool dense air to be forced into the engine.

Have a look around the web for a more detailed explination, but the above covers the basics.

 

[phattboy]

Turbos work by using waste exhaust gas to force more clean air into the engine, the more air you can force in the more fuel you can burn the more power you can get. Its a very simple explination but it does the job.

Now as I'm sur eyou know air at different temperatures has different densities, cooler air being more dense.

If you can feed to the turbo with cooler, denser air you can improve the power output. An intercooler does just that, it cooler the air before it gets to the turbo, allowing cool dense air to be forced into the engine.

Have a look around the web for a more detailed explination, but the above covers the basics.

And on the web I found this little tidbit to add the technical to your very excellent explanation above... Truth be told, I think your explanation is more comprehensible

PV = nRT
It's called Boyle's law and it has to do with gas. This equation sets the relationship between pressure, volume, and temperature of a gas. One of the consequences of pressurizing gas within a set volume (as as what a turbocharger does) is an increase in temperature.

Add into this the temperature boost of something spinning at tens of thousands of rpm and you're blowing some hot air.

First, hot air is lighter (less dense) than cold air - hence the ability of hot air balloons to work, aka "heat rises". There are less air molecules packed per cubic unit hot air than cold and thus, less air per unit for the engine to burn. And, going back to our basic tenant, less air = less fuel burned = less power.

In addition, the burning of hot air (which already has inherent heat) is more uncontrolled within the engine's environment. Uncontrolled burning leads to instability of the gas/air mixture and introduces even further mayhem to an already violent reaction. The end result? Detonation. Detonation is bad.

This is where the intercooler steps in. In its essence, it's one of those straightforward things that does exactly what it's name says. It cools in between the turbocharger and the engine. And as superficial as we are here, it also looks damn sweet.

As for the specifics on what... where... you might want to check out the thread here.

phattboy

 

[Zeirhk]

Thanks for explanation, but whats the best Turbo car (or top 5 you think) that can use intercoolers that is buyable in the car dealer ?

 

[phattboy]

Thanks for explanation, but whats the best Turbo car (or top 5 you think) that can use intercoolers that is buyable in the car dealer ?

This is actually a good question. The answer to this question however, is dependent upon the criteria for "best" in your question. That being: When you say "best" turbo car, are you talking about for FF, FR, FWD, Rally, etc.?

Be prepared to get a thousand opinions... There are several threads on this forum already that address this question in several forms that you might want to have a "look see" at to see what I'm talking about.

phattboy

 

[halfracedrift]

To.. sort of..expand on the PV=nRT.

Since turbochargers and superchargers increase pressure, the temperature and/or the molarity (concentration, in this case, of the air) will increase. However, both will often go up proportionally, so you will have a slightly greater concentration, but as well quite a higher temperature.

To deal with this, you install the intercooler to bring the temperature down. This will allow the molarity (n) of the concentration to increase higher.


Putting this in simple, non technical terms:

The more air you can stuff into the engine, the better it is. But that air better be cool air, or else the engine won't be as efficient. The intercooler helps this by cooling the air which will IMMEDIATELY go into the compressor which... yeah.. Helps the engine produce more power and be more efficient!

Help?

 

[rollazn]

Good help the newbie out... I would explain it but you guys have already done the work.

 

[Duke]

Thanks for explanation, but whats the best Turbo car (or top 5 you think) that can use intercoolers that is buyable in the car dealer ?

An intercooler adds power. That's it. There's no special reason to need an intercooler beyond that simple fact. There are also many other ways to add power, so we need to know why you are specifically looking for a car that can use an intercooler.

Any of the usual starter cars will take a turbo and nearly all of them can have an intercooler added. Just about all of those cars are capable of winning the Beginner Turbo series, if that's what you're getting at. Give us a little more to go on. Why don't you tell us what your specific goals are? Then we can help you better.

 

[Famine]

go buy a PT cruiser, it's they best starter car you can buy.

Bwaaaaaaaaa-hahahahaha!

It's only not the worst because of the Beetle...

 

[phattboy]

Bwaaaaaaaaa-hahahahaha!

It's only not the worst because of the Beetle...

I agree... unless of course you happen to have that mildbred PT Cruiser floating around that's AWD with a Griffith power plant. Now that is what a PT Cruiser should have been.

phattboy

 

[Victor Vance]

Speaking of mildbrid retro cars, its a damn shame the Plymouth Prowler isn't in GT3. It would haul ass with the Viper Competition Coupe's 506ci V10

 

[Duke]

I agree... unless of course you happen to have that mildbred PT Cruiser floating around that's AWD with a Griffith power plant. Now that is what a PT Cruiser should have been.

Uncle Bob gave me one when he first made it. 👍 👍 👍 It's a hoot to drive. In my next game I plan to buy it into my garage at about the time I have 200 kilocredits or so to spend on a car, instead of an oversexed Skyline or Viper.

 

[phattboy]

Uncle Bob gave me one when he first made it. 👍 👍 👍 It's a hoot to drive. In my next game I plan to buy it into my garage at about the time I have 200 kilocredits or so to spend on a car, instead of an oversexed Skyline or Viper.

No doubt 👍 I wouldn't leave home without it! I've kited it in to every new start too just cause it is so much fun to play with!

BTW: Thanks for correcting me it is AWD That's what I meant... Or did I correct that... Gad I'm gettin' old...

phattboy

 

[felix4787]

Putting this in simple, non technical terms:

The more air you can stuff into the engine, the better it is. But that air better be cool air, or else the engine won't be as efficient. The intercooler helps this by cooling the air which will IMMEDIATELY go into the compressor which... yeah.. Helps the engine produce more power and be more efficient!

Help?

Not quite, the air is compressed in the turbo first, then pushed the intercooler, and then into the intake manifold from there.

 

[tuff240]

To add a little more to Felix's post just above, when a turbo, supercharger or blower compress air it gets hotter. This is the reason people install intercoolers. They cool the air back down, which in turn makes it more dense. It doesn't really ADD power, it just gives you back power you are losing.

 

[Andrew R]

If you have Gran Turismo 2, there should be a stratergy guide that has all the information on parts and stuff and if you dont have GT2, when you select the intercooler in GT3, it breifly tells you about it. You should read all of the stuff in the boxes for all parts, it really helps.

-Andrew

 

[DarkAzN]

Man i knew what a intercooler and what u can use with it when i was 10 yrs old.....back when GT first came out

 

[Blake]

it's they best starter car you can buy

I disagree, get an MX-5, chuck a flywheel and an oil change on it and you will BLAST the competition!

 

[tuff240]

Man i knew what a intercooler and what u can use with it when i was 10 yrs old.....back when GT first came out

Good for you! Maybe you should have spent a little less time studying cars and a little more time studying grammar. Perhaps some manners for GTP's new members?

 

[Blake]

^Thank you

 

[Andrew R]

Yeah, try to be nice to new people. You were new once too and how would you feel if people gave you smart remarks after they ask a question?

 

[felix4787]

Man i knew what a intercooler and what u can use with it when i was 10 yrs old.....back when GT first came out

That's great, want a cookie?

 

[Zeirhk]

Haha, the thread is turning into a flame war, but I was just curious about intercoolers if they changed anything else in the car (other than horse power) because I could never buy it, BTW I have lots of turbo cars and I still can't buy intercoolers, thats why I am just curious.

 

[Scaff]

Haha, the thread is turning into a flame war, but I was just curious about intercoolers if they changed anything else in the car (other than horse power) because I could never buy it, BTW I have lots of turbo cars and I still can't buy intercoolers, thats why I am just curious.

The main reason some cars can't have intercoolers fitted is space, they can be quite bulky items and as such if the engine bay is already tight on space you would struggle to fit an Intercooler.

 

[heero 12]

I disagree, get an MX-5, chuck a flywheel and an oil change on it and you will BLAST the competition!

You can buy a miata at the start! This changes my whole stratagy when starting out! thankyou, I stand corrected.

 

[Scaff]

You can buy a miata at the start! This changes my whole stratagy when starting out! thankyou, I stand corrected.

Personally I went with an AE-86, may be ugly but like th Miata/MX-5 its easy to tune and will take you a long way.

 

[phattboy]

You can buy a miata at the start! This changes my whole stratagy when starting out! thankyou, I stand corrected.

Actually, I wouldn't change your starter strategy just yet. Although I don't necessarily like the PT Cruiser, I do think it is the smarter first purchase since you will win both the Trueno and Mazdarati right off the bat. You will eventually have to buy a FF car anyway. Why not only buy one starter that is good enough to win the one that you really want whether that is the Mazda or the Trueno or the Vitz (my preference)? Yes, if you choose the PT first, you can also use it to win the Vitz right off too. One, two, three in beginner and you have the Trueno, Mazda and Vitz all for the price of a PT Cruiser.

Yep... I totally dislike the PT Cruiser but it probably is the smartest first purchase (If you are going to purchase that is).

phattboy

 

[tuff240]

Haha, the thread is turning into a flame war, but I was just curious about intercoolers if they changed anything else in the car (other than horse power) because I could never buy it, BTW I have lots of turbo cars and I still can't buy intercoolers, thats why I am just curious.

Example:
A stock Volvo 240 Turbo with NO intercooler runs 8psi and puts out 131hp.
A stock Volvo 240 Turbo WITH intercooler runs 10.5psi and puts out 162hp.
Each extra pound of boost is worth about 8hp. At 2.5 more psi that would be roughly 20hp. The intercooler adds approximately 11 more hp by doing the simple math.

Not much...BUT... 8psi is about max boost on a stock car before it starts to ping because the compressed air is getting too hot. So, in actuality the intercooler allows you to run more boost (up to around 12-13psi before running into pinging problems) AND adds hp to that more boost by cooling the air. It is a win win situation.

Hope that helps explain things a little better.

 

[Steeda]

this should help! 👍