AMS Performance Intercooler Flow Test

Background:

The AMS Performance intercooler for the Mk7 Golf R / GTI became available for an airflow test.

The AMS product is a little different from the “typical” aftermarket intercooler for the GTI in that it uses a Tube and Fin design.  Visually the 22 fins per inch that AMS advertises means there is no peering through the core ambient air passages – the fins are closely spaced.

AMS makes the following relevant claims about the product:

• This intercooler has over 64% more core volume than its restrictive stock counterpart.
• Our Engineering Team utilized Solidworks© (3D software) to blueprint the inlet and outlets with smooth features and geometry to optimize flow.
• The AMS tube and fin core utilizes both internal and external formed/louvered fins which allow for smooth, unobstructed flow while maintaining a huge surface area with spectacular heat transfer capabilities.
• Lower Pressure drop across core
• Densely packed interior LOUVERED fins provide low pressure drop across the core while still providing excellent cooling properties.

The Test:

The AMS intercooler is being tested for airflow using a flowbench set to a test depression of 28″ of H2O.  The intercooler is flow tested with the inlet and outlet hoses attached.  A bell mouth is inserted into the inlet hose to help smoothly guide air into the inlet and an adapter that fits inside the stock GTI throttle body hose connects the outlet to the flowbench.

Tested at a depression of 28″ of H2O the AMS intercooler flows 199 CFM.  This result is shown on the chart below with other stock location intercoolers that have been flow tested.

The next chart is a summary of all intercoolers and combinations that have been flow tested.

Note: Intercoolers identified with (-) were tested with a different bench adapter that produced slightly higher CFM readings than the current adapter.  Results for the FMIC products are expected to be 2-3 CFM lower if re-tested using the current adapter.

Conclusion:

The AMS Performance intercooler flows 199 CFM at 28″ of H2O.  This is equal to the airflow through the stock GTI intercooler when accounting for margin error.  The AMS IC airflow measurement is near the middle of all product combinations that have been tested.

Note: Airflow through the intercooler core does not correlate with cooling performance.  Cooling performance must be evaluated using other methods.