Making a Car Intercooler Even Cooler with Heatshield Products

Adding a boost to your vehicle’s performance is popular in the performance world. However, heat happens when air is compressed by either a turbo or supercharger -- and hot air is not good for making power. That’s why many turbo and blower systems have a custom intercooler to cool the compressed air before it enters the engine. If your car’s intercooler is a water-to-air type with a reservoir tank, Heatshield Products will show you how to keep it even cooler for increased engine power.

Our Custom Intercooler Tech

Our Sticky Heat Shield acts as a barrier to deflect ambient heat away from the tank. Its specially formulated Kool Core™ thermal-barrier material helps to insulate the car’s intercooler temperature, keeping the ice and water inside the tank cooler for a longer period than an unprotected tank. HP Sticky Shield™ has a built-in adhesive backing, so installation to make a custom intercooler is super easy. Here’s how you do it:

A custom intercooler is installed into a car.

This intercooler tank is being installed in Jeff Smith’s 2003 NMRA-competing Ford Mustang Cobra. The tank mounts in the spare-tire well of the Cobra. Aluminum is a great conductor of thermal energy which means heat can transfer relatively easily from the exhaust under the car to the ice in the tank.

A Heatshield Product’s team member installs a heat shield to a custom intercooler.

HP Sticky Shield™ is installed on the car’s intercooler tank with built-in adhesive backing. Shaping the shield to fit is no problem either because you can cut HP Sticky Shield™ to just about any shape with a pair of regular scissors. Plus, it’s extremely flexible! Double bonus!

A mechanic creates a custom intercooler heat shield.

A razor knife is used to cut a hole for the top of this intercooler. Since HP Sticky Shield™ is only .125 inch thick, it won’t interfere when the tank is opened and closed for filling.

A custom intercooler heat shield is installed.

Now fully encased in HP Sticky Shield™, the tank is ready for installation. The more you can insulate your car’s intercooler reservoir tank and keep the cold in, the longer the coldness will last.

A custom intercooler with heat shield is installed back into the car.

Here’s how this custom intercooler tank looks installed with the lines hooked up and the HP Sticky Shield™ in place. Now the ice/water mixture will stay cooler longer, even on hot summer days at the track. Although it can’t be seen here, the feed and return lines are covered in Lava Tube thermal sleeving material, so they will stay cooler while also being protected from exposure to the exhaust system and drivetrain. Want to discover other ways to keep your ride running cooler? Check out our full line of automotive heat shield and moto heat shield products today!