Tiguan S3 Intercooler Install Guide

[Ramee]

Today I was able to install S3 intercooler for Tig. I did it solo with in about 6 hours time and without too much struggling. Tig has bit more ground clearance than GTI s so I did not have to jack it up during the swap. I got two hoses with the S3 intercooler but one of them (pre intercooler/ turbo side) one is too short for Tig. So I used stock hose but had to cut about half an inch to clear the swelled area of the hose and to get the perfect length. For the other side of the intercooler, I could use the S3 hose easily. I used APR and other internet resources as a reference and even though they are for GTIs, still closely relevant for Tigs.

Some pictures of the install.

Front bumper removed.


Water is leaking because I forgot clamp the headlight washer line!


Bumper bar, headlights, and intercooler supporting bracket removed.


No need to remove the hood unlocking wire in Tigs. Just leave the supporting bracket away with wire attached.


Intercooler is in between two radiators (AC and Engine coolant). Just unbolted both of them from the intercooler.


S3 vs stock intercooler. Not much difference in size S3 may be 4mm thicker than stock and has aluminium end tanks.


S3 is about to go in. Stock one is going to garbage


S3 intercooler in the car!



Did a test drive, car feels bit livelier. But today is not a very hot day so benefits will be more clear in a 30+ degree day

[tigger73]

Today I was able to install S3 intercooler for Tig. I did it solo with in about 6 hours time and without too much struggling. Tig has bit more ground clearance than GTI s so I did not have to jack it up during the swap. I got two hoses with the S3 intercooler but one of them (pre intercooler/ turbo side) one is too short for Tig. So I used stock hose but had to cut about half an inch to clear the swelled area of the hose and to get the perfect length. For the other side of the intercooler, I could use the S3 hose easily. I used APR and other internet resources as a reference and even though they are for GTIs, still closely relevant for Tigs.

Nice job. Are both the stock hoses a little too long? Just in case I don't get hoses with the intercooler...

So did you get your sway bar fitted too? or has that been pushed out to next weekend?

S3 vs stock intercooler. Not much difference in size S3 may be 4mm thicker than stock and has aluminium end tanks.

S3 is about to go in. Stock one is going to garbage

I'm guessing this will be a one-way install for me too. Given the time taken to put it in, it doesn't seem worth it to pull it out afterwards. Though I'll probably keep the stock intercooler anyway (and worry abouth te cut hoses later).

Did a test drive, car feels bit livelier. But today is not a very hot day so benefits will be more clear in a 30+ degree day

I'm not sure it's going to be noticeable. Maybe just a placebo effect

[Ramee]

Nice job. Are both the stock hoses a little too long? Just in case I don't get hoses with the intercooler...

So did you get your sway bar fitted too? or has that been pushed out to next weekend?

Yes both stock ones are little too long.. Not much, may be extra half an inch long. Problem with them is stock intercooler inlet and exits are bit larger than S3 intercoioler ends. So these stock pipes go loosely over the S3 ends. Better to cut stock piping ends bit to get more through fit and avoid the swelled area of stock hoses.

I could not install my sway bay yet because I was very tired after end of this exercise. Good thing is I have something to do again to the car next weekend too

I'm not sure it's going to be noticeable. Maybe just a placebo effect

He he.. May be, but to motivate you I would say it gives extra 10 hp in hot days

[Ramee]

Some data logs of intake air temperatures with stock and S3 intercoolers installed. They logged in nearly similar times of different days with ambient temperatures nearly same on same path from my work to home. Logs show a very clear decrease in intake temps with S3 intercooler even though it is not an ideal intercooler, still heat soak little bit at traffic lights.

[tigger73]

Some data logs of intake air temperatures with stock and S3 intercoolers installed. They logged in nearly similar times of different days with ambient temperatures nearly same on same path from my work to home. Logs show a very clear decrease in intake temps with S3 intercooler even though it is not an ideal intercooler, still heat soak little bit at traffic lights.

Nice work Ramee. Always good to have the hard facts to support spending the time and $.


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[tigger73]

A box arrived the other day while I was away

[team_v]

Keen to see what was in the box!

[tigger73]

Keen to see what was in the box!

So am I! It's currently sitting out in the warehouse at work... May have to visit the office on the weekend to collect it.


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[Ramee]

So am I! It's currently sitting out in the warehouse at work... May have to visit the office on the weekend to collect it.


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I think I know what it is Haldex ? or may be intercooler !

[tigger73]

Well couldn't resist so took a quick trip into the office before lunch. This afternoon fitted up the new S3 intercooler....

Some minor challenges so I used the "phone a friend" lifeline. Turns out Ramee and I took slightly different approaches to removing the headlights and front bar plus hoses are different between 1st gen and second gen Tigs....

Managed to get 90% done in the afternoon and final bit of reassembly after tea. Off to do a test drive...


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[Ramee]

Well couldn't resist so took a quick trip into the office before lunch. This afternoon fitted up the new S3 intercooler....

Some minor challenges so I used the "phone a friend" lifeline. Turns out Ramee and I took slightly different approaches to removing the headlights and front bar plus hoses are different between 1st gen and second gen Tigs....

Managed to get 90% done in the afternoon and final bit of reassembly after tea. Off to do a test drive...


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Happy to hear everything went well congrats! May be you can do a detail DIY for rest of us Tig owners..

[tigger73]

Happy to hear everything went well congrats! May be you can do a detail DIY for rest of us Tig owners..

Unfortunately I didn't take many photos along the way as I was on a tight timeline (trying to get it finished in the afternoon).

However I did manage to take a photo comparing the two cores:




Top is the stock Tiguan intercooler (Part #: 3C0 145 805 R) and the bottom is the Audi S3 intercooler (Part #: 1K0 145 803 BE). This one has the plastic end tanks and is the newer style. Possibly the older S3 intercooler with metal end tanks is slightly better performance but this one was available at the right price.

DIY process is quite simple.

Remove everything in front of the intercooler/ A/C condenser:




Unbolt the condenser/intercooler/radiator, slide out the old intercooler and slide in the new one.

Put it all back together.

I managed to take off the front in two large pieces:

• the front spoiler/grille
• headlights/front bar

To do this I did have to unbolt the bonnet latch and remove the bonnet release cable so that I could remove the headlights/front bar as a complete unit.

Also the intercooler hoses/connectors were different between the "old" Tiguan intercooler and new S3 one. I had to do some minor surgery to the stock hoses to remove the metal connectors at the intercooler end so that they would slip over the connection (rather than fit inside the housing and be secured with clips).

It all ended up working out OK. I was a little concered that after I butchered the stock hoses that they wouldn't fit and I'd be left without any hoses and unable to fit my old intercooler back in. The S3 hoses are too short and are also the wrong shape on the turbo side to fit into the Tig, so you need to use your stock hoses.

[brad]

What is the thickness of the OEM intercooler?

S3 core with plastic tanks is 38.7mm - just trying to work out how much the Tig was hobbled ex-factory

You realise the plastic tank unit has these features over the S3 metal tank unit:

4 more bars spaced more closely together
* More equivalent frontal surface area, as well as internal cross sectional area - improved flow capacity

The plate design inside the bars are more closely packed
* Improved efficiency due to greater rate of heat transfer

Smoother flowing end tank ports
* Improved flow characteristics compared to the S3 fittings which have steps in diameter causing turbulence.

[tigger73]

Tiguan S3 Intercooler Install Guide

What is the thickness of the OEM intercooler?

S3 core with plastic tanks is 38.7mm - just trying to work out how much the Tig was hobbled ex-factory

You realise the plastic tank unit has these features over the S3 metal tank unit:

Stock Tig intercooler is 32mm so S3 is 21% increase just in thickness. I'm not sure about how "dense" the S3 one is compared to stock Tig one but just with the thicker core it should be a reasonable improvement.

I figure if the S3 intercooler is good for power outputs around 200kW that should do me just fine

All mounting points are identical, so this is a bolt in bolt out job.




Here's the stock connection:




And carefully removing the aluminium end with a hacksaw and screwdriver making sure not to nick the hose.




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[tigger73]

Tiguan S3 Intercooler Install Guide

The car does feel a bit more freed up with the new intercooler. I don't think it's the cooling effect as today is a mild day - 20 deg C.

I just think the stock intercooler was a bit restrictive and now with the S3 intercooler it feels like it allows better flow.


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