On the dyno, Burcham logged the air inlet temperatures and noted the new intercooler chills the air down to just 75 degrees. Multiple back-up runs were made to verify the 101-degree reduction in inlet charge temps; each run was within a few degrees of 75. While the temperature was going down, the horsepower and torque was increasing. At peak, we saw a gain of 44 rwhp and 70 rwtq, thanks to the cooler air and increased ignition timing. The ECU wasn't removing any ignition timing and Burcham even safely added 2 degrees, after checking the spark plugs. The denser air helps keep detonation at bay, thus the ability to increase the timing.
Adding the ice to the cooler is very effective at the track (and dyno) but is debated for street use. Burcham summed it up: "We have toyed with the idea of adding a heat exchanger to keep the water cooler for strictly street cars, much like the Terminator, Shelby GT500, and Lightning vehicles. This application is more for track use, but I usually cruise around in my '05 Mustang GT with the water pump off and the still water keeps the temps at 80-110-depending on the outside temperature and as long as I don't lay into the throttle. When it's time to race, I simply flip the switch and the inlet temp comes down pretty quickly."
In conclusion, the ice/water mixture proved to be very effective on this Mustang thanks to the large blower and big boost. The JPC intercooler was better matched for the power levels of our test vehicle compared to the standard air-to-air intercooler that was on the car. As the blowers and turbos get bigger, so does the task of chilling the boost in order to get the most power out of your Mustang.
The box is bolted down and...
The box is bolted down and the water lines are run into it. A line and valve are mounted at the bottom of the tank for drainage.
Moving water through the JPC...
Moving water through the JPC intercooler is the job of a Meziere water pump, which pushes 20 gpm.