Engine performance is something that is important for different reasons, one of those being that the better performing it is, the longer you’re likely to keep the car for, as it would seem wasteful to switch every time there was a performance issue.
An intercooler is an innovation that helps your engine in this way so it can reduce fuel consumption while increasing power and efficiency, and these are usually present in turbo engines, as these produce a lot of heat.
But to find out how it increases engine performance, we need to take a closer look at how the system works, and below, you can find just that.
How Does It Work?
When the turbocharger draws air into it, then forces it into the engine, you’re going to have a hot flow, which isn’t as effective as cool air, and for a simple way to think of it, an intercooler is an ait-to-air radiator.
So if we take this hot air and run it through the intercooler, it is a lower temperature as it reaches the engine, as cooler air is denser than hot, which means more oxygen can be obtained in the same space, which all points to better performance overall.
Modern car manufacturers may be pushed into making more models with intercoolers as a need to reduce engine capacity and fuel consumption while being able to control emissions.
An intercooler is here to stay as it means a vehicle isn’t affected by these controls.
Do I Need An Intercooler?
If you have a supercharged turbo (see also ‘How Does A Supercharger Work?‘), then yes, mechanically speaking, you would need one, especially if your vehicle is a performance or race car, and bring many benefits to the overall experience of driving it, and these are:
- As the intercooler keeps the intake as cool as possible, you get more horsepower because of the presence of oxygen, which we mentioned earlier.
- It allows your turbo to work at its highest level for more extended periods of time to give you more boost and power without causing any wear or tear to your engine.
- You can get a better curve of boost by higher RPMs and dial in more at lower RPM ranges for even more gains, prolonging the efficiency of your power.
Types Of Intercooler
If you have the type of vehicle that would benefit from an intercooler, you’ll be met with two options, or if you get a supercharger kit, it may even come with one, but to determine which one is ideal for you, we can explore these types further.
Air-To-liquid Intercooler
These intercoolers use water or coolant to move heat from the air as it passes through the system, so heat is extracted through the compressed air by this liquid that goes through the intercooler.
These are smaller than air-to-air types, which makes them ideal for smaller engine bays where there isn’t much space to work with, and in general, it is seen as more efficient as they can handle a more extensive temperature range.
One issue with these is that they’re typically more expensive and complex in build, so if there is a problem, it might take longer to identify where in the system is being effective, though you have options on where to mount it in the engine bay.
Air-To-Air Intercooler
These are mostly found near the front of the engine bay as they need access to the outside air, which it draws in through its core to cool the overall temperature, and the airflow can turn on and off, so you don’t notice any variations in sound.
One issue is that these are more effective once the car is in motion, so soaking up the heat can be an issue once the car stops and require more tubing to reach the engine, though they are cheaper and more widely discussed.
You can get two different kinds of this design, and you’ll hear them be called bar-and-plate intercoolers, and tube-and-fin types, which simply allow various ways for the air to pass through the system, and the tube-and-fin type is a standard feature on stock intercoolers.
How To Tell If An Intercooler Has Failed
With any intercooler, there isn’t much that can go wrong with it, and it is often caused by incorrect installation, physical damage, or just wear and tear, so there are some signs that you can look out for; some of these are explained below.
- If you notice your fuel consumption is higher than usual, which could be due to an issue with the combustion process.
- If you notice a drop in engine power, which could be anything that prevents the engine from having as much cool air.
- Leakage can occur when a line collapses and can gather at the bottom of the intercooler, which has a negative effect on performance and risks your coolant being contaminated.
- If you find your engine is overheating, which can be down to a blockage somewhere or unnatural smoke coming from the exhaust system, which can cause an off-balanced air-fuel ratio.
Should I Clean My Intercooler?
You should only do this if you have knowledge about how these systems work and if you’re able to remove and clean it safely, and from here, you can spray the inlets with a degreaser to make the debris easier to remove.
You can then rinse the system with kerosene, pour the liquid through the inlet, and let it dry and fit, so if there’s a broader issue, you may want to get it checked out by a mechanic.
Conclusion
You can see the immense value that comes from intercoolers, and just like radiators in other vehicles, they serve a similar purpose, and hopefully, this guide has made picking out the right intercooler more easier for you, which is a decision that shouldn’t be made lightly.
