Do intercoolers increase horsepower?
Everything you need to know about how intercoolers affect horsepowerDoes your car have a turbo or supercharger?
Then you’ve probably heard of intercoolers before, which can be found in many modern passenger, modified, performance and racing vehicles just to name a few. And – if you’re searching for the right option for your car, you’ve also probably encountered the age-old question. Do intercoolers increase horsepower?
Well, we’re here to tell you our take. There’s debate among the automotive industry on this topic but if your car has a turbo or supercharged engine, was recently tuned or needs high performance cooling then an intercooler is certainly a good option for optimal engine performance. Read on to find out how intercoolers and horsepower relate.
Natrad supplies a large range of off-the-shelf intercooler parts for a variety of vehicles. Looking for something a bit more special? Natrad has access to quality custom-made fabrication services.Do intercoolers increase horsepower?Before we delve into the relationship between intercoolers and horsepower, let’s find out what an intercooler does and how.
What does an intercooler do?
An intercooler is a form of heat exchanger, known as a cross-flow heat exchanger. This is where the cooling fluid (either, air, water or oil) is moving at ninety degrees to the warm fluid (air, water or oil). This process is very similar to that of a car radiator, where coolant is circulated through the tubes and air passes through the fins. For more on how an intercooler works, read on here.
How does an intercooler work?
These diagrams illustrate the function of an intercooler, as an air-to-air or liquid-to-air intercooler. The gist of these coolers is that the air enters the air intake, which is passed through to the turbo or supercharger.
The charger compresses the air which is then directed to the intercooler. It either enters the intake of the intercooler, or the air flows through the fins. The end result is the same, cool compressed air entering the combustion chamber.