Poster Boy - Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 4 - Dyno Testing
When you're the face of the modified Euro scene, the ideas of tunes, and maps and cranking up the boost buzz around you. However, an increase in boost isn't complete without an effective method to keep the charged air cool. As we went over in the first post, the stock tube-and-fin unit can only take you so far, and an upgrade would be needed to climb the ladder with your GTI.
We gave you a glimpse at our new design in the flesh. Boasting the new bar-and-plate core and fully cast aluminum end tanks, this intercooler definitely talks the talk. But how well does it stack up against the stock system? Even given our tight space restrictions, our engineer was still able to increase the internal core volume by 46% in tandem with a 97% bump in external fin surface area. The feat resulted in an impressive-looking intercooler, but the tests would tell the story.
For our first round of testing, we turned to our flow bench. It's a delicate balancing act when it comes to improving air-to-air intercoolers. Both cooling and flow are equally important, but too dense of fins and the flow gets worse. On the other hand, we could make an exponential increase in the flow of the intercooler system, but the air wouldn't stay in the unit long enough to effectively dissipate heat. With that in mind, our engineering team found the right balance which increased the flow through the system by 9%, all while warding off the dreaded heat-soak.
On to the Dynapacks. Once we trade out the Golf R's wheels
for a virtual test track, we can get a peek and see if the performance backs up
those dashing good looks. The first test is a power pull to determine any
potential gains over the stock unit. Our kit might not have produced any
noticeable power gains on the stock tune, but the intercooler's primary
function isn't power. Rather, it's to keep things cool.
Cool is something our intercooler does well. In addition to single power pulls, we put our intercooler under some serious stress by performing back-to-back runs to put as much heat into this core as possible. Even under heavy stress, our intercooler design was able to drop the outlet temperatures by 20°F and deliver cooler air through the intake manifold.
When it comes to being the poster boy for the European hot-hatch crowd, the GTI can't let a little heat get in the way of its output. With the help of our more efficient core, the MK6 has no problem maintaining its reputation, even as the boost increases. Get yours today:
2006-2014 Volkswagen MK5/MK6 GTI and Golf R Performance Intercooler
Thanks for Reading!
-Nick