Do-It-Yourself High Performance Car Mods

Intercoolers

Compressing air raises its temperature. This heat is not good for the engine. Not only does it decrease the air density, but it also makes the engine more likely to detonate. An intercooler can reduce this problem. The intercooler is a heat exchanger that cools the air as it exits a turbocharger or supercharger. Adding or upgrading an intercooler is a very good idea if you already have forced induction but want to turn up the boost. Some companies have been known to refer to their intercoolers as “aftercoolers,” but the part is the same thing. Intercoolers come in two basic sorts: air to air and air to water.

An air-to-air intercooler looks a lot like a radiator. Usually, the best way to install one is to mount it behind the grill ...