I'm on the lookout for an intercooler for my Mk1 TFSI conversion a the moment and I want to know how important is it to get a good quality item? Will an ebay special do the job as a Forge or any other name brand coolers? I'm thinking about one of these, I would like to fit the biggest I can and I reckon this is about it. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Forge-Mot...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4aca70cf8a An ebay special of the same size could be got for around a quarter of the price. Any other recommendations?
I'm not sure what the masses on here will say, but over on audi-sport.net, we've been using toyosports 'ebay' intercooler cores for a long time with VERY good results. I run the Toyosports type B core on my 1.8T, it's 600x300x76, and it's absolutely fantastic, pressure drop aross the core is less than 1psi, and inlet temperatures are fantastic, rarely ever exceeding 10 degrees above ambient. The main downside to the cheaper bar and plate cores is weight, they are considerably heavier than a tube and fin core of the same dimensions, but they cool fantastically well and are cheap enough to be considered disposable!
22-23psi from the same k04-064 that's fitted to the BWJ engine you just bought Murph Inlets rarely ever go over 35 degrees even in summers heat.
378 bhp / 352lbft Murph, although I do use WMI most of the time, mainly to aid reliability on track. IAT's quoted above are from logs with the WMI system turned off though, inlet temps rarely ever exceed 20 degrees even in summer with WMI running.
Hi I have one of these from a Mercedes Vito http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?sbk=1&nav=SEARCH&itemId=250790797624 It's cheap, light and all alloy (no plastic end caps) Its a Mercedes part so quality is decent, plus it fits the mk1 grill area just right. If it is found lacking I will change it but I think it will be up to what I need it for. Dav.
Currently rethinking IC size and quality. Next one will be half size. An IC is an air heater which prevents getting cold air to the rad. Bizarre? Maybe. But that's my experience Jon
I think you need to look at what's more important Jon. Do most turbo cars with IC's in front of the rad suffer from coolant temperature issues? I don't think so. Do most turbo cars suffer from performance loss and potential engine damage / failure as a direct result of poor intercooling? yes. I'd suggest cooling charge temp is a far greater challenge then getting coolant temps in the correct range.
@Prawn, what WMI kit are you using, reading up on it there and it sounds interesting, especially since it may help with keeping the TFSI inlet valves clean! Cheers Richard, the Toyosports are very tempting due to the low price, I'm just thinking about down the road when looking for more power.
My experience is water temps climbing when operating at full throttle for 70% of the time Downsizing for me Jon
Surely if replacing parts then upgrading the cooling system would make more sense than downgrading the intercooling? Or perhaps making the existing setup more efficient through use of ducting etc etc Forgive me if I'm perhaps missing the point, I just can't understand why anyone would ever want to downgrade the charge cooling capacity of a forced induction setup, it seems very counter intuitive. I'm using an AEM progressive WMI Kit Murph, running a 50/50 mixture. it's a very worth while addition to any 1.8T, ultra low inlet temps, and great knock resistance, allowing more timing, which in turn gives lower EGT's as well as more power, it's a win win situation on the whole.
I was reading Badger Bill's Leon Cupra TFSI thread on Seatcupra.net and he is using VAG screenwash, it's 49% Methanol! Does the water have to be distilled?
I was being deliberately provocative in my post, to suggest there may be more to this than convention thinking. Packaging is the limiting factor (again in my opinion) Problem on two diametrically apposed jonny vehicles; 1. my gtir rally car (1 bar plus boost, massive forge IC hard against a copper uprated 2 core rad: full throttle 70% of time, low average speed, poor aero going into the cooler(s)) 2. My 1986 4 ton 5 cyl merc camper. aftermarket IC turbo setup. A plodder, but the family 'holiday bus'. You have all the time in the world to ponder charge temps against water temps when climbing 2 mile long French hills in 2nd and 3rd gear......... Custom side by side. Yes, lovely, but I run on a budget. I don't want to spend 1 to 2K on 2 radiators. That may get trashed in one 'overdone' chicane moment Water cooled IC, rad in back. Now there's tasty............ Jon
Oh. and its heavy. And the weight is in the wrong place way ahead of the front axle centreline. And the IC size forces the pipe runs, which then become inaccessible, prone to damage, hard to leak check. Top mount IC: That's the answer..... Jon
Top mount IC always suffers from engine heat soak, and as I'm sure you know was one of the biggest problems when Nissan used the GTI-R in the World rally champs. Subaru boys change to a front mount too..
I hear you, but need proof from measurement to back this up. Danger of the internet is 'group think' Jon
