Intercooler Repairs?

[dlknight]

So last weekend I started to tidy up the engine bay in preparation for fitting the rebuilt engine (at some point in the future).

One of the tasks was removing the intercooler so it could be checked and cleaned.

I'm waiting on some bits of plumbing so I can pressure test the intercooler but I've already started cleaning it.

Firstly giving it a vigorous shaking and tapping it to loosen any bits of corrosion and debris trapped in the fins. Quite a lot of white dust came out of the fins and some of the fins at the bottom have corroded and fallen off.







Given that a replacement from Porsche is £1500 (maybe I should just bite the bullet whilst they are less than £2k), has anyone here had their intercooler repaired / re-cored?

I've just had the turbo back from turbo dynamics fully rebuilt and with the engine also being rebuilt, it would probably be foolish to stick this back in the current state.

The end tanks are solid and in good shape so I imagine a repair shop could fit a new core?

I've done a google and found a few places that do intercooler re-cores but be great to hear if anyone has had this done?

Thanks!

 

[dlknight]

I've been in touch with a couple of contacts, one said they could never find the correct size core to replace the original and the other (radtec) asked me for a picture and the dimensions and hasn't gotten back to me since.

I put together a pressure test tool, which is borrowed from my PC watercooling tools, it is used to check for leaks in a PC watercooling system. Uses a schrader valve, so you can pump it up using a bicycle pump. I managed to find some suitable plugs for the ends of the intercooler. These are furniture feet floor protectors from ebay, I went for some 60mm ones and they were a perfect fit on the intercooler! Will be useful for protecting the inside if I get the intercooler vapour blasted to remove the corrosion.

I setup the pressure test tool last night and looks like the intercooler is holding pressure (to at least 15 psi) fine even though it looks a bit shabby. I think it is predominantly the cooling fins that are corroding, and the actual rows are solid. Pressure was dropping down ever so slowly but that was more down to the not 100% sealed connection.

 

[Eldavo]

I have a “Stage 1” intercooler with modded end tanks in that was sealed up, tested and vapour blasted before I used it. Pretty sure I sold my VGC old one on ebay for sub-£100 too so don’t go running out to buy a new one from Porsche!

I’m looking at options for a bigger FMIC so if I do go down that route I’ll give you a shout about my current one

 

[scam75]

Yeah I paid about £60 for a decent 2nd hand one a few years back.

Given how easy it is to remove, I'd chuck it back in just now and use it once the engine is back together. You can't see the fins really from a cosmetic perspective and it will likely perform perfectly well given it is not leaking.

I'd also wager that Eldavo's will be up for grabs before your engine is rebuilt............................

Mod edit: Oy, I resemble that remark

Stuart

 

[dlknight]

I have a “Stage 1” intercooler with modded end tanks in that was sealed up, tested and vapour blasted before I used it. Pretty sure I sold my VGC old one on ebay for sub-£100 too so don’t go running out to buy a new one from Porsche!

I’m looking at options for a bigger FMIC so if I do go down that route I’ll give you a shout about my current one

Thanks David - I did take a look on ebay and there are several used intercoolers for sale, but it is a bit of a gamble as they look to be in the same condition as mine with corrosion on the lower cooling fins. It would appear that water and dirt collect in the area at the bottom front of the intercooler and causes the issue.

Will take mine over to Matt who does the vapour blasting and see what he thinks.

 

[dlknight]

I'd also wager that Eldavo's will be up for grabs before your engine is rebuilt............................

Stuart

he does like to fiddle with his car a lot! I'm finding it hard to get time to do anything with mine at the moment, hopefully the outstanding bits for the machine shop will land next week.

 

[blade7]

Your core looks rotten to me, I'd look around for another core and have the end tanks modified to fit it.

 

[dlknight]

Your core looks rotten to me, I'd look around for another core and have the end tanks modified to fit it.

I've knocked and brushed off most of the loose bits with a stiff bristle plastic brush in conjunction with my shop vacuum, the remaining fins are pretty solid, and the rows all look and feel solid. It is made of quite heavy gauge aluminium (apart from the fins). Will keep an eye on the usual places in case a good used one comes up but as I said above most look the same condition wise so a bit of a gamble.

 

[PSH]

Talk to Tom at Augment auto....he did my stage1 IC upgrade some years back....my own core failed his test so Tom sourced another to use. Mine was toast due to the engine induction forces sucking in my piper ram-air foam filter....lol

Pete

 

[dlknight]

Talk to Tom at Augment auto....he did my stage1 IC upgrade some years back....my own core failed his test so Tom sourced another to use. Mine was toast due to the engine induction forces sucking in my piper ram-air foam filter....lol

Pete

Thank Pete - already spoken to Tom