No you do not need one......but I highly recommend using one if you can. As most people know I am an advocate for water injection also, but the best combination I have found is to run both Intercooler and WI.

We run a relatively small cooler which controls temps well, with the water assisting in the top end of the power range.

Average inlet temps we saw at Oran Park a couple of months back was 25-27 degrees C. Max was 32, min was 17.

Mark

Quote:I recall several members of our club were excited at the power incresase when they ran less than 6psi boost ...

To recap: No, you don't need an intercooler. But they are worth it. You can make "big" power with them and only "increased" power without one.

Hence the 'other problems' comment with tongue very firmly planted in cheek.
The fuel condensing inside the intercooler causes a lean mixture which is very prone to induction backfires.

In a 'suck through' system the fuel will hit the cool surfaces of the intercooler causing problems with atomisation. The first intake backfire and "boom" the front of your car goes missing.

And of course, suck through turbo systems generally do not use them as they can play havoc with the mixture, ... along with other problems.

lots of oem low boost turbos have no or very little intercooler.
All that happens is you get less power by not having one since the computer will retard the engine when you get up to detonation, which will happen at a lower power level than with an IC. use an IC with water/methanol injection or LPG and N20 ( if you're crazy ) the idea is to get rid of the heat that the compressor added.

since nobody said it yet ;)
don't IC a suck through ;) it should be obvious why... i just have to someone always post about not doing this...

some IC's use water and have a mini radiator somewhere else, this has some advantages...

In Arizona...having a turbo without intercooler is a crazy idea. Any place with temperatures over 80degF (30degC) really see the benefit of intercoolers.

If you are happy to run less than 6psi..then you can run without one.. but you will not be impressed by the power output of the engine.

Quote:NO. The original Porsche Turbo did not have one.

Believe it or not, intercoolers to have a practical purpose! They reduce the temperature of the compressed air, like you said they increase air density and therefore increase HP. The reason EVERYBODY doesn't have them is that they cost money and their benefits are directly proportional to the level of developement of your turbo system. Very basic, low boost turbo applications don't show big improvements from intercooling but the more serious it gets the larger the advantages of running an intercooler become.

They dont do anything to the Fuel just the air.

Its just young kids that get them to be cool, but they do stop detonation and give you more HP.(Ok its not only people that are trying to be cool)

I think your better off to go with water injection.