Intercoolers

An intercooler on a car is a heat exchanger positioned between the turbocharger and the engine intake. Turbo compression raises the charge air temperature, and the intercooler removes part of that heat before the air reaches the cylinders. When the core becomes heat soaked, outlet temperature rises and air density falls. Depending on the calibration, the engine management system may reduce timing or boost to control knock risk. A properly matched front mount intercooler therefore supports more repeatable power rather than creating a guaranteed horsepower increase.

An intercooler cannot create horsepower out of nothing and will not raise your engine’s theoretical power ceiling.
Compressed turbo‑charged air runs extremely hot. Hot air is less dense and delivers less oxygen into cylinders. A high‑performance intercooler brings down charge‑air temperature and increases air density, unlocking the existing power potential of your turbo setup.

You will see tangible horsepower gains and consistent torque if your stock intercooler suffers from heavy heat‑soak and power drop‑off under heat conditions.
If your factory cooling system already keeps intake temperatures low, swapping to an upgraded intercooler will deliver minimal power improvement.

You will maximize gains when pairing an intercooler upgrade with higher boost levels and professional ECU tuning. Expect no huge horsepower jump if you only install an intercooler without other supporting modifications.

Yes. Both current Evil Energy turbo intercooler kits include the intercooler, matched 3 inch intercooler piping, a 50 mm BOV, mounting brackets, reinforced silicone couplers and heavy duty clamps. Additional universal piping is not normally required when the kit is installed with its specified turbo location. A different turbo position, twin turbo layout or modified front structure may require custom pipes and fabrication.

Before installing a turbo and intercooler kit, verify the vehicle year, engine or swap configuration, turbo position, inlet and outlet diameter, pipe route and available space around the bumper, crash bar, radiator and AC condenser.

Check whether plastic trimming or bracket adjustment is required. After assembly, inspect every coupler and clamp, pressure test the charge system for leaks and confirm the engine tune before operating at full boost.

Air‑to‑air intercoolers cool compressed intake air using direct vehicle ram‑air. They feature simple layouts and low‑maintenance costs, ideal for street driving and short‑track runs. They require sufficient front‑end airflow space and cooling performance drops significantly during low‑speed traffic.

Air‑to‑water intercoolers use circulating coolant to draw heat away from charge air. Their compact size gives you far more flexibility for engine bay layout. They maintain stable intake‑air cooling even at idle or in heavy traffic, perfect for high‑horsepower builds and repeated hard launches. However, they require extra components including pumps and reservoirs, plus regular coolant maintenance.

Pro tip: Choose air‑to‑air for daily street builds. Go air‑to‑water for consistent high‑power output or tight engine‑bay packaging.