Intercoolers increase Power / Torque & improve Reliability!
- Dastek Power Coolers -

The SAC Group use Dastek Power coolers and other Dastek products for vehicle enhancing. These Intercoolers have been carefully researched and designed to offer the best efficiency, repeatability and value for money. The aluminium intercooler cores are internally and externally finned thus creating an excellent compromise between the cooling effect and minimal pressure losses.

Intercooling keeps all engine components at a stable temperature. Intercoolers are simply air coolers, working on the same principle as a radiator cooling water. Hot air travels from the turbo through the intercooler and is cooled down before entering the engine.

An Intercooler reduces the in-take air temperature by as much as 70% which vastly improves not only power and torque, but reliability as well. Reducing the charge air temperature into the engine minimises the combustion temperatures allowing increased power and torque due to the cooler intake air.

Typical charge air temperatures without an intercooler for the modern turbo charged vehicle will vary between 100 - 200 C. With a good intercooling system this will drop to between 40 - 60 C depending on the ambient air temperature.

In South Africa we have tough ambient temperature conditions putting extra strain onto turbo charged vehicles. The most common areas affected on turbo charged vehicles are turbo’s, cylinder heads and pistons. Many people believe that turbo’s fail because of lack of lubrication and bearing failures, which will result in damage to the turbo driveshaft. Although this can happen it is only responsible for the minority of turbo failures.

The main reason for turbo failures is excessive exhaust gas temperatures.. Average EGT’s under full load should vary between 650°C - 800°C for modern turbo diesel vehicles and 700°C - 900°C for modern turbo petrol vehicles. Temperatures exceeding 900°C may cause turbo failure. Excessive EGT’s will cause fatigue to the turbo material and will create heat cracks and eventually result in component failures.

Intercooling will cool down the charge air and will result in cooler EGT’s. In other words intercooling is one of the best ways to prevent turbo failures.

Cylinder head and piston failures will also be the result of excessive heat causing fatigue to these components. As for turbo’s, intercooling will result in lower operating temperatures for both cylinder heads and pistons.