The S55 turbo engine from the BMW F87 M2 C, F8x M3 and M4 F8x uses a water-cooled intercooler instead of a "standard" air-cooled intercooler. The standard top-mounted intercooler has a tube-and-fin core with clamped plastic end tanks. This design has its drawbacks, as it is prone to cracking and coolant seepage into the engine or boost pressure leaking from the tank seals.
When we began developing a new high-performance intercooler, our mission was to eliminate the weaknesses of the OE intercoolers and, of course, deliver a significant performance increase. In all the tests we conducted during the development of our entire BMW F8X, M2C, M3, and M4 lineup, we clearly see how peak performance is directly correlated with IAT (Intake Air Temperature).
To obtain an accurate 3D model of the available installation space for our intercooler, we performed a detailed 3D scan of our M3 Competition engine bay. Using the 3D scan, we tested various design concepts for our intercooler in our SolidWorks CAD software.
The final design concept was decided upon after several CFD simulations in our SolidWorks Flow Simulation software. This software allows us to simulate airflow and measure pressure drop and air distribution across the core. We decided not to include internal air ducts, as several of our simulations showed they do more harm than good. The airflow in our tank design is perfectly distributed across the core without internal air ducts, which many claim is a good thing. However, these often cause turbulence and airflow disruption.
Our final design resulted in a bar-and-plate core with TIG-welded cast aluminum end tanks. This provides security for any high-boost tuning. We managed to use a massive core 85% larger than the OEM core, reducing the boost pressure drop (16% lower), and maintaining a drop-in installation with no modifications. Reducing the boost pressure drop across the intercooler has several advantages, such as the turbos having to work less to achieve the desired boost pressure, lower temperatures, and improved throttle response. We have the equipment to calculate the pressure drop in our CFD calculation software and also conduct real-world tests on our Superflow SF-1020 flow test bench. On the water cooling side, we switched to a dual-pass flow structure, which allows the coolant to flow over the core twice before leaving the intercooler, instead of the OE single-pass structure.
We use high-density offset fins on both the air and water sides. Multiple tests were conducted to find the optimal balance between the air and water fins for maximum heat transfer. This gives our intercooler a huge increase in active cooling surface compared to the OE.
Since this is a do88 performance product, we naturally conducted thorough, rigorous, and continuous testing during the development of this product to ensure the best performance. No compromises were made.
All this hard work results in a product that will truly enhance the performance of your vehicle in one way or another, whether it's a stock car or a heavily modified monster! On the racetrack, on the street, at the strip, this intercooler will be your faithful companion!
Significant advantages with the do88 Performance intercooler (compared to stock figures):
– Peak power increase of 13 hp! Measured on a vehicle with BootMod3 Stage 1 tuning.
– Maximum power increase in the mid-range of 25 hp!
– Maximum torque gain of 52 Nm!
– Larger core volume: 5657cm3 (3052cm3), 85% larger!
– Air flow at 0,025bar/0,36psi pressure drop: 298 CFM (256 CFM), 16% higher!
– Lower air temperature after the intercooler under the same conditions: 39°C (48°C), 9°C lower!
– Fits all vehicles in the list below!
* Measured at 240 km/h during full-throttle acceleration from 0-240 km/h on the air strip. Both tests were conducted on the same day under identical conditions.
Compatible with following models:
- BMW F87 M2 Competition
- BMW F8x M3 M4
OEM reference number:
17517846235
