I was wondering what ya'lls expierence is without running an intercooler. I know Dodge's primary reason for a cooler is to lower emmissions. My question would be, how much power can you run before a cooler is a nesesity?

 

The purpose of the intercooler is to allow the engine to produce more power by lowering the temperature of the air it takes in. Cooler air is denser, which in turn produces more power. When the turbo charger compresses the air, the air heats up, as the air then passes through the intercooler it then gets cooled down, this cooler air is more dense in oxygen molecules which allows the engine to make more power because there is a lot more oxygen to burn and you get a more powerful “explosion” inside the combustion chamber. If you don’t have an intercooler the engine will simply make less power. The early first generation CTDs (1989-91) did not have an intercooler, they just had a pipe across the valve covers from the turbo to the intake manifold.

 

I understand the full funstion of an intercooler, however all of the stock manufacterers did not put intercoolers in for more power we all know that. I know there comes a point that a intercooler helps produce more power but how much horse can I get without a cooler and not run into probs with egt's is what I am wondering. I have put coolers in and have heard of others putting them in and they still have egt probs.

 

The primary reason that the makers put I/C in is for emissions.

This is just a guess, but low 300 should be pretty attainable and fairly cool without an intercooler. If it is size constraints you are working around a water/meth or nitrous (perferably the water/meth) injection system could also help a lot.

 

Depending on pump settings and the load behind the truck (assuming you're working the truck) I can only use about 180-200 rear wheel horsepower. I've probably got closer to 250-275 on tap, but she'll break they pyro if I try to use any of that power with a load on. I've driven trucks far less BOMBed than mine, only with intercoolers, and they feel as strong if not stronger