You can check the level of the reservoir by simply opening the lid and looking down into it. You fill the reservoir with washer fluid (and the manual does recommend 'washer fluid') up to the plastic hose coming out of the reservoir.

You can also use alcohol, but mix it with distilled water 50/50 ratio.

 

The water evaporates almost instantly when it hits a hot engine. I don't think you have to worry about it hitting the track. And if any of the 3 or 4 droplets hit the road surface, they'll evaporate very quickly also.....if it's a moderately warm day.

Steve. Fill your IC cooler bottle with windshield washer fluid if you are in an area that the temps dip below freezing. Otherwise, you can use spring water or distilled water to fill the bottle.

Most cars likely put more liquid down on the track via moisture escaping their tailpipes....esp on a humid day!

SC~

 

yes, I always put it to "auto mode" after I start the car ! I am in L.A. Cali area, I fill up the tank every week !!










Trustz

 

I leave it in auto mode all the time. I just check the resorvoir before I leave. It is tough to tell how much to fill it, but if you overfill it, it will leak out. I find if you fill to top of the bottom half of the container (there are 2 different sections), it should be good to go.

 

Well in that case mine is almost empty, I assume Dr Evo when you mean the plastic hose, you mean the transparent one that comes out on the side at the top....

 

Yep

 

just leave it on automode and let it do its job when it thinks it needs to...

 

I leave it in auto mode. now if someone revs on me at a stoplight, ill manual it till a sec or 2 before the light turns green, i figure it cant hurt.....

 

That clear hose that runs out of the side of the tank is the overflow. Don't overfill it or it will just empty out all over the ground (I know, I did it).

You are supposed to use winshild wiper fluid. The alchohol in the wiper fluid is supposed to help heat exchange, and it doesn't freeze as easily as water.

 

I have measured a 2 deg c reduction in the plenum on a 38C day. The temps went from 46C to 44C. I held the button down going from 2nd through the top of 4th. It's like picking the fly **** out of the pepper! No major difference, however it's measurable!

 

Yeah I use mine all the time auto and man.
A guy at said to mix the water with normal alcohol becasue alcohol evaperates quicker than water.
But I have not tried this. Any opinions?

 

I've tried water and alcohol, but I'm not sure if it was any better than washer fluid.

 

When 1 pound of water evaporates it removes 970 BTUs. This is great amount of heat. Mixing the water with alcohol reduces the efficiency of the sprayer since alcohol removes less heat per pound. I use ONLY Distilled water. Using any water other than distilled will begin to build up a scale deposit from non-evaporating minerals that ae left behind when the water evaporates. Just like scale in a coffee pot. This scale will then reduce the heat transfer of the intercooler by acting as an insulating layer.

The alcohol or washer fluid is only for climates where frezzing may occur.

 

Cool! Thanks for the info. Its distilled water from now on

 

and this is the most important thing that most don't understand...
the phase change is what removes heat from the intercooler.
at standard atmosphere, water can be at 212*F and be either in the liquid or vapor phase (like when you boil water on a stove, the liquid is 212*F). it takes continued heat flux at 212*F to change phases. how much extra heat is dependent on ambient pressure. if you're curious about it, look up thermodynamics and the vapor dome online somewhere.