GRS Intercooler Upgrade

[ELFMAN]

Cheers guys, when I get a mo', I'll se what I can do.

[ELFMAN]

Here's what Graham at GRS had to say Re. fitting Oil Catch Can:

“I've asked a couple of tuners about these oil catch tanks, both said its
better to have a little oil in the intercooler as this helps lubricate the
supercharger!!, if not it'll run dry, so to me no, I'd rather wash my
intercooler or charge cooler out once in a while....�

As I mentioned, I wondered why BMW didn't have a similar system, and that GRS/Lohen didn't have it as a 'must have'. My mate Bill, who helped me fit the Intercooler (and who built his own - bitchin' - Mini engines for years) first brought up the Supercharger lubrication idea when I phoned him the other night, so it seems there's two ways of looking at this.

Me? I've decided NOT to fit the Can. If the Supercharger is designed to run with a bit of lubrication, without it, it'll arguably run hotter, therefore the air charge will be hotter, negating some of the effect of the better intercooler. Even just from a 'Wear & Tear' aspect, it makes sense - which is maybe why BMW, even on the JCW upgrade, don't have an Oil Catch Can. So my motor will remain 'Can Free'.

[goodingm]

Any update re differenc ewit hthe new intercooler fitted,is it worth the cash.

[ELFMAN]

The car's going great - but it was anyway. 'Difference'? Not that simple....the car sounds and feels a wee bit more 'serious', but there's nothing shattering. I've lost the slightly 'sluggish' feeling which the car used to have in the first few minutes after re-starting when it had been driven hard and then parked - so it deals with 'heat soak' better, which shows it's working, and on Stoney's recent 'Picnic Run' (warm day) it went like stink all day.

The point of the GRS (and any uprated) Intercooler is that it'll MAINTAIN the performance better than the standard 'cooler. I was advised by Graham at GRS (and he makes them) that it's NOT worth doing on a standard 'S', but is good for those with uprated/reduced pulleys with higher boost. It's worth about 8bhp by itself, which isn't a lot (and arguably not really noticable on the road when you have 200+ BHP already), but you then have to take into account what you WON'T LOSE through heat soak/hot air charge etc etc....

As I understand it, the higher the boost, the higher the air charge temperature (it's getting compressed more - German for supercharger 'Kompressor'), so the greater the need to cool it before it enters the engine. An uprated Intercooler deals with the heat better, and engines LOVE cold/dense air, so you'll maximise any engine mods. As a 'performance' mod on it's own on a STANDARD car IMHO - don't bother, you'd be better spending the dosh (£412.00 incl. delivery from LOHEN - Nick's very helpful) on a good manifold or system etc. But as a way of ensuring your tuned 'S' is performing to its maximum, I reckon it's a good call. Hope that's helped. My apologies if you didn't need the 'How it Works' lesson!!!!

[goodingm]

Elfman, THanks for update , I have the GTT 210 fitted and just about to add JCW airbox and will do the GTT insert hence why I am interested, sounds like my next mod , that and FSD shocks are on my list.

[Aberdeen Al]

Elfman, THanks for update , I have the GTT 210 fitted and just about to add JCW airbox and will do the GTT insert hence why I am interested, sounds like my next mod , that and FSD shocks are on my list.

Why don't you get the GTT CAI to match your 210 package? You won't be disappointed