While we're on the subject of upgrading plenums and intakes, what about intercoolers? Is there any data to show that this helps performance or longevity?

These look to be very well made.

https://csfrace.com/worlds-best-pors...oolers-by-csf/

 

Based on my logs, pure stock I would not do it.

Add a tune and they make a big difference in the logs I have seen on acceleration runs. They will drop 18-24F on a 0-115mph run if you are tuned.

Ask Sam at bydesign about which brand is best. He has tested most if not all of them.

 

Here is a pretty good stock boost comparison. At 124mph it’s only 10F degrees better, not really worth it. Add a tune and it makes a much bigger difference.

 

They were having this debate on the 996turbo forum and it got way out of hand, according to the Administrator. Frankly, I think it's a great debate.

I am a huge fan of managing thermal loads within an engine, be it intake air, exhaust, under hood - it is all good.

What I would be interested to know if how the increased air temps impact the ECU and what the ECU does when things get hot. Although I appreciate the above posted graph, it is most likely no representative of real world driving, ie, the data was most likely collected on a dyno.

In real world conditions, I would very much expect the spread to be considerably higher. For example (and I know it isn't a Porsche, but bear with me...) I have a 6.4l Ford twin turbo diesel I tow a lot with. Changing the intercooler to a Mishmoto one resulted in a 15-20 degree f drop in high summer on the highway. Not substantial, but when I added a cooler thermostat and brought the engine temps down another 10 degrees f, the intake charge was consistently 20-30 degrees f lower.

This effect was amplified (considerably) when using the truck in the winter - say -15 to -20c (apologies, mathing is hard at the moment...), where I was seeing intake temps in the 70-80f range. I have removed the inline heater grills as well. Both seasons, when driving unladen, consistently put back 22-24mpg with no noticeable drain on performance.

So, my conclusion is that it does work (well), however, in real world applications will vary from vehicle to vehicle and driver to driver.

 

The above graph is represented to be in a car in back to back to back passes in the same ambient temp. I can not confirm since obviously I don’t even know the Corporation, but the stock IC graph is reasonably close to mine when I ran a stock tune on the street under actual load.

Only other comment. I do see timing drop when IAT rises. So the DME does pull power.

Have fun debating.

 

Btw, the reason they are so close.

1. All are AtA

2. On the factory tune, the factory IC is properly sized.

 

I do not have enough Porsche IC experience to debate properly, however, if we were to talk diesel...

 

When I get a tune I plan on getting a intercooler as well! AMS makes a 5inch one, but I don’t know if that would hinder performance compared to like a 4.5 inch!

 

You have me covered. I’ve never been in a diesel.

 

So what I've gathered is that if you're doing a tune it makes sense to upgrade the intercoolers, if not factory is fine?

 

Now that is the basis of a huge debate !!! Which one ? !!!!

Core Design is extremely important. Fin count, density, sizing, type, etc. etc. Bar and Plate vs Tube and Fin. All fun stuff.

Then thickness. Thicker, if all of the above were equal, will be better for one hit off a completely cold IC because of the heat sink properties.

But, thermal rejection goes down because of the lessor ambient airflow through a thicker core. So recovery will be slower on back to back passes or on a circuit with on/off throttle.

Fun stuff for sure.

 

That is what my many logs tell me.

 

What’s really to debate? There is definitely a change in IAT with larger intercoolers on tuned engines. I just think the 996tt guys like to bitch at each other.

 

I got your back...

 

I just think they've been around longer - they're a good bunch.