Intercooler

What is an intercooler?

An intercooler looks like a little radiator. Intercoolers are also known as charge air coolers, air-to-air or air-to-liquid heat exchange.

An intercooler cools the exhaust gasses which come out of the turbo. Vehicles which do not have a turbo therefore have no air cooler either as the engine is not turbocharged by compressed air.

The process of compressing the air results in higher air temperatures. As this hot air cannot be injected into the engine, it needs to be cooled first. At the end of the combustion process, the air comes out of the engine as exhaust gas. When your car has a turbo, part of the exhaust gasses are recycled and used again to boost the engine. Another part of the gasses is filtered and cleaned in the exhaust system of your car and eventually released via the exhaust pipe.