APR Tuned Intercooler Kit Audi A4 B5 1.8T 97-99

APR is please to present their front mounted intercooler for the A4 1.8T. The construction and advanced design techniques used in the APR intercooler sets it apart from all the others on the market. Utilizing such technologies as a top-bottom feed core, custom mandrel bent plumbing, and innovative cast endtanks with internal vaning, the intercooler has produced excellent results in testing.

The conditions of one test that was performed is as follows: at 20 psi of pressure with a vehicle speed of 70 mph, and an elevation of approximately 500 feet above sea level. Under these conditions the internal flow was measured at 720cfm. Also at those conditions, with an input temp of 240 deg F, the intercooler was quite effective; cooling the output air to 126 deg F. While doing this, the intercooler measured a pressure drop of only .58 psi.

Equally as impressive with the APR intercooler was the external pressure drop (the amount of air pressure behind the intercooler) of only 1.01 psi. This helps to allow airflow to other critical parts of the car such as the radiator and A/C condenser. While the internal pressure drop is important, the external pressure drop is often overlooked. Most other intercoolers commonly cause 1.5 to 2.0 pounds of pressure drop, hindering the radiator from effectively doing its job of cooling the engine.

The highlights of the APR Intercooler kits include the following:
* APR Cast End Tanks with Internal Vaning
* Top-Bottom Feed Bar and Plate Aluminum Core
* Mandrel-Bent, Powdercoated Stainless Steel Plumbing
* APR Custom Silicone Intake Hoses
* All Associated Bracketry and Hardware

Components:

End Tanks: APR's all aluminum end-tanks are factory like cast pieces. A cast piece ensures consistency in the production process, which in turn guarantees proper fitment to the core. Once mated and welded to the core, all assemblies are pressure tested to 60psi before even arriving at APR’s facility. The fins cast inside the tank help distribute the incoming air evenly across the core. The number of fins and the angle of each were changed many times until the optimum results were achieved. This design is an APR exclusive in this market. You won’t find this attention to detail in any other offering.

Intercooler Core:There are two primary core designs commonly used for cooling: the bar and plate design and the extruded tube. While both offer similar performance, a bar and plate intercooler is more efficent for cooling the intake charge temparature.

The size of the core is also very important. APR started with the optimum size core that can handle applications common on the 1.8T. From a standard chipped car to a Stage III, this core is extremely efficient and does an outstanding job in reducing intake temps.

Plumbing: The plumbing on an intercooler system is very important. Getting the air to and from the heat exchanger is simply a necessary part of the kit. Doing this job as smoothly as possible requires a little more attention to detail. The piping included in the kit is mandrel bent, powder coated stainless steel. The beaded ends (as seen in Pro-E drawing) help keep the silicon hoses in place under pressure.

Silicone Connectors: The tooling for the silicon hoses is drawn up on Pro-Engineer and manufactured in house for precise fitment. Incorporated into the design is a recessed end, which allows the pipe to lie flush inside the hose, eliminating protruding edges that inhibit airflow.

Brackets/Hardware: All brackets included in the kit are powder coated and shaped from 16-gauge sheet metal for excellent strength and long lasting reliability. The spacers used to level the core are machined aluminum and fit perfectly on the machined mounting points of the end tanks. To reinforce the modified bumper support, APR has added a 14 gauge steel plate across the top of the support. This essentially replaces the portion removed from the lower half of the support, retaining the function of the assembly as a whole.