When we last left off, our prototype intercoolers were a plastic 1:1 scale model of our new design, specifically 3D printed for a real-world fitment check before starting our production. The trouble is that even with the advancement in technology, manufacturing is still a lengthy and costly process, especially when it comes to casting aluminum. Being the sticklers that we are, we wanted to ensure that our intercoolers would perform up to our standards before churning out hundreds of units without slowing down our development process. So, we decided to assemble a set of one-off working prototypes.

3D printing is something that we rely on here at Mishimoto since it’s an ideal process for expediting our development process. While our printers aren’t set up for it, this manufacturing method has advanced to allow for the printing of metal, which is ideal for our situation. Metal 3D printing doesn’t require expensive tooling and is a much more efficient means of producing functional prototypes on a time crunch. 

The Selective Laser Sintering, or SLS, process starts with adapting a 3D CAD design into an array of 2D cross-sections of the product. From there, the printing program directs a high-powered laser to melt, or sinter, the aluminum filament powder to the specific cross-section. After each pass with the laser, a fresh layer of filament is spread across the work area, and the material bed lowers in the machine to add the next cross-section. This process is repeated for each cross-section of the design until our new end tanks materialize from the bed of powder.

With the metal sintered, it was now up to our master fabricator, Mike, to fix the components together.

Our fully operational intercooler prototypes are complete thanks to some extra elbow grease on our end. Before we dive into our full round of testing, coming in our next post, let’s take a look at how these physically stack up against the OEM units.

For starters, they’ve grown. As mentioned in the previous post, size still matters when improving cooling power, even in air-to-water setups. Specifically, the volume of our cores grew by 49.8% on each core which, combined with our updated bar-and-plate core construction, should result in more consistent intake air temperatures for your 3.0T.

Size is only half of the equation when it comes to intercoolers, though. The quality of air and coolant flow through the cores is just as important. We’ve opted to retain the OEM flow pattern for the optimal cooling gradient in terms of coolant flow. However, when it comes to airflow, our engineer wanted to ensure that these intercoolers kept up with the flow demand of tuned or big turbo vehicles.

To start, and as you’ve already seen, the end tanks got a sleek makeover. But, again, size is the name of the game, with our inlet side tanks extending further into the depths of the engine bay. This longer reach also provides a more gradual and smoother transition from turbo to intercooler. Plus, we were able to increase the inner diameter of our intercoolers’ inlets for a more free-flowing design. Our updated core design also features a revised internal fin design which reduces flow restriction on both sides of the intake plenum.

How much better do these flow, you ask? Well, to find out, Dave ran a series of comparison tests between our prototypes and the OEM intercoolers on our flow bench. This device can either push or pull precise volumes of air, measured in cubic feet per minute, or CFM, through each intercooler, which allows for an accurate comparison between the stock units and our design. Dave installed an array of sensors throughout each kit to pinpoint the areas that pose the most restriction and generate an overall flow reading. Since the amount of air flowing through these intercoolers will vary as you drive the car, Dave blasted a range from 0 to 250 CFM through the intercoolers to simulate the vehicle’s entire powerband. Overall, we saw an overall 51.4% reduction in flow restriction in the intercooling system.

Even though mechanical evolution is vastly accelerated these days, precision still takes time to perfect. So we still have some ground to cover for now but stay tuned for our full dyno results coming soon.

One of the evolutionary hangups that still plagues this everyday GT-R, however, is the intercooler system. We’ve been hard at work ready to rectify that issue and put our new design to the test on our Dynapack system. 

Already equipped with a host of performance modifications, including an E70 setup, full 3″ catless exhaust, performance intakes, and an upgraded heat exchanger, our doner test vehicle has already surpassed OEM specs. Still, it’s ready for the next step in its performance journey. Plus, we preferred a highly modified platform to truly push these intercoolers to the limit.

The first stop on our testing tour is temperature management. Reducing charged air temperatures is the intercoolers’ main goal, and we aim to improve on Infiniti’s system. In order to compare the performance between our design and the factory counterparts, we ran a series of single pulls along with a heat soak test to simulate the harshest of real-world conditions. During these tests, we monitored charged air temperatures on the individual intercoolers and pulled data directly from the ECU via an OBD2 reader. 

Focusing on single dyno pulls, we noted average temperature drops of 6.3°F on the driver’s side intercooler and 3.7°F on the passenger side. Max temperature drops on each outlet were 14.7°F on the driver’s side and 7.7° on the passenger side. These intercoolers also aid in lowering global temperatures through the system, as we also noted a reduction in charged air temperatures at the inlet. 

It’s also important to know how the vehicle receives this data. So, we tapped right into this Q50’s brain to get its take on the situation. Since the ECU controls the cam timing in relation to air temperature, we wanted to ensure that your Q50 wouldn’t lose power due to charged air temperatures. From our testing, we found that our intercoolers consistently delivered temperatures lower than the OEM setup, averaging at 7.1°F with a maximum drop of 23°F. 

While intercoolers are typically a means of solidifying your platform, more power is always the end goal. Since intercooler improvements involve increasing flow and lowering intake air temperatures, these typically result in a bolt-on bump in power. While that’s not always the case, we were able to tack on another 8HP and 12TQ to our donor vehicle’s power. 

When it comes to evolution, some traits are hereditary, while others are learned. This punchy twin-turbo V6 might not come off the assembly line with the same performance as its high-performance cousin, but it’s quick to pick up more power along the way. Improved intercoolers are the key to bigger and better performance, and our kit is ready to unlock this potential. Grab yours today:

Our prototype kit’s au natruale look was done to keep up with our development timeline. We typically use the first production samples off the assembly line to perform our testing, but we wanted to speed things up, so they stayed naked. This time, though, our intercoolers are clad in a slick black, micro-wrinkle powder coat finish complete with machined surfaces. The intercooler’s latest fashion choice looks right at home under the hood of the Q50 or Q60, no matter if you choose to keep your engine cover. 

Speaking of the engine cover, since we know that some may like to retain the tidy look under the hood, our engineer, Dave, also included a set of OEM-style spacer mounts, so the engine cover could still install with our larger cores. 

The sleek new shell and engine cover mounting points weren’t the only finishing touches we made to this kit. We know how frail rubber components can turn over time in the engine bay, so we opted to replace just about every rubber piece involved with the A2W system, starting with the couplers. Our sturdy, application-specific couplers take the place of the factory units on both sides of the intercooler. Complete with high-torque worm gear clamps, our new couplers will deliver a much more secure and lasting connection from turbo to throttle body. 

Next, we dove into the maze of ancillary lines supplying coolant to both intercoolers. To ensure a lack of leaks after installation, our kit replaces the upper network of lines with a fresh set of hoses, surrounded by our anti-abrasion sleeves. 

These intercoolers might have already proven to be more than capable of keeping the VR30DDTT’s charged air temperatures in check, but they still needed a splash of style. However, with the makeover complete, it’s safe to say that the power has fully trickled down.