Intercooler

A

A2 DRS

Member
After searching the site recently for advice on the annoying problem of the "limp home" mode I took my car to my son's garage where he kindly had a quick look for me and guess what, my intercooler has split. I was hoping it was only a pipe but it's definitely a split.

What are the options? bearing in mind I'm not into modding, I love the car for what it is and can't justify the cost to myself, I'm sounding far too serious aren't I.

Anyway, advice is required and any advice is most welcome.

I have completed some research through the site and have seen the custom job, very nice by the way; I've found an intercooler for about £140, is that cheap? and need to know how difficult the job will be. My son is an apprentice and hasn't touched turbo's yet so he's not in a position to complete the job without assistance.

I'm also assuming all the oil on my undertray has come from this problem.

In short, help! Regards

Damien
 
Firstly the oil is very likely to be from the split intercooler (mine was).

The job takes about 4 hours - this should be less if they have done it before.

It really is a job best done on a ramp.

Remove front wheels
Remove engine under tray
Remove front bumper
Remove hoses etc from intercooler
Remove intercooler

Fitting is reverse.

As for the options; I went for the Custom option, for me it was the most cost effective on the grounds that i didn't want to replace a broken part with one that could brake again, so having aluminium end caps fitted to my broken intercooler was a good option but I would have to lose the car for at least a week - would have to hire a car for this time, therefore the custom route was the better option, ok its twice as thick and soooo... shiney, it doesen't give much in the way of performance - not on the rolling road, but is garenteed for life.

One thing - check you get the correct Intercooler for your car as there is two types, i am not sure what the difference is.

Has you would have read from the searching you have done its not cheap but Stealth Racing are very good.
 
Thanks for the reply, I have seen the pictures of your intercooler and it certainly looks the part, however, I am at heart a cheap skate and am willing to do this job myself if and when I get the time, especially after the £900 service and anti-roll bar bill last September.

I am however concerned about the oil, I'm not a mechanic and have no idea why oil is coming from an intercooler, I'm not even sure what one does for that matter.

If a did manage to take all the bits off and replace the part etc, what is the significance of the oil? Do I need to bleed something or will I have loads of oil pouring out, do you see where I am going with this!!

Again, all and any advice is gratefully received.
 
Hi Damien
The basics of turbocharging..... a turbo has a shaft with an impeller at each end. One end (turbine) sits in the exhaust gas flow which causes it to spin at high speed and the other end (compressor) sits in the airflow from the aircleaner and literally compresses the air and pushes it into the engine. The action of compressing the air heats it up (like the end of a bike tyre pump which gets hot) to around 180 degC. As the engine runs more efficiently on cold, dense air, an intercooler is fitted to cool the air back down. The hot air passes through the tubes in the cooler core and heat is transfered to atmosphere by the cool ambient air passing through the fins.

The engine breather is plumbed into the air intake so that oil mist is fed into the cylinders and burnt. The split in the intercooler core allows this oil to escape.
When changing the intercooler there may be some residual oil in the pipes and cooler body but dont expect gallons of oil to pour out. Keep the ends of the pipework and connections on the intercooler covered to prevent dust etc getting in as this would be blown stright into the engine when its started.

A genuine Audi intercooler costs around £200 so the one you have seen seems cheap (maybe too cheap) As an option, Stealth Racing can fit new end tanks to your existing core and this could be the lowest cost option - but not too convenient

Cheers Spike
 
Hi Spike,

thanks for clearing up some of the details for me. So, as far as I can see I basically remove the old intercooler making sure I cover the opening to the pipes when they're removed, and replace with the new one.

The option of using Stealth does interest me and I may find the time to contact them but in the interim can I damage the car by driving it with a faulty intercooler?

Damien
 
Hi Damien i did this myself also its fairly straight forward once the front bumper has been removed (tbh the front bumper removal was prob the hardest bit).

If you require info just let me know

Marco
 
Marco

Thanks, I might take you up on the offer of the info when I finally get round to doing it. I'm in the middle of a house move and job change so it won't be for a week or two.

Damien
 
Having now found the time to change the intercooler and having got to the part where I have the old one in my hands I've noticed that it's different to the one I have bought. Only slightly I might add. The housing for the sensor (is it the MAF?) is there but no hole for the sensor to go through into the intercooler. Is this a problem? Can I run the car without the sensor connected? If there is any chance of a quick reply I would really appreciate it..

Damien
 
Hi Damien
I'm not 100% sure on this but it appears some TDi models have a combined intake manifold pressure and temp sender which plugs directly into the intercooler top tank and others have the sensor plugging into a boss on the charge cooler pipework in the same vicinity.
The engine won't run properly without the sensor so the choices are -
1) Change the intercooler
2) First ensure all the sensor mounting features (seating for the O.ring etc) are present and if so, carefully drill out the mounting boss so the sensor can be fitted. Try and do this with the hole facing downwards so any drilling debris does not get into the core. Put grease on the drill bit to trap the small bits. Go careful as the drill breaks through so you don't damage anything inside the core. Best of luck - and don't blame me if things go wrong.

Cheers Spike
 
Well, I finally managed to change the intercooler to an Audi part, stealers took £222 plus another £33 for a new MAF sensor; so I am grateful to AaronRadiators for taking the other intercooler back and refunding me my money.

The new MAF sensor is required as it would seem that they have either changed the intercooler sensor housing or the car never had the correct parts when i bought it!! Doubt that...

It's fitted, (my son is a star), and all i need now is for the snow to disappear so I can get the car out onto a cleared road to test it properly. She hasn't been moved for a month so I need to get rid of a few cobwebs.

If anyone needs any photos of what you should be looking at when changing the intercooler, or indeed just taking the bumper off, PM me and I will send you what I have.

Cheers, Damien
 
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