Thread: Intercooler upgrade?

Yes, the Alive Tuning ones are just the Serek models. At the time that I ordered Alive were the cheapest when freight was taken into account.

Originally Posted by Disco EMU

I always do my best to keep it below 600 degrees.

There is no real reason to limit it to 600. 700 is perfectly safe.

With a TD5, the ECU will automatically reduce fueling as the intake air temperature rises. A larger intercooler will give more power, but should not really affect EGTs unless the ECU programming has not been done properly.

Originally Posted by Red90

A larger intercooler will give more power, but should not really affect EGTs unless the ECU programming has not been done properly.

Thanx Red90!
I'm not after more power ... I thought that it was just a by-product of a cooler engine ???
Maybe I need a re-think before spending $500 plus on a bigger intercooler 😳.

There is plenty of evidence that a larger intercooler = lower egts. Strangy posted up his findings on the impact of an intercooler on egts with a trs chip installed a while back. There was a substantial drop in measured EGTs with a larger intercooler.

Cheers
Paul

Originally Posted by OffTrack

There is plenty of evidence that a larger intercooler = lower egts. Strangy posted up his findings on the impact of an intercooler on egts with a trs chip installed a while back. There was a substantial drop in measured EGTs with a larger intercooler.

Cheers
Paul

If fuelling is already against some other limit, then more intercooling will lower EGT's for the same power and fuel.

But most people combine intercooler upgrades with fuelling upgrades (chip or tune) to keep the EGT's where they were under full load but producing a lot more power and torque.

If your engine is limiting fuel based on air-flow or air temperatures, then more intercooling could get you more power with no other mods.

Dougal

Thanks for the explanation.

When you say "keep EGTs where they were" in relation to chipping do you mean the EGTs with chip + upgraded intercooler will be closer to those seen with standard map + stock intercooler than chip + stock intercooler?

My understanding has been that chipped diesels tend to run rich under heavy load. The intercooler reduces the temp of the intake air increasing the density of air drawn into the cylinder allowing a leaner fuel mix and cooler combustion temps. The limit in this case would be insufficient oxygen to allow a lean burn. Not sure how correct that is however.

Cheers
Paul

Originally Posted by OffTrack

Dougal

Thanks for the explanation.

When you say "keep EGTs where they were" in relation to chipping do you mean the EGTs with chip + upgraded intercooler will be closer to those seen with standard map + stock intercooler than chip + stock intercooler?

My understanding has been that chipped diesels tend to run rich under heavy load. The intercooler reduces the temp of the intake air increasing the density of air drawn into the cylinder allowing a leaner fuel mix and cooler combustion temps. The limit in this case would be insufficient oxygen to allow a lean burn. Not sure how correct that is however.

Cheers
Paul

How hot they run chipped depends on how good the tuner who wrote the chip was.
Ideally they run safe maximum fuel/air ratios and limit on that. So when you can crank up the boost and provide more intercooling, they will automatically let fuel increase and keep EGT safe.
Also, on the other side. At altitude, in higher temps or lower boost it will reduce fuelling, keeping EGT's safe and protecting the engine.

It all comes down to how good the tuner is.

Dougal,

thanks for this input.

I'm beginning to understand a bit more about what you are saying, so I appreciate your patience.

I had seen comments elsewhere to the effect that good tuners work primarily with the AFR and your comment's have made a few mental connections click into place.

cheers
Paul