[mike@x-ph.com]

There has been numerous threads lately about intercoolers. From the usual which one is the best FMIC on the market to Ebay brands claiming to offer a high quality solution for a reasonable price.

I will be discussing the most important factors about intercoolers and why some FMIC will offer better cooling than others

Intercoolers and why replacement is recommended?

Turbochargers compress engine intake air which creates heat. The Intercooler then cools down the charged air. For remapped cars, temperatures up to 200°C after turbocharger can occur. Factory intercoolers are unable to sufficiently handle such high temperatures. This causes high intake temperatures and the oxygen content of the charged air drops significantly. As a direct consequence, the performance decreases, the thermal load on the cylinder head and valves increases. Worst case this can cause severe engine damage.

The colder the intake air, the higher the efficiency of the turbo-charged engine and less risk of engine damage. This can be achieved with an optimized intercooler system installed between the turbocharger and engine.

Construction of an intercooler?

Intercoolers can be categorized by two types of the core construction.

The BAR & PLATE core construction is relatively heavy so there is certain temperature inertia. Meaning under load the core takes longer to heat, but also longer to cool down once the load is removed. This is fine for on the road, but for use on the race track this core construction is not particularly suitable as it arrives at a constant cooling performance at varying loads in the full load range. Also weight reduction is an important consideration for track use.

The fine structure of the TUBE & FIN core makes them relatively light and exchange heat much faster. This type of core construction takes temperatures relatively quickly, but also very quickly transfers this away again. For a constant cooling performance in a dynamic throttle situation this is an indispensable feature. Tube fin intercoolers are suitable for street use as well as at the race track.

The OUTSIDE CORE is responsible for heat exchange with the running wind. The higher the density of the external core (fins), the better the cooling performance of an intercooler. But you also have to look which parts are behind the intercooler. Too much fin density means all parts behind the intercooler will be blocked. The worst case would be, you’ve solved the problem of high intake air temperatures, but the engine coolant temperature climbs. High performance manufacturers note all these factors and develop the most suitable structure of outside core design.

Low Density Core // // // High Density Core


Also notice the staggered offset fins for a larger contact area on the intercooler on the right

The INSIDE CORE is responsible for heat exchange with the hot charged air and also need to handle the additional air flow which is running through the intake system. Care needs to be taken when deciding the internal fin density. A high internal fin density gives great cooling performance but with a high pressure drop. The pressure drop of the cooling system should not be adversely affected by an aftermarket intercooler. Less pressure drop reduces the mechanical load on the turbocharger (stability & life time for the turbo). High performance intercooler manufacturers find the best balance between high cooling performance, reduced pressure drop and design their intercooler cores specifically for each vehicle.

The right ENTANK DESIGN is another key consideration when you are looking for the best intercooler for your car. It is easy to see the difference between a good and a bad aftermarket intercooler.

There are different approaches, some manufacturers use sheet metal end tanks and others use cast aluminium end tanks. At flow velocities of around 100 m/s it makes no sense to let the air flow straight in to a wall. This causes unwanted turbulence inside the end tank and higher pressure drop. Furthermore, uniform filling of the intercooler is critical for optimum performance. To aid this, some manufacturers add internal air guides.



Size & Fitment

The size of an intercooler is not always proof of better cooling. There is an old adage which says "Power is nothing without control". This can be applied to bigger intercoolers. If you construct a bigger intercooler without working with internal air guide systems and flow optimized end tanks, the air will not flow through the whole system and choosing a bigger intercooler makes no sense because the intercooler is not being used effectively.

Although the size of the intercooler is changing, the installation should not require mutilation of the vehicle. To avoid nasty surprises you should always look at the installation instructions (if available). Additionally you can seek reviews from neutral and professional sources. I know sometimes it is quite difficult to recognize those sources.

Here is my advice on how to pick the right intercooler for you

Don’t get an intercooler because someone on the forum says it’s cheap, it fits and they feel it is doing a great job. Ask for logs.

Check if the manufacturer invests time and money in development/engineering, to get the latest technology in your intercooler. The needs of the cars and tuning them changes all the time.

Don’t get an intercooler just because people say it is the best. Get an intercooler because professional tuners say it the best. The best intercooler on a fully bolt on car with upgraded turbo might not be the best intercooler for a stock car with stage 1 tune.

Start by thinking ahead in terms of modifications that you will eventually add on your car. If you plan on going fully bolt on in 1-2 years, get an intercooler that suits the fully bolt on application.

Bigger is not always better. If you do not plan on getting stage 2 turbo, don’t get an intercooler built for stage 2 applications. You want an intercooler that provides the best cooling with the minimum pressure drop.

If the right intercooler is over your budget, wait until you have enough funds or try saving on other mods so you can get the right intercooler.

Ebay Notes

Some justify getting an ebay intercooler for the following reasons:

• Daily driver, No track use ever
• conservative tune
• Looking for a cheap solution that works, even if it is not the best one available

As mentioned above, getting a bigger intercooler does not always mean you are getting better performance. You might get better IAT than stock, but your pressure drop will be higher and so the couple hundred dollars you spent on a cheap solution did not help.

If you are not going to pick a brand that takes into consideration everything mentioned above, you are better off keeping your stock intercooler.

As i said earlier, dont get the biggest most expensive FMIC if your car is a daily driver with stage 1 tune. Talk to vendors / tuners, tell them your HP goals and mods + your budget. They will recommend an FMIC that suits your needs.

[K320]

So what is recommended for a daily driver with stage1 and hot weather? 90F

[x328x]

Originally Posted by K320

So what is recommended for a daily driver with stage1 and hot weather? 90F

Yeah i am currently running stage 1 - no other mod

What would you recommend for Jb4, DP and axle back exhaust - daily driver, once a year track days

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by K320

So what is recommended for a daily driver with stage1 and hot weather? 90F

I would do one of these 3

Wagner EVO II Performance
Wagner EVO I Performance
VRSF Intercooler

ER is a really good intercooler as well but might be an overkill for a car with stage 1 only (in terms of size and price)

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by x328x

Yeah i am currently running stage 1 - no other mod

What would you recommend for Jb4, DP and axle back exhaust - daily driver, once a year track days

Jb4 + mods and some track days

Wagner EVO II Competition
Evolution Racewerks Intercooler
Wagner EVO II Performance

[K320]

As always Mike thanks

[Project Elite]

Great post Mike, thanks for always contributing!

Just wanted to clarify a couple things.

-First post, I think you meant to write 200 F and not 200 C

-How often will a car with a tune hit over 200 F on normal daily driving?

-Are there any concerns with the car being not in the optimal temperature, due to excessive cooling from the FMIC?

[rustyminded]

ok I have JB4, intake and downpipe we get very high temperatures reaches 45 Celsius and bms told me to stay on map 0 above 30 Celsius since i have stock intercooler. do you think upgrading fmic will make the car capable of running at least map1 ? and which one you recommend ?! i can't go too expensive $$$ rate is at roof right now

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by K320

As always Mike thanks

You are welcome

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by Project Elite

Great post Mike, thanks for always contributing!

Just wanted to clarify a couple things.

-First post, I think you meant to write 200 F and not 200 C

-How often will a car with a tune hit over 200 F on normal daily driving?

-Are there any concerns with the car being not in the optimal temperature, due to excessive cooling from the FMIC?

Thank you!!

You are correct 200 F

-Are there any concerns with the car being not in the optimal temperature, due to excessive cooling from the FMIC?

Not at all

r

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by rustyminded

ok I have JB4, intake and downpipe we get very high temperatures reaches 45 Celsius and bms told me to stay on map 0 above 30 Celsius since i have stock intercooler. do you think upgrading fmic will make the car capable of running at least map1 ? and which one you recommend ?! i can't go too expensive $$$ rate is at roof right now

Yes getting a better intercooler will allow you to make more power with the JB4

If you are on a budget
VRSF or Wagner EVO I / EVO II Performance is the way to go

[ecitizen]

What do you think of the Dinan intercoolers on an F30 with stage 3?

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by ecitizen

What do you think of the Dinan intercoolers on an F30 with stage 3?

I did not see any results from that intercooler yet ... We had a customer with Dinan E9x intercooler and the results were similar to smaller intercoolers available

[CatDaddyJones]

How hard are these to install?

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by CatDaddyJones

How hard are these to install?

Not hard at all .. .Definitely can be done at home without the need of a mechanic

[K320]

Will help a lot if someone explain how to disconect the clips from the intercooler piping without breaking them.

[CatDaddyJones]

Stage one daily driver as well. I know how important an intercooler can be in this hot SC weather. What is the cost and estimated install times Mike? I am 90% sold. Do you think this would add HP?

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by CatDaddyJones

Stage one daily driver as well. I know how important an intercooler can be in this hot SC weather. What is the cost and estimated install times Mike? I am 90% sold. Do you think this would add HP?

Hi,
Cost will depend on the brand you choose.
For a stage 1 daily driver, i would get VRSF or Wagner EVO I performance

[mike@x-ph.com]

Wagner Intercooler W/ Evolution Racewerks Charge Pipe (customer photo)

[Solidjake]

What's the difference between the ER and the Wagner Evo 2 Comp? Did a few track days so far and plan to do more. Thanks

[tmanm3]

I have Wagner Intercooler paired with dv+ and its been a big change on consistent temps.

DV+ definitely is a cheap option that helped with retaining boost. No leaks and it has a noticeable "bov" type noise that sounds pretty cool.

Wagner was spot on for install etc.. no fitment issues all fins were perfect, box and shipping was on point.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by tmanm3

I have Wagner Intercooler paired with dv+ and its been a big change on consistent temps.

DV+ definitely is a cheap option that helped with retaining boost. No leaks and it has a noticeable "bov" type noise that sounds pretty cool.

Wagner was spot on for install etc.. no fitment issues all fins were perfect, box and shipping was on point.

Nice!!

Glad to hear you are happy with your choice of mods