Ebay Intercoolers for S4/RS4

[HibiscusS4]

Just noticed some intercoolers on ebay designed for the S4, not a generic one with a bunch of random pipes and fittings. Now my other car is a Toyota MR2 and ebay intercoolers have a pretty good reputation on them other than the pipes and clips are often of poor quality. The concensus is most fo the cores come from the same factory no matter where you buy the kit.

AUDI RS4 TURBO S4 A6 2.7 UPGRADE INTERCOOLER 90MM Thick 5056A | eBay

What are peoples thoughts? Got to be easier to fit than an FMIC on an S4.

 

[Blue_Thunder]

They don't look right. The OEM RS4 coolers don't come out facing straight back on one of the coolers like they appear on that listing.

You could get yourself some 2nd hand OEM RS4 coolers for around that kind of price anyway. I'm running about 450bhp on RS4 coolers.

 

[HibiscusS4]

Have you done anything to increase air to them? I found when I took my intercoolers off that they are in a very congested location. I know these or RS4 intercoolers will be in the same place whereas a front mount should be in better air flow.

I have only seen RS4 coolers come up for £400 and thats a lot of money for something second hand. Do the RS4 items have alloy end tanks? I think the pipe coming out the rear matches the S4 so maybe they are not RS4 at all but S4 upgrades.

EDIT:- Found this picture


On this website

AWE 2.7T S4 Dual Side Mount Intercooler

I will bet these are one and the same item.

 

[HibiscusS4]

Bumping a really old thread but I just won a set of these on ebay for one pint of beer over £100, brand new, I could not resist.

I did a lot of reading after posting this the first time around and these units (that the Chineese have copied) were designed for the Ameraican market where they dont get RS4's and cheap RS4 parts. They are designed to bolt up to an S4 with no other modifications to the pipe work. Cowels are a popular addition to get the entire surface area of the intercooler covered in cold air. Good for 450 American BHP so easily enough for K03's.

I am sure they will sit in the garage for another 6 months when they turn up although the wife was particularly upset when she got toasted by a diesel Jag the other night so maybe these, an XS power exhaust and a remap will be on the cards soon. The jag had 265bhp 3.0 TDi lump and has the same 0-60 as the S4 with peak power at 4k!

 

[HibiscusS4]

Delivered today. Much smaller than the AWE units, about the same size as an RS4 unit but with less surface area. The volume is made up with the depth which is 3 inches. I am quite happy for £103, even the buy it now price is ok given its for a pair. They look just like any other cheap intercooler part. I have a cheap intercooler and chargecooler on an MR2 (different cars not both on 1!) and the finish is just the same. One of these was from a US tunner but a cheap one that I know will have come from China in the first place.

At the very least I have a decent alloy unit with no plastic end tanks which will be good when I get the boost upped.

 

[HibiscusS4]

I know I am talking to myself but these are coming up again and again for auction so I will share my final bits of info. These are the same as Project B5 are selling for $625 BUT they are just cheapo ebay coolers and are going for $180 in the US. They are the same as the CX racing Revision 2 cooler. This cooler has been proven to be only marginally better than stock with their revision 1 being worse than stock! Some are hopefull that they flow better so are good for K04 cars but no one has tested. Why put $180 intercoolers on a car like that.

Just incase people are reading this and looking at the ones on ebay. My conclusion is that for £103 they are a good replacement for my 150k standard versions but only because of the age. A brand new stock setup is as good but also considerably more expensive.

 

[DieselJake]

Off topic a little but can an S3 intercooler directly replace a none S4/RS4 intercooler? (aka a 1.8t or 1.9tdi... or in my case being even more off topic a b6 1.9tdi haha)