What Are Charge Air Coolers, And Why Do They Matter?

What Are Charge Air Coolers, and Why Do They Matter?

Turbos and diesel engines complement one other like cheese and crackers. The science is straightforward: if you can get more air into your engine, it will explode more powerfully and produce more power.
Although it seems straightforward enough, the system is inefficient because of two scientific concepts that conflict with one another:
Heat is produced through compression, and hot air is less dense than cool air.
Cool air should enter an engine for maximum power and efficiency. More explosions are possible because denser air contains more oxygen molecules in a given volume.

Unfortunately, heat is also produced when air is compressed by a turbo. Less oxygen is present in hot air when it enters an engine, which has a detrimental impact on output, torque, and emissions.

Intercoolers, sometimes referred to as charge air coolers, serve as a conduit between the engine and the turbo. They take the hot, pressurized air from the turbo and cool it before it reaches the engine while seated in front of the truck radiator. Power and engine efficiency are therefore increased.

What is the Function of a Charge Air Cooler?
Before it enters the intake manifold, pressurized air from the turbo is cooled by a charge air cooler to lower its temperature.

The cooler receives compressed air from the turbo through a conduit. In the charge air cooler's core, a number of tiny tubes allow the hot air to be cooled while maintaining pressure. When charge air enters the intake manifold, it is around 450°F (from the turbo) hotter than the surrounding air, although only by about 40°F.