Tube fin vs bar plate, who has what? different experiences? pressure loss versus the two? cooling efficiency between the two? looks? what do Greddy, HKS, intercoolers use?

just wanted to know you guys opinion

from what i have read..........the newer style of the TUBE AND FIN is the better of the 2. in my opinion, and this is comparing style not size, the tube and fin IS better. it is more aerodynamic, lighter and has a better cooling plane if you consider the shape os the tubes in question. my friend kevin had a block and plate style IC on his hybrid t'charged integra and it was half as big and 2x as heavy as my greddy FMIC......it was bulky and was "old" looking in comparison to the ones that i have had....



hope that his helped....





Louis

Oh ok thanks, so the greddy coolers are all tube fin? or just some of them? which one do you have the 2 or 3 row?

2 row....all the newest ones that i have seen are the newer design....not the block type...

I have a 2 row tube fin and it works well. Cools the charge air pretty efficiently.

I can't compare very well however, I have no experience with bar plate intercoolers.

I'm not absolutly sure but if I remeber correctly Spearco says the bar and plate style intercoolers are more efficent and heavier, the tube and fin are less efficient but lighter in weight. Now that could have changed but I remeber that from when I was looking for my intercooler.

Nick

Anything is better than stock. We can all agree on that. You aren't going to notice THAT much difference between the Tube/Fin and the Bar/Plate. I've used Greddy FMIC's (Tube/Fin Design) and was VERY happy.

does anybody have know any of the dimensions for a front mount ic? one of my friends works at a race shop that builds radiators and ic's for all types of cars like nhra, nascar, irl, and they also build for some of the big import race teams. so he is going to make them for me so if anyone knows the dimensions please let me know. thanks

Tube and fin vs Plate and Bar What a battle....



Tube and fin design: Have you noticed all the high powered jap cars are running tube and fin, (huge tube and fin) This is because a large tube n fin core will flow/be more efficient than a plate and bar.

However it will not exchange as much heat as a size for size Bar n Plate. This is why they run huge i/c's to get the same amount of cooling but an increase in flow.

This is because of the low ambiant temp in jap (espically the north).

Have you ever wonder why all the factory intercoolers are tube n fin??

Well all the ones i've seen anyway. They are not cheaper to make!! https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...DIR#>/cool.png



Plate n Bar: Have you noticed these are alot smaller and usally a little fatter. This is because the air doesn't move through them that well. (Ever wondered why your exhaust pipe isn't made from EWS??)

However baecause the air moves at a slower speed, more of the heat can be exchanged/cooled. So if your in California or Iraq e.t.c a bar n plate would suit your needs better. https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...DIR#>/cool.png