FORGE FMINT17 Intercooler for the RENAULT Megane Mk4 R.S 280/ 300 2017-2018

• Hand fabricated
• Lightweight - Tube and Fin core
• Stepped core design
• 41% capacity increase over OE intercooler
• Gains of 8bhp (see description for more information)
• Gains of up to 20NM (see description for more information)

FMINT17 is our intercooler upgrade for the Renault Megane Mk4 R.S. Forge have developed a product with optimal performance.

Using highly skilled CAD team and fabrication department Forge went to work designing an intercooler which would occupy the original space without the need to modify the vehicle, while at the same time design a product with a greater capacity core for the optimum performance. 

The end tanks have been a key part of the design of this intercooler, and Forge have opted for classic and proven sheet metal construction which is folded in a way to produce a shallow and fast flowing design with negligible back pressure. It is also lightweight as this was another key element in design brief, to manufacture a high performing intercooler as light as Forge can; this element also has a significant impact on choice of intercooler core.

Once Forge had produced an end tank design, they specified several different intercooler core constructions before they started vigorous dyno testing. Research and compiled data pointed to the use of a tube and fin core construction, this UK manufactured component really worked well and again was the best option to keep weight to a minimum. The stepped core design is 41% larger in capacity over the OE intercooler and the final product achieved gains of 8bhp with an increase of 12NM of torque between 1900 RPM and 2500 RPM along with 20NM between 5500 RPM and 6000 RPM.This makes the Megane feel and pull stronger at the top of the rev band and when combined with a vehicle equipped with upgraded ECU software like development vehicle the whole package transforms the 1.8T power plant into the motor this Megane R.S deserves.

FMINT17 is finished in anti-corrosion powder coating which not only helps preserve this intercooler from harsh environments it also aids its thermal properties. As with all Forge Motorsport fabricated products this intercooler has the legendary Forge Lifetime warranty.

Why do Forge test different cores?

Here at Forge Motorsport, when developing an intercooler, have tested several different cores for each application. For example, a bar and plate style core, a tube and fin style core along with different fin pitches and heights e.g. 22 fins per inch or 17 fins per inch, as well as changing the internal fin pitches/shapes and density within the tube enabling to fine tune the amount of pressure drop the intercooler produces.

Pressure drop is not always a bad thing, as testing and research has proven on various projects. This is because the pressurized air velocity is being stalled by the pressure drop within the cooler thus allowing more time to cool the air within the cooler itself, as air passes through the non-pressurized face of the core that is open to the atmosphere. Too much pressure drop can of course have a problem on the higher performance engines as the intercooler reaches its maximum efficiency the turbo has to work a lot harder to force the air through the core. This in turn creates higher inlet air temps (IAT’s) due to the turbo creating more heat as it is over stressed and worked harder.

Having no pressure drop can also prove to be inefficient as the cooler will not lower the charge temperature again resulting in higher inlet air temperatures.

Dyno Results

The stepped core design is 41% larger in capacity over the OE intercooler and the final product achieved gains of 8bhp with an increase of 12NM of torque between 1900 RPM and 2500 RPM along with 20NM between 5500 RPM and 6000 RPM.