Throughout the development process we have strived to improve the efficiency and performance of the EA888 GEN4 engine. Our project brief was to develop an intercooler that utilised all of the available space in the original position of the OEM intercooler, and to ensure the inlet air temperature is reduced, without any negative effects on the boost pressure or engine and transmission cooling.
In the MQB chassis the intercooler housing is particularly restricted and confined to a small amount of space, due to it not only housing the intercooler, but also the radiator and air conditioning condenser. The front panel in theory is a sandwich pack that houses the auxiliary cooling components. This means in order to increase the size of the intercooler without paying detriment to the performance of the surrounding items, and with also having very little extra space available, that it can be very difficult to execute the perfect blend of a high flow intercooler within such a close proximity.
Our research and development engineers started with a brief to fit our existing intercooler (FMMK7FMIC) that was for the MK7 platform, to our development VW MK8 Golf R. Upon installation, we then tried to establish if we could re-engineer the intercooler with an increased inlet and outlet size along with increasing the volumetric capacity to increase flow along with future proofing the design to work well with highly tuned stage 3 plus EA888 Gen 4 engines.
Using a combination of scanning software and traditional measuring methods, the design was created. This was then fine-tuned by our flow dynamics simulations programs (CFD), and the end tanks were initially created by 3D printers. This enabled us to ensure the fit was perfect on the vehicle before any prototype castings or machined billet end tanks were produced ready for dyno testing.
Several baffle configurations were designed, and flow simulated to ensure the maximum performance was obtained to keep the core working at its optimum, along with ensuring all its cooling capabilities had been upheld, and that the total volume of the core internal is utilised for optimum performance.
With an increase in inlet and outlet sizes, we then turned our attention to the design of our silicone hoses. With flow in mind, we have created a step within the hose so where the hose meets the hot and cold side of the inlet and outlet junctions the transition is seamless, this helps to lesson any disturbance to the airflow and prevent unwanted turbulence. To further aid with flow, the inlet and outlets have been increased to 76mm from the OEM size of 63mm which equates to a 45% increase in surface area.
The consideration of space and our clever design has led us to produce several intercooler cores with different fin configurations and internal capacities. Depending on the core design, testing results led us to choose a bar and plate design with over 83% more volume than the OEM intercooler, and with a frontal area increase of 10%.
Compatible Vehicles
- Audi A3 1.8/2.0 TSI 2015-
- Audi Q3 2.0 TSI 2015-2018
- Audi S3 2.0 TSI 8Y Chassis
- Audi S3 Sportback 2.0 TSI 8Y Chassis
- Audi SQ2 2.0 TSI 2018-2021
- Audi TT Mk2 2.0
- Cupra Ateca VZ1, VZ2, VZ3, VZN 2021-
- Cupra Formentor 2.0 TSI 245BHP
- Cupra Formentor 2.0 TSI 310BHP
- Cupra Leon VZ1, VZ2 VZ3
- Seat Leon Mk3 Cupra 280/290/300R 2012-2020
- Skoda Kodiaq 2.0 TSI (EA888 Gen 3)
- Skoda Kodiaq RS 2021-
- Skoda Octavia VRS 2.0 TSI 2013-
- Skoda Octavia 4 RS
- Skoda Superb 280 4×4 DSG
- Volkswagen Arteon 2.0 TSI
- Volkswagen Golf Mk7 1.8 TFSI
- Volkswagen Golf Mk7 GTI
- Volkswagen Golf Mk7 GTI Clubsport ED40
- Volkswagen Golf Mk7 R
- Volkswagen Golf Mk7.5 GTI
- Volkswagen Golf Mk7.5 R
- Volkswagen Golf Mk8 Clubsport 45
- Volkswagen Golf Mk8 GTI
- Volkswagen Golf Mk8 GTI S
- Volkswagen Golf Mk8 R
- Volkswagen Jetta Mk7 2.0 GLI 2018-2021
- Volkswagen Jetta Mk7.5 2.0 GLI 2021-
- Volkswagen Passat 2.0 TSI 2015-2021
- Volkswagen T-Roc 2.0 2018-2021
- Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TSI 2017-
- Volkswagen Tiguan R 2022-
- Volkswagen Touareg 2.0 TSI 2018-2021
