Split the core on the inside, so I was unable to repair it. A real bugger.

 

I would most certainly be the first to say I stand corrected. The one thing I have noticed as of late that there are a LOT of Chinese knock offs for the 996 application all over the place, so when I looked at the Wagner units and the DO88 units, they looked suspiciously similar to me, but as I said, I have been known to be wrong.

I have also thought about buying a pair of cores, removing the end tanks from the damaged unit(s) and then weld up a new set, but again, that idea seems to be getting into the 'need time to do these things' issue.

 

That, does not surprise me at all.

 

Regarding intercoolers, there is a lot of garbage out there. My advice is to be skeptical of any data provided by the intercooler manufacturer. Caveat emptor holds true here. We have tested intercoolers extensively via Motec logs during all types of use with the main focus on track (road course) duty. The OEM 997.2 intercoolers are going to be incredibly hard to beat for anyone running 650whp or less as they offer excellent thermal recovery along with pretty good flow. They are also very light and cheap to replace. The whole rumor of the tanks blowing off is hogwash. Yes, it has happed but it's very rare. You simply need to make sure the end tabs are all properly crimped on the end tanks. I ran the 7.2 for several hundred hours at the track at 1.3 bar without issues. The DO88s look pretty good but I have no idea how good the cores are. I've been told they are Chinese sourced cores but that may only be a rumor. I would ask DO88 who the manufacturer is prior to committing but the D088 do look like a very nice intercooler. You can generally get an idea of how good the core is by looking at the fin density. The cheap cores are very coarse while high end cores are very dense which gives them substantially greater surface area.

Here is a side by side comparison between a $5000 Marston Aerospace core (bottom) and the $500 OEM 997.2 core (top). The Marston fins structure is not only denser but they are also thinner which helps with the effeciency of heat transfer. As you can see however, the 7.2 is pretty darn good all things considered.



Here is a side by side comparison between the Marston Aerospace core (bottom) and the OEM 997.1 core (top). As you can see, the 7.1 is substantially inferior.

 

Thanks John, I think that answers the question - good thermal transfer properties at a price that if I manage to split another one, not too painful.

That Marston one IS a thing of beauty though - my goals for the car are 500-530 whp, so most certainly overkill, but still beautifully engineered...

If I understand correctly, I want a 997.1OEM? Would that be a 2007?

Cheers,

 

Here is a 997.2/GT2RS intercooler special that I put together a while back. The price has gone up a little.

Give Marin/Sonnen Porsche a call.

https://rennlist.com/forums/997-turb...5-00-pair.html

You don't want the 997.1TT, you want the 997.2TT

 

NO, you want the 2010 and later 997.2 OEM intercoolers. These came on the 7.2TT and the 7GT2RS. The 7.1 is the same as what’s on your car. The 7.2s require slight modding to the ducts but if done correctly you will achieve OEM type fitment. I would budget 4 hrs of labor to do it right.

Yes the 4.0” Marstons are amazing and not only do they provide a significantly greater temperature drop, they do so at 1/3 the treasure drop of the 7.2s. In translation, they have a significantly greater flow rate. However, at 10x the cost of the OEM 7.2s they do not provide a viable cost/benefit ratio for the typical user. For my type of use the performance difference is substantial so they are worth it to me.

Currently the 7.2s can be had new for under $1000. I would skip the Porsche tax and just get the OEM supplier ones.

 

You didn't manage to "split" anything, you just received a poorly constructed product. When you get your 7.2 intercoolers, crimp all of the tabs that hold the end tanks on, and then slather it in epoxy. Pressure test them to make sure everything is sealed up and pressure test again once on the car. You shouldn't ever have any issues with them.

997.2 intercoolers, NOT 997.1.

 

A pic on my IG, hopefully. By zooming in you can compare do88 (997.1Big Pack) IC and 997.2 IC cores. These too will fit 996 turbo, but need more adjusting than OEM 997 ICs due their increased thickness.

I have discussed about these ICs face to face with do88 sales rep (Finnish guy working at do88 in Sweden) and these cores are European origin, actually the complete unit is assebled in Europe. They really do their R&D themselves and for example fabricate parts for Koenigsegg.
Lots of rumours aloft, it's useful to think by whom and why they're started...

 

Ah well, it does the job lol, once i get serious about going to the track, ill upgrade the coolees to the standard. For now im happy!

 

Man buck up and buy some real cores! These are one of the most important components to your turbo engine and you're looking at cheap chinese cores? I wouldn't even waste my time with the 997 units. No intercooler should have plastic parts crimped on. Spend more now to spend less later!

 

As nice as the marstons are, I'd still love to see a comparison between them and my bell cores. I cant see there being that much of a benefit.

 

why buy damaged cores? You can get brand new cores from Bell pretty cheap and then make your own end tanks relatively easy. The end tank drawings used to be available on 6 speed. That's how mine were done.

 

Those look great Pete! Those look legit. If those are European origins cores, I would not be surprised if they are made by the same manufacturer/suplier of the OEM 7.2 cores. Out of all the aftermarket ICs, these would be what I would try if I didn’t have my current ICs. Did you ever weigh how much the large DO88 weighed? If they are reasonably light, that would indicate a thin fin material and good efficiency. The Marston fins are so thin you have to be careful handling them as it’s easy to bend them by hand. The Marstons are only about 2 lb more than the 7.2s which is pretty amazing considering their size and the extra weight is due to the aluminum end tanks vs the composite. I know most of the aftermarket 4”+ thick cores are very very heavy.

 

Not always a bad thing as it acts as a heat sink. In traffic the cold side end tank stays cool.