Intercooler Refurbishment services

The intercoolers role is to provide the Engine with cool air. The cooler the air the more dense it becomes. The intercooler is positioned after the Turbo charger but before entering the throttle body and into the intake. 

The turbo charger is extremely hot from the exhaust side of the compressor. This transfer of heat rapidly heats up the intake of air that has been drawn in from the front of the car. The intercooler is designed to take the hot air and cool it down before it passes into the engines intake. 

The intercooler is made up of a front Tank and a back tank, a core and Veins. The size of the tank allows more air to pass into the intercooler. The core fins allows air flow that is diverted in through the hood scoop to pass through the external core of the intercooler and reduce internal temperatures. The air that is inside the Intercooler sits inside the Core veins and tanks. As the cool air passes over the core fins and veins it allows the temperatures to reduce. The tanks will naturally get hot from the internal air temperatures however the Aluminium disperses the heat away.     

Intercoolers need to be maintained too. The build up of oil from blow by from the Turbo charger and the oily residue from the intake ducting (PCV System) can build up inside the core of the intercooler. This can reduce air flow or in some cases completely block the vein entirely. The core fins are the extremely delicate, the top mount is often used a tool box when working on the engine. I have seen many many intercoolers get damaged fins from spanners, screwdrivers being thrown on top of them. Once the fin collapses over it restricts the external air from flowing through the intercooler core. This causes the intercooler to loose it's ability to cool the internal air fully. Debris flying through the bonnet scoop and hitting the core fins also causes the majority of fins collapse. The fins are extremely delicate and collapse very easily. Intercoolers can also cause a boost leak, the seals can be become exposed to aluminium oxidization this cause the tank to start to leak. Also degraded Y ducting gaskets and hoses are a point of boost loss.