How to test Intercooler?

[hobieboy]

Hi,
Anyone knows how to test the efficiency & if there's any blockage inside the turbo intercooler?

thanks...

[dean]

I know that to test the efficiency you need to measure temp drop and pressure drop. I think the pressure drop would tell you if you have a blockage.

[hobieboy]

Hi Dean - that makes sense. Measure temp & pressure drop.
Is that something I can do "at home" ? Any suggestion on the procedure? Do you simply blow air in it & try to measure?

thanks...

[dean]

If your car is running all you do is take a pressure measurement before and then after the intercooler. Do it at full boost. You can do the same with temp. You can get dual pyrometers to measure the temp difference. I measured mine with a much cheaper and less accurate method. Right after a full boost run I jump out an feel the input (hot) and output (cold) of the intercooler. I also tested the boost loss in my intercooler. I plug the boost gauge into the input of the intercooler and then I hook it up to the output and then measure. My intercooler has no pressure loss that I can measure.