I have been looking at getting a new heat exchanger but i was wondering, what is the real difference beetween a heat exchanger and a radiator or a oil cooler type of thing.
woudnt something like this work just as well as any other head exchanger?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/B-M-70265-POLISHED-FLUID-TRANSMISSION-TURBO-OIL-COOLER_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1 247QQcategoryZ46104QQihZ018QQitemZ280232165656QQrd Z1QQsspagenameZWD1V

 

Of all research I've done no one recommends a cooler designed for oil to be used with water. My car came with a similar B&M with lackluster performance. I've since switched to a water style with better results.

Short story, use only water rad for water.

 

so what about just a normal radiator?
as opposed to a heat exchanger like the ones used by most people on this site?

 

If you mean normal as engine coolant radiator, then they are designed to exchange heat from water to the air. I'm using a 250cc shifter Kart radiator meant for 250cc gas engine, and it's made for water. It really doesn't care where the hot water came from...

Technically radiators (which are one of many heat exchangers) exchange heat from something to another something. ie air to air, water to air, oil to air etc.. for charge air you'll want to stay with water to air.. unless your turbo'd then that would be air to air.. but that's a whole 'nother topic..

stay away from using a oil-to-air for a water-to-air application, tubes and fins are totally different and meant for one or the other but not both..