For every 10 degrees cooler, you gain one percent horsepower. For every one psi increase in boost, you will have three percent more horsepower. If you take these numbers and multiply them over what you can do with an intercooler, you can see why this is an important component of your truck. The higher intake-air temperature of your turbo reduces the efficiency of an engine and that's why an intercooler is important. This specialized heat exchanger, which bears an uncanny resemblance to a radiator, cools the intake air.
Once the hotter air travels from the turbo's compressor to the air-to-air intercooler, it begins cooling the air. From there, the air travels to the intake manifold, where it's distributed to the cylinders. The injectors shoot in the fuel and the mix burns, creating the high-pressure the pistons need. The spent gases leave the cylinder and then drive the turbine side of the turbo, completing the cycle. When no boost is required, a wastegate opens to allow the exhaust gases to bypass the turbo.
Unfortunately, the intercoolers aren’t a cheap fix. You can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $2,000 for one, but it does come with great benefits. When you're not using the boost, you're running on a smaller engine, which means increased fuel efficiency.
aFe Power BladeRunner Intercooler
This BladeRunner Intercooler embodies the next generation of intercoolers. The BladeRunner intercoolers utilize a 3-inch bar and plate core design that is larger than stock and outflows traditional OE style tube and fin core designs by 32 percent. The unique BladeRunner end tanks are constructed of 3/16-inch TIG-Welded aluminum plates that incorporate four multi-directional vanes throughout the intercooler.
This intercooler uses Multi-Directional Vane Technology to direct hot airflow through the entire intercooler core. This allows for greater cooling than you would normally find. Four tapped 1/8-inch NPT ports are supplied on the intercooler tubes for easy installation of gauges or nitrous oxide systems. It uses 3.5-inch billet aluminum inlets and outlets for superior strength and durability and is pressure test rated at 200 psi, which is perfect for high boost applications. MSRP: $1,468. (951-493-7100/www.afepower.com)
ATS Subzero Intercooler
Did you know you can get a cooler denser charge of air by simply installing a SubZero intercooler? The ATS SubZero Intercooler is placed in the airflow path between the turbocharger and the engine intake in order to cool the air after it has been compressed by the turbo. When the turbo compresses the air, it's ambient temperature rises by up to 350 degrees. This is where the SubZero comes in. It utilizes heat exchange technology to cool this compressed air which creates a more dense air flow into the intake of your engine. This means more air molecules go into the cylinder and, when mixed with the proper amount of fuel, increase engine power giving you more performance as well as enhanced fuel economy. MSRP: $1,508. (866-209-3695/www.atsdiesel.com)
Banks Power Techni-Cooler Intercooler System
Always superior to stock, you can count on everything about Banks Techni-Cooler Intercooler system to be bigger. It includes mandrel-bent 3.5-inch high-flow boost tubes, large, high-efficiency all-aluminum end tanks, wide-open inlet and outlet with up to 31 percent bigger cross-sections and a 20 percent thicker core area with a 35 percent increase in volume, dependent upon application.
Techni-Cooler dramatically increases the cooling capacity by balancing the richer fuel mixture with greater airflow and cooler, denser air. Denser air has more oxygen, which improves combustion as well as engine efficiency. Result: higher continuous power and more power at any exhaust gas temp, better fuel economy and lower EGTs. It will deliver the maximum reduction in boost air temperature with a minimal loss of boost pressure. MSPR: Prices vary from $1,185 to $1,530. (800-340-7751/ www.bankspower.com/ic4)
BD Turbo Cool-It Intercooler
BD Power’s free-flowing Charge Air Cooler (CAC) design has streamlined external air passages, which improve engine cooling while offering less fan noise and less blade resistance. Plus, it improves engine power and efficiency of the radiator and air conditioning heat exchangers. With this intercooler, you will have 57 percent more cooling surface area, which will increase cooling efficiency to 90 percent, compared to the stock intercooler with 70 percent.
Designed through testing at 100 psi turbo boost pressure and 500 degrees turbo outlet temperatures, it’s made with extra thick cast end tanks with support struts that have integrity and long life that won’t balloon or crack. The larger inlet and discharge tubes provide a significant increase that can flow over 1,500 cfm, while holding pressure drop to less than one psi. MSRP: $1,235. (800-887-5030/www.dieselperformance.com)
Hellman
The Hellmann Intercooler is designed for maximum air flow in order to lower your EGTs. Since your truck is a daily driver, you will appreciate the fact that the Hellmann Intercooler will lower EGTs by a healthy 100 to 200 degrees and considerably lower intake air temperatures. The Hellmann Intercooler is designed for 2003 to 2007 Dodge 5.9L Cummins Turbo Diesel.
To achieve these results, a Hellmann Performance Intercooler will increase air flow, reduce intake air temperatures, increase horsepower and torque and handle 150 psi of boost. If your current intercooler is now failing or your EGTs are too hot, you should consider the Hellmann Performance Intercooler. MSRP: $1,200. (361-960-2217/www.hellmannperformance.com)
High Tech Turbo Intercooler
High Tech Turbo is proud to bring one of the biggest, strongest, most efficient intercooler for Dodge Cummins third generation engines to market. This intercooler gives you the ability to achieve better throttle response, lower EGTs, better fuel economy and more power. High Tech takes pride in its product, offering the greatest temperature reduction capacity available and the maximum possible volume for your installation constraints. This intercooler is designed and tested to accommodate the highest possible operating pressures. It’s built oversized in order to increase fuel economy by five percent. It’s a durable product, which helps with the efficiency. Plus, it utilizes bar and plate design cooling element and cast and polished end tanks. MSRP: $1,215. (801-304-0700/www.htturbo.com)
Mishimoto Chevrolet/GMC 6.6L Duramax Intercooler Kit
Fed up with high EGTs and an intercooler setup that isn’t keeping up with the demands of your Duramax? The Mishimoto Chevrolet/GMC 6.6L Duramax intercooler kit could be your solution. This kit includes everything you need to improve airflow, substantially decrease air-charge temperatures and support your truck at any power level.
This Mishimoto intercooler features cast aluminum end tanks and a bar-and-plate core, all designed to allow for cool, dense air to your engine. The Mishimoto Duramax intercooler features greater core volume than the factory cooler; this provides reduced air-charge temperatures and EGTs. All the components in this kit are engineered to last, just like your truck. Offered with either a black or silver core, the Mishimoto 6.6L Duramax intercooler kit is protected by its signature lifetime warranty. MSPR: $1,415. (877-466-4744/www.mishimoto.com)
PPE Duramax Intercooler
If you drive a Duramax, you may want to consider this intercooler from PPE. It’s designed to be as large and efficient as possible. These intercoolers will lower intake temperatures by up to 120 degrees and flow about 15 percent better than your average stock part, resulting in higher boost pressures. This intercooler will give up to a 200-degree drop in exhaust gas temperatures, and is especially useful if you use your daily driver for high load situations, such as sled pulling, drag racing or towing.
The factory GM intercooler causes a two to three psi turbo boost pressure drop in a completely stock engine because of its small 1,083-cubic-inch internal flow area. Larger PSI drops can be seen with increased turbo boost, causing a loss of power and efficiency. Pressure drop is virtually eliminated with PPE’s larger and more efficient intercooler. MSRP: $1,725. (714-985-4825/www.pacificp.com)
Turbonetics Spearco Intercoolers
Conventional intercooler cores are thin-walled and extruded aluminum tubes that are not designed to handle extreme boost pressures. This narrow width limits the cooling performance. Turbonetics is all over this problem with its W.A.V.E. (Wide Area Vane Effectiveness) Technology, which utilizes the latest design advances in strength and durability and maximizes cooling effectiveness through a greater surface area.
Featuring a bar and plate design, the Spearco intercooler offers approximately 50 percent more volume for charge air-cooling. In addition to better charge air-cooling, which adds horsepower and torque, the all-welded aluminum construction adds reliability, especially over some of the plastic tanks that some manufacturers use. Whether you are a high performance enthusiast or a drag racer, the W.A.V.E. Technology Spearco intercoolers are a solid option. MSRP: Prices varies from $500 to $1,500. (805-581 0333/www.turboneticsinc.com)