Cooling overhaul project

[NocturnalEmber]

I wish there were more data points out on the air to air benefits. The general trend that I'm seeing is that stock is woefully inadequate for any sustained performance driving, and by upgrading the heat exchanger and intercoolers you only prolong the inevitable while air to air is constant.

Z1 has a chart up that shows consistently low intake air temps with an air to air system but they don't clarify whether the car has just an upgraded heat exchanger or intercoolers as well.

 

[5thZ]

I wish there were more data points out on the air to air benefits. The general trend that I'm seeing is that stock is woefully inadequate for any sustained performance driving, and by upgrading the heat exchanger and intercoolers you only prolong the inevitable while air to air is constant.

Z1 has a chart up that shows consistently low intake air temps with an air to air system but they don't clarify whether the car has just an upgraded heat exchanger or intercoolers as well.

Hi NocturnalEmber, I believe with the Air to Air kit the water intercoolers are removed entirely. I would believe the heat exchanger would also be removed.

Someone else posted that a downside to the Air to Air, other than needing modifications to the core support and other pieces, is that it only works well while the car is moving. The other poster mentioned in traffic or congestion the A2A would not work very well.

Another thing to consider, the graph Z1 has put up has 9 full blast dyno pulls all within 6 minutes - with only approx 30 seconds of cool down before starting each pull.

I haven't been to too many tracks yet but I can't imagine that for most tracks you will be able to hit the back straight going full send 9 times within a total span of 6 minutes - and even less likely to do that on a street.

While the A2A Z1 kit may be promising I wanted to call out the above.

They say the A2A kit provided consistent charge temps while testing at Road Atlanta, but proceed to list a graph of dyno pulls instead.

I would want to see how the OEM designed water kit performed on track as well as the Z1 A2A kit overlaid.

All that said, the Nismo Z racecar uses A2A, so that's something to also consider

 

[5thZ]

My friend owns a Nissan Dealer, and had one of his lead tech do the work. They said the install was easy and clean and bolted up nicely. I also installed the concept Z on piece under shroud, and it's a very nice well-built piece, far superior to the Z1 piece in my opinion.

Nice! Do you also have pictures of the under shroud from CZP? It technically is part of the OPs cooling overhaul thread as I am curious about the oil coolers heat escape. The CZP heat escape looks like its built differently than the Z1's heat escape and I am also curious which one is more close to stock

 

[NocturnalEmber]

Hi NocturnalEmber, I believe with the Air to Air kit the water intercoolers are removed entirely. I would believe the heat exchanger would also be removed.

Someone else posted that a downside to the Air to Air, other than needing modifications to the core support and other pieces, is that it only works well while the car is moving. The other poster mentioned in traffic or congestion the A2A would not work very well.

Another thing to consider, the graph Z1 has put up has 9 full blast dyno pulls all within 6 minutes - with only approx 30 seconds of cool down before starting each pull.

I haven't been to too many tracks yet but I can't imagine that for most tracks you will be able to hit the back straight going full send 9 times within a total span of 6 minutes - and even less likely to do that on a street.

While the A2A Z1 kit may be promising I wanted to call out the above.

They say the A2A kit provided consistent charge temps while testing at Road Atlanta, but proceed to list a graph of dyno pulls instead.

I would want to see how the OEM designed water kit performed on track as well as the Z1 A2A kit overlaid.

All that said, the Nismo Z racecar uses A2A, so that's something to also consider

Yeah, I'm well aware it removes the entire Air to water system, that is the intent. The Z1 kit is a bit more invasive than I'd like, but the Greddy kit doesn't mention needing to hack the rad support up, so I'd say its designed a bit more efficiently.

I agree that the Z1 testing conditions are not as transparent as I'd like, but barring that I still think you will get better performance with an air to air kit. This is only the second car I've owned that uses an air to water system, all of my other boosted cars have been air to air.

I'd like to say Air to Water is great in an automotive environment, but it's not as effective. The system just can't dump heat enough and you get thermal runaway at a certain point.

 

[5thZ]

I misread your statement here and thought you were asking if it removed the intercoolers/HE

 

[VR30Infection]

My understanding is that with a liquid to air setup, it doesn’t matter how much you upgrade, heat soak is inevitable. It is prolonged with larger more efficient bits however it still happens.
Also:
When an air to air is front mount like old school aftermarket setups, then while sitting in traffic without air flowing through, it can be an issue. But. It doesn’t look like that is how Z1 has designed theirs. If they sit up against the rad/ a/c condenser, then when the fans kick on they will pull air through and cool the intercoolers off. (I believe this is how they are setup.)
Mk2 MR2’s had an air to air setup with a fan which worked fine. Also if one were having cooling issues with an air to air setup, you could add a couple Spal fans to the mix and take care of it.

 

[kevinbonds]

Nice! Do you also have pictures of the under shroud from CZP? It technically is part of the OPs cooling overhaul thread as I am curious about the oil coolers heat escape. The CZP heat escape looks like its built differently than the Z1's heat escape and I am also curious which one is more close to stock

Here you go! The one piece design is really nice, it’s a very solid piece of aluminum and the easy oil change access is great!

 

[5thZ]

Very nice thank you for sharing

 

[kevinbonds]

Very nice thank you for sharing

You are welcome. I have been very deliberate with my mod path, and in my opinion, the heat exchanger, sealed intakes and the under shroud are really good foundational mods.

 

[NocturnalEmber]

Here you go! The one piece design is really nice, it’s a very solid piece of aluminum and the easy oil change access is great!

Does this one require riveting the front bumper? I was looking at the Z1 piece until I read that part of the installation instructions. Kinda surprises me that a company as big as Z1 wouldn't just design their products better to where irreversible modifications aren't needed.

 

[kevinbonds]

Does this one require riveting the front bumper? I was looking at the Z1 piece until I read that part of the installation instructions. Kinda surprises me that a company as big as Z1 wouldn't just design their products better to where irreversible modifications aren't needed.

This is 100% plug and play, heavy gauge aluminum and one piece. It uses only the factory bolts, no modifications required. I was sold, and it's cheaper then the Z1 piece and just remove one door to change the oil.