Cooled Operating: Pushing The Porsche 992’s Limits With CSF & Autowerks

It’s simple to take without any consideration simply how a lot improvement goes into ‘correct’ modification.

However that’s additionally a testomony to doing a job correctly. As a tuner, you’re supposed to do the onerous work so the fortunate buyer can reap the advantages after. And within the case of Porsche 992 tuning, which means further energy. Tons of additional energy.

After I visited Bangkok not too long ago, I had the pleasure of spending a while with Warren Adulayavichitr and the group at Autowerks Asia to get a really feel for a way they function and what they do. As one in all Thailand’s greatest tuners, they’re answerable for among the wildest builds proper now.

And which means regularly looking for out the tech and merchandise which elevate their tuning to the following degree, such because the not too long ago developed CSF intercooler improve for the Porsche 992 Carrera platform.

The automobile pictured right here is way from inventory already; it’s primarily modified to a ‘Stage 2’ degree, which consists of an Akrapovič Evolution titanium exhaust and hyperlink pipe, IPD consumption plenum and BMC air filters (in addition to the all-important software program). The means an influence hike all the best way to 550hp and 700Nm, which is greater than wholesome for an in any other case ‘base’ 992 Carrera.

However energy isn’t the one focus right here. AP Racing discs and contours deal with the additional stopping energy required, and HRE R101 cast wheels beef up the outside to match its efficiency. However what about if you wish to push the tuning envelope even additional; what occurs then?

Ever since Porsche made the soar to a 3.0-liter turbo engine, it has (inevitably) introduced numerous potential into the aftermarket tuning scene. With fundamental mods 550hp is a wholesome outcome, however swap out for larger turbos and also you’ll quickly be knocking on 700hp. Or as Warren from Autowerks helpfully explains, the “GT3 killer” bundle.

Fashionable engines are extremely environment friendly, so the second you start pushing them into critical energy ranges the necessity for cooling will increase exponentially. And that’s not only for the massive horsepower builds; the identical goes for these wanting a extra track-focused construct too.

So, what you’re right here is without doubt one of the first intercooler upgrades for the 992 Carrera, constructed and developed by CSF Radiators. With slightly assist from Autowerks, it’s additionally the primary 992 in Thailand to be fitted with this package.

Naturally, Warren and the Autowerks group had been tremendous eager to see what advantages might be gained from the CSF improve. Time to get the intercooler fitted and reveal some correct numbers…

For this explicit take a look at, Warren strapped the automobile to the dyno to be able to achieve a base outcome. Autowerks use a SuperFlow Dynamometer, an extremely refined chassis dyno that ensures correct information is gathered in real-time for exact tuning. After placing the 992 by way of a number of runs, the general room temperature was taken to be 28°C (82°F), which is price noting for after we see the ‘after’ figures.

I’m all the time amazed by simply how tightly packaged fashionable Porsches are. It’s a testomony to Porsche’s engineering division, however a headache with regards to making an attempt to extrapolate extra cooling efficiency, as there merely isn’t the area to suit the largest cooler attainable. We’re not within the ’90s anymore…

However fortunately, Ravi and the CSF group thrive on these kind of challenges. Via improved core know-how and packaging, they’re capable of tremendously enhance the move and total space.

You may see that right here with the inventory versus CSF items positioned side-by-side. Discover how the CSF unit manages to make the most of extra of the realm across the edges to maximise cooling. That additionally means the all-important manufacturing unit ducting could be retained, in addition to the intercooler using all the inventory mounting factors to lead to an excellent slick set up.

CSF even embody becoming directions with each package to make set up as easy and straightforward as attainable. Simply look how neat the intercooler seems to be as soon as bolted in place – you’d be fooled for pondering it was an OEM merchandise! However seems to be are nothing except it’s bettering efficiency. Time to go again to the dyno…

Thailand is a scorching nation, and by this level within the day the air temperature inside Autowerks’ dyno room had risen to 33°C (91°F). Followers on to maintain the take a look at as truthful as attainable, the very best we will do it convey the temperature all the way down to 29°C (84°F) – not preferrred, however not too far off from our base degree.

With the 992 going by way of a number of runs, it was instantly clear that – regardless of the hotter ambient temperature – the automobile was already working a lot cooler, even by way of the mid and excessive rev vary.

The outcomes fairly actually communicate for themselves. Energy is up all through the entire rev vary, with the largest good points coming in between 3,500rpm and 4,000rpm – an extra 32hp and 50Nm of torque simply from the intercooler improve. However in truth, the largest advantage of this CSF improve isn’t simply the facility improve – it’s the power to take care of constant energy (and temperatures) run after run.

“From our personal testing on the 992 Turbo and RS6 coolers – which use related core specs – the largest delta between CSF and OEM is that the efficiency from the OEM coolers deteriorates shortly after a number of dyno runs,” Ravi at CSF explains. “Examine that to the CSF coolers and so they stayed constant from the primary run proper by way of to the fifth. That is particularly helpful for monitor automobiles, drag automobiles and even quick highway automobiles. There’s no energy loss due to warmth soak.”

Whereas it’ll come as no shock that an uprated intercooler will increase energy, it’s superior to see that – even with automobiles as environment friendly and tightly packaged because the 992 Carrera – producers like CSF are nonetheless capable of push the boundaries leaving the door huge open for tuners like Autowerks to proceed improvement.

We regularly look again at eras of tuning with rose-tinted specs, and when you might argue a 992 Porsche doesn’t actually need anymore energy, if we’d all adopted that perspective there wouldn’t be a tuning business to get pleasure from. So we salute CSF and Autowerks; if our time with ICE engines are restricted, we might as properly get pleasure from them to their absolute restrict.

Due to Warren at Autowerks and Ravi at CSF for serving to coordinate this shoot. Keep tuned for extra from Bangkok!

Rick Muda
Instagram: ardskellig