Got the PLM Heat Exchanger installed today!

[speedy0339]

I decided to pull the plug and get my heat exchanger installed today! I live in Arizona so it's been 108 out lately and my car has been hitting 175 IAT on just a normal cruise. On the cruise home it was 108 outside, and my IAT was 129.



**IAT was read through a wifi obd2 reader with OBD Fusion**

[DGVR6]

I wish I would've done before and after logs. From recent logs the plm does it job and IATs recover quickly

Edit: man I gotta start proofreading lol

[BlownOne]

Nice!!! Can't wait to get mine so I can install both my crank pulley and hx at the same time!!

[Thurston]

awesome!

[waxxonMTL]

I wouldn've painted that core black.. in fact, why dont plm do it from factory ? i mean.. who really want a silver core ? lol

[Thurston]

for a point of reference because I always see that temp posted w/ cold fronts - what would that engine coolant temp and iat read without a coldfront in similar conditions (close estimation plz)?

Does this keep things cooler all the time, even when idling over stock set up or just that it cools down *quicker* than stock when the car is inhaling air at speed?

[AudiS4SD]

Interested in this.

In the high climate I'm in, temperatures are 100+ every day as well. Engine temps can get up to 225F (normally sits around 200F). It would be nice to cool that down a bit.

[Bruno_s4]

Can't wait to put mine in!
Keep posting updated number if you are able.

[SR7D1]

So you paid a shop to install it? If I may ask, how much was that labor? (I don't have any service position bolts?)

[whiped]

for a point of reference because I always see that temp posted w/ cold fronts - what would that engine coolant temp and iat read without a coldfront in similar conditions (close estimation plz)?

Does this keep things cooler all the time, even when idling over stock set up or just that it cools down *quicker* than stock when the car is inhaling air at speed?

He says in the first post, he was seeing about 175 deg IATs.

This will both keep it cooler and allow it to recover quicker. In all reality you are just adding a bigger HE and more coolant capacity. (Takes longer to heat up because of the capacity and cools down quicker because of the larger HE. Win win)

So you paid a shop to install it? If I may ask, how much was that labor? (I don't have any service position bolts?)

Most shops for the AWE system where charging 3-5 hours for an install including the pump. Since this does not have the pump it should be a bit less. So, 3-4 hours * your shop rate.

[speedy0339]

for a point of reference because I always see that temp posted w/ cold fronts - what would that engine coolant temp and iat read without a coldfront in similar conditions (close estimation plz)?

Does this keep things cooler all the time, even when idling over stock set up or just that it cools down *quicker* than stock when the car is inhaling air at speed?

Driving normally in traffic in "Auto Mode" not Dynamic, I was seeing 160-170 IAT normally. This morning driving to work it was 102 out and my intake air temp was 108F all the way to work with 194F coolant temp. Idle temps before in 100+ degree weather were over 170F and today they were about 130F. Definitely a huge improvement.

I wouldn've painted that core black.. in fact, why dont plm do it from factory ? i mean.. who really want a silver core ? lol

Yes I agree completely. I wish I just had the shop paint it while they were installing it :/

Interested in this.

In the high climate I'm in, temperatures are 100+ every day as well. Engine temps can get up to 225F (normally sits around 200F). It would be nice to cool that down a bit.

Last night I saw temps of 195 ish on average. I saw 205ish before the cooler.

So you paid a shop to install it? If I may ask, how much was that labor? (I don't have any service position bolts?)

I paid $450 for the install and it took about 4 hours. All I did was bring them the boxes from PLM exactly how they came, and my car. That's it :)

[speedy0339]

So after picking my car up from the shop my car warned me that my coolant was low. I pulled into the gas station and opened the hood and it was almost completely out. The shop told me they added over 1 gallon of the coolant/water mix, but after driving it a little hard on the way home I guess it burped more air out. I filled it with an additional gallon and it seemed to be fine last night. I drove to work today and checked it when I got here and it was still at the line where I filled it.

[jokingjimmy]

So after picking my car up from the shop my car warned me that my coolant was low. I pulled into the gas station and opened the hood and it was almost completely out. The shop told me they added over 1 gallon of the coolant/water mix, but after driving it a little hard on the way home I guess it burped more air out. I filled it with an additional gallon and it seemed to be fine last night. I drove to work today and checked it when I got here and it was still at the line where I filled it.

That's a great point Speedy. I'll be looking for that for sure when I get one and have it installed.

[jokingjimmy]

I wouldn've painted that core black.. in fact, why dont plm do it from factory ? i mean.. who really want a silver core ? lol

Does painting it black affect the cooling ability at all? I would think so, but maybe someone would have more data than opinion like me lol.

Edit - I probably won't paint mine either tbh...

[jokingjimmy]

dangit, forgot to ask a question - Speedy - is there anyone out in your area with one of the other systems like AWE coldfronts to compare? I'd be curious to see a comparison in same environment settings what the relative temps would be!

[xpoweruk]

Does painting it black affect the cooling ability at all? I would think so, but maybe someone would have more data than opinion like me lol.

Edit - I probably won't paint mine either tbh...

If you use the correct type of paint it should improve cooling (minimally)

[speedy0339]

Does painting it black affect the cooling ability at all? I would think so, but maybe someone would have more data than opinion like me lol.

Edit - I probably won't paint mine either tbh...

There is someone else in the forum that painted it black. I don't think it will affect anything but I can't confirm anything. I think it would look better black on my car because the car is blacked out.

dangit, forgot to ask a question - Speedy - is there anyone out in your area with one of the other systems like AWE coldfronts to compare? I'd be curious to see a comparison in same environment settings what the relative temps would be!

I'm sure there are other people in Arizona with it, but I don't know anyone. I will have to look out for other S4's at the car meets I go to. At the same time though--the AWE cold front is twice the price. The AMS is almost 2.5x the price. So I feel like this is plenty for the price you're paying. I live in Arizona so I feel like my conditions will be hotter than most others, and my car is running super cool.

[fitzydude]

If you use the correct type of paint it should improve cooling

Rustoleum, knew it.

[whiped]

If you use the correct type of paint it should improve cooling

This.

I will be painting my AWE unit and the protective screen the same color black once it arrives. (Don't want the silver visible through the RS grille )

[xpoweruk]

http://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-rad...ack-paint.html

[speedy0339]

This.

I will be painting my AWE unit and the protective screen the same color black once it arrives. (Don't want the silver visible through the RS grille )

I do want to paint mine black as well. However, it does look super aggressive with the giant heat exchanger showing through. I had a friend drive my car so I could see what it looks like from outside the car and it looks menacing. If you want to make your car more sleeper though, I would definitely recommend painting it.