Ice Packs and the Texas Mile
 

At the last Texas Mile event I participated in, I noticed those with TVS/Roots superchargers putting ice packs on the top of the supercharger between runs. While I understand that they are working to keep the IAT’s low for the next run, I have a couple of questions about the interval between runs.

It’s typically several hours between runs, which gives the engine time to cool down. Being that the engine has cooled down, is the ice needed? I’m guessing leaving the ice on helps while staging prior to the next run. If this is effective, is it better to leave the hood open with the ice sitting atop the supercharger until the last minute; keeping the IAT’s down?

Seems to make sense, but I don’t want to look silly if it doesn’t make much of a difference when the engine had cooled down. Depending where you are in the line called up, it can take a bit to get to the front.

I’ve always had a modded N/A car, this my first FI experience and I want to make the most out of my run next month.

I think I have 5 Texas mile trips and all of them were on forced induction, in theory every little bit helps... In practice the only thing that really keeps the IATs down over a one mile run is circulating about 10 pounds of ice through the intercooler system.... and the longer you idle the more ice you melt prior to the run, that is why it really makes a difference if you can push your car to the starting line.

Thanks Jessrayo. I would need an ice box system be able to circulate the ice through the intercooler, correct?

Not to push people's channels on here but this guy was doing a rebuild and added the killer chiller. You see them touch the lines and blower and it was cold to the touch after doing dyno pulls. It's a gen 5 but gen 6 cars have installed them too. Long video but if you forward to when they are looking under the hood you'll see them talk about it.
https://youtu.be/nXLBFTpeJaM

Thanks Joe. I’ve thought of adding the same mod.

I'm playing around with thermal isolators and I'm finding that it takes about 24-36 hours for my TVS supercharger to fully cool down to ambient temp after a run. This is inside a temp controlled garage and the temp on top of the case at 110F right after shutting the engine down.

Sure surprised me.

This is a great explanation of depth of heat soak.

Well crap, maybe I should be looking into an Ice Box system.

We log all the data on my car at the Texas mile and the ice box really works, like max IAT of 90 at the end of the run. I have heard the chillers help at the mile but they cannot come close to ice. The chillers are driven by the a/c compressor and that turns off at wot. Plus think how long an ice machine has to run to make 10 pounds of ice and then think of how long you would have to run the a/c compressor on your car to get that level of cooling....the ice box is the answer.

Thanks for the feedback. Are you going to be there next month?

No, I can't afford to do it twice a year and have been going to the fall run. Best of luck to you.

Thanks. I’ve not been since March 2016 and I’m really eager to see what this car will do.