Budget Air to Water Setup

"The idea behind this intricate system is simple: water has a much higher thermal capacity and conductivity than air. Simply put, water is much more effective at extracting heat from the charged air than air is. This trait means that the intercooler cores are just as effective as their air-to-air counterparts at only a fraction of the size. The caveat to the shrinking core size is that these intercoolers require a complete secondary coolant system to function."

"This system also lends itself to better performance while under heavy load, like towing large payloads uphill, for instance."

"Another upside to an air-to-water system is the constant coolant cycle through the system, which wards off heat soak, even at idle or slow speeds. The coolant still moves through the system, where heat is dissipated by the intercooler heat exchanger located in the vehicle's cooling stack. Like the primary cooling system, the secondary air-to-water intercooling system can depend on the radiator fan at idle and low airflow, making this system ideal for both high-speed track monsters, daily drivers, and rock crawling machines. In some systems, like Infiniti's Q50/Q60, the intercooler's water pump speeds vary depending on engine load to deliver precise cooling for every situation."

"Other than the more compact core size, there are several other reasons that an air-to-water system is more appealing to auto manufacturers and enthusiasts alike. One of the most notable is that the intercooler itself isn't reliant on a fresh air source to facilitate the cooling process. That means your compact intercooler has free range around the engine bay for mounting locations, which is ideal for shortening the distance between the turbo and intake manifold for improved efficiency."

-Mishimoto