evolve
Mar 15th, 2011, 04:25 PM
About 3 months ago we were approached by a UK company who produced intercoolers for motorsport and performance OEM applications. They were interested in our x35i and MINI projects. By this time we already had an uprated intercooler on the car. After an enlightening education about the inner workings of an intercooler they told me that they could make an improved intercooler for both the BMW and MINI. I told them to make one and if it was better I would buy and supply them under the evolve brand.
A couple of months later and the development done they confidently told me that it outperformed the uprated intercooler currently on our MINI.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5014/5488504227_5141d0bbd4_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5253/5488507325_c5dd9ab68d_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5100/5488511791_019b90f16e_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5139/5488516033_13da02e8f2_z.jpg
So last week we did some back to back testing on the dyno with some datalogging. The car is now up to 150 dyno runs!
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/183248_10150095605913460_6687363459_6260741_759529 2_n.jpg
The purpose of this test was to see if one intercooler outperformed the other in the same conditions back to back.
With the current intercooler on the car we did 5 dyno pulls in a row with 20 second gap in between each run. We then fitted the evolve intercooler and repeated the test. No other changes made. Shell V Power 99 fuel used as always.
The resulting dyno graph is the maximum figures we saw for each intercooler.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5180/5485977119_7d74640d94_z.jpg
As you can see the new intercooler gained 9.5 peak BHP (up to 12 BHP in mid range) and 18 lb.ft peak torque with a healthy amount throughout the rev range.
Some information from the OBD datalogging.
Current Uprated FMIC
Max Inlet Temp 39
Min Inlet Temp 19.5
Avg Inlet Temp 28.69
Evolve FMIC
Max Inlet Temp 30.75
Min Inlet Temp 17.25
Avg Inlet Temp 22.71
Something we have learnt during this process. Its what’s on the inside that counts when it comes to intercoolers. The old intercooler had a glued core construction whereas the evolve FMIC has a vacuum braised core construction. The later construction provides greater heat dissipation and more efficiency resulting in consitently lower inlet temperatures and ultimately more power.
On the road the car feels more responsive throughout the rev range and at the top end than the figures suggest. Looking forward to getting the car up to the Pod again and seeing what it can do in its current state before the next round of modifications begin.
Group buy details in our Sponsor section ...
http://www.mini2.com/forum/evolve-automotive/185812-evolve-fmic-r56-mini-cooper-s-group-buy.html
A couple of months later and the development done they confidently told me that it outperformed the uprated intercooler currently on our MINI.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5014/5488504227_5141d0bbd4_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5253/5488507325_c5dd9ab68d_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5100/5488511791_019b90f16e_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5139/5488516033_13da02e8f2_z.jpg
So last week we did some back to back testing on the dyno with some datalogging. The car is now up to 150 dyno runs!
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/183248_10150095605913460_6687363459_6260741_759529 2_n.jpg
The purpose of this test was to see if one intercooler outperformed the other in the same conditions back to back.
With the current intercooler on the car we did 5 dyno pulls in a row with 20 second gap in between each run. We then fitted the evolve intercooler and repeated the test. No other changes made. Shell V Power 99 fuel used as always.
The resulting dyno graph is the maximum figures we saw for each intercooler.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5180/5485977119_7d74640d94_z.jpg
As you can see the new intercooler gained 9.5 peak BHP (up to 12 BHP in mid range) and 18 lb.ft peak torque with a healthy amount throughout the rev range.
Some information from the OBD datalogging.
Current Uprated FMIC
Max Inlet Temp 39
Min Inlet Temp 19.5
Avg Inlet Temp 28.69
Evolve FMIC
Max Inlet Temp 30.75
Min Inlet Temp 17.25
Avg Inlet Temp 22.71
Something we have learnt during this process. Its what’s on the inside that counts when it comes to intercoolers. The old intercooler had a glued core construction whereas the evolve FMIC has a vacuum braised core construction. The later construction provides greater heat dissipation and more efficiency resulting in consitently lower inlet temperatures and ultimately more power.
On the road the car feels more responsive throughout the rev range and at the top end than the figures suggest. Looking forward to getting the car up to the Pod again and seeing what it can do in its current state before the next round of modifications begin.
Group buy details in our Sponsor section ...
http://www.mini2.com/forum/evolve-automotive/185812-evolve-fmic-r56-mini-cooper-s-group-buy.html