intercooler

[passat08]

Hey have a 08 passat tfsi wagon wanted to know has anyone changed the stock intercooler on their passat and noticed heaps of difference then the stock? If you have changed what yoy change to?

[tigger73]

If you can measure the thickness of your intercooler, likely the core will be 32mm wide. If that's the case then you'll get a reasonable gain by upgrading to something with a thicker core (Golf R/S3 intercooler).

I've just done the upgrade on a 2011 Tiguan which shares the same intercooler with a number of Passat models - VW Part# is 3C0 145 805 R. To check the model number on your intercooler is a bit of a pain as you'll have to remove the rain tray under your engine and look at the bottom of your intercooler outlet (on the passenger side). There should be a sticker with the part# there (well that's where it was on mine).

I upgraded to an Audi S3/Golf R intercooler Part #: 1K0 145 803 BE which is a direct replacement and bolts up in the same location. It has a thicker core (39mm instead of 32mm) and will provide better flow, more cooling and less pressure drop.

I haven't had my car back on the dyno (yet) though it certainly does feel to be pulling better with less effort.

You're not going to get massive gains from an intercooler. It won't make any more power but it may reduce your losses.

[passat08]

Cheers where you buy your intercooler from?

[brad]

forum for sale area, ebay, OS suppliers - the usual suspects.

Depending on your other mods (or lack of them) an IC upgrade might do nothing at all.

[passat08]

I have stage 1 Apr dump pipe on way carbonio cold air.

[brad]

So have you measured your OEM IC yet?

[passat08]

Nah am in a wheelchair so bit hard to get under car to look.

[brad]

look from the top. It's sandwiched between the AC thingy & the radiator.

[tigger73]

I haven't run it on the dyno yet so I don't have any data on performance gains for the S3 intercooler on my car, however the APR unit which is much bigger core (and a $1,695 price ticket) will make around 5-10kW.



I think it's a worthwhile mod to gain 5kW if:

1) you can pick up an intercooler at a good price
2) you can spend half a day doing the install yourself

If you pay full price for the intercooler and then half a day of workshop time to get it fitted I'm not sure the bang for buck is going to balance out in your favour. I'm guessing a workshop is going to charge between $500-$800 for the installation. So add to that the cost of the parts it's going to cost around $800-$1,500 to upgrade to something like a Golf R/S3 intercooler. Lower end if you get a second hand unit and upper end if you buy something new off the net.

However if you're chasing ultimate performance from your car then the APR intercooler is the way to go. Just not in everyone's budget