Does not having an aftermarket intercooler hurt the car with a tune?

[Based]

I am about to buy an Acessport and then get a tune from Tune+. If I run a tune on the car on the stock IC, will I hurt the car in any way? Or will it just pull power because it's so hot? I'm going to get an IC later on but I don't want to run a tune if it's going to stress the car too much on stock intercooler.

 

[OffTheWall503]

You will definitely be more susceptible to heatsoak. Between 2 dyno runs my car immediately pulled power on the 3rd due to hot temps when I had my stock intercooler. The difference was over 10 to 15 horsepower and torque.

 

[Based]

What is heatsoak? Does your car just shut down or is it more just a broad term for the ecu pulling a lot of power?

 

[frankiefiesta]

Google.com > search "what is best soak" > read

 

[CanadianGuy]

What is heatsoak? Does your car just shut down or is it more just a broad term for the ecu pulling a lot of power?

In order to make power Turbo car compress air. Simplistic the turbo is spun by the exhaust, more pressure more exhaust, more heat. To cool the air the IC is used. If the air is not cooled enough (once the IC is heat soak, meaning it cannot cool the air because it is too hot) the engine will detect the heat and reduce the boost AKA pull power. The better the IC the longer it takes to get so hot it cannot cool enough.

 

[Based]

In order to make power Turbo car compress air. Simplistic the turbo is spun by the exhaust, more pressure more exhaust, more heat. To cool the air the IC is used. If the air is not cooled enough (once the IC is heat soak, meaning it cannot cool the air because it is too hot) the engine will detect the heat and reduce the boost AKA pull power. The better the IC the longer it takes to get so hot it cannot cool enough.

Thank you that's all I needed to know. I knew how everything worked but I just didn't know what you guys meant by "heatsoak".

 

[Waterfan]

You will lose some performance due to heatsoak, but the engine management software is smart enough to compensate based on different heat levels and you won't "hurt" anything.

 

[Based]

You will lose some performance due to heatsoak, but the engine management software is smart enough to compensate based on different heat levels and you won't "hurt" anything.

Ok well I can either buy an intercooler or a tune tonight... I'm leaning more towards the tune

 

[Based]

Does anyone have any information on how the MAP Intercooler compares to the other IC'd on the market? I'm about to pull the trigger on the MAP one.

 

[BRGT350]

I have been running a Mountune tune on my Acessport for over 24,000 miles without an upgraded intercooler without any issues. I monitor the charge temp with the Accessport and rarely have I seen the temps climb over 100'F. Even autocrossing, the temps stayed below 100'F on one of the hottest days of the summer. Now, your results will vary. I live where a 90'F day in the summer is not very common and summer only lasts 3 months.

 

[parapraxis24]

I have been running a Mountune tune on my Acessport for over 24,000 miles without an upgraded intercooler without any issues. I monitor the charge temp with the Accessport and rarely have I seen the temps climb over 100'F. Even autocrossing, the temps stayed below 100'F on one of the hottest days of the summer. Now, your results will vary. I live where a 90'F day in the summer is not very common and summer only lasts 3 months.

Conversely, in FL my charge air temps can reach 20-30 above ambient during the summer. Depends on location as to how effective the stock IC is, but upgrading to a better one isn't going to hurt. Consider the Depo IC, quality part and very affordable at $329.

 

[BRGT350]

yep, location makes a huge difference. In the winter, I can charge temps around 20'F to just above freezing. Most of June is cool with temps in the 70's, leaving July and August for temps in the 80's. A 20'F increase over ambient is still under 100'F for me. An upgraded intercooler is never going to hurt and chances are, most people will need it.

 

[Based]

Lol dude I live in southern Louisiana. We get two months where temperatures are below 80.

My AP is coming in today. I'm gonna order the Cobb RMM and the Depo intercooler whenever I get the chance. I drove my car the other day and started doing hard 1-2 shifts and dude it's scary how it makes that big clunk sound with the stock RMM.

 

[Hwy9FiST]

I'd always suggest doing an oil cooler then radiator then fmic. But that's just me. Like if you want to track your car... invest in engine cooling first.

 

[Based]

I'd always suggest doing an oil cooler then radiator then fmic. But that's just me. Like if you want to track your car... invest in engine cooling first.

I don't plan on ever tracking... Just want a car that I can have a little fun in during my daily drives. Also because I just like having a faster car than my friends do. Good thing none of them have fast cars.

 

[commonplatypus]

I ran custom tuned for several months on the stock intercooler. It doesn't really cause issues during daily driving. You can sort of feel it over sustained pulls, but by that time you're well over the speed limit. The stock FMIC recovers rather well from my experience, which I observed on track this past Sunday. Ambient temps were about 80 F and the charge temps were bouncing between 90F and 110F. The higher number was when I was WOT for about 1/3rd of a mile down the largest straightaway on the track and hard into a braking zone after that. Managed to reach a top speed of 99.8 mph in that straightaway before having to brake on the stock tune. It recovered pretty well off throttle during braking zones and under light to medium throttle, which I had a lot of instances of on this track. There was definitely some heat soak, but I don't think it took THAT much power out of the car that it would have really upped my performance notably since I was making up most of my time by dive bombing apexes to catch up to faster cars; which the car did VERY well at. It might have let me taste that sweet, sweet 100mph glory on that straightaway, though.

At autocross I've only ever broken 100F on charge temps when ambient itself was very near that.

I think you can live without it. It's not an immediate need, especially since you're not intending on tracking it. You should probably tighten the worm drive clamps though so you don't blow a charge pipe off.