Porsche 911 Turbo (997.1) Intercooler kit MERA for OEM Y-pipe - DO88 Performance

A true performance upgrade intercooler for the 997.1 Turbo / GT2 and 997.2 GT2RS.
This is the most refined of all products we carry today, MERA launched in October 2021!

- Colder inlet air temperature in the same conditions: 37°C/98,6 F (55°C/131 F), 18°C/32,4 F lower. See diagram below.
- More air to your engine, less backpressure and better airflow! Airflow at 0,175 bar / 2,54 psi pressure drop: 700 CFM (564 CFM), 24% higher! See diagram below.
- 3D, freeform designed cast end tanks.
- Custom designed carbon fiber ambient air guides.
- Comes with high quality silicone hoses and accessories for installation.

MERA as in more, means more cooling, better airflow, more performance. Simply, MERA!

Starting off with a thorough market research in the beginning of our intercooler development for the 997, we understood that not many of the upgrade products on the market were really upgrades, but rather at the same level as the 997.2 standard units, or in some cases even subpar. We realized that we could not cut any corners to keep the cost down, we had to create the best possible solution for the given space in the car!

Upon launching this intercooler kit back in 2016, we chose to go with a UK made Tube&fin core, enabling great cooling and airflow paired with a low weight. It has proved very well over the years, featured on various 1000 HP builds. In the fall of 2021, it´s time for the next phase in the constant development of the do88 products. After thorough testing, we chose to move over to a Bar&Plate, motorsport-grade core from Garrett, thus bringing this already highly effective upgrade to the next level.

Overall differences:

• 11°C lower IAT compared to previous the version.
• 12% higher airflow compared to the previous version.
• New, lighter airduct made from real prepreg carbon.
• 3 kg weight increase per intercooler compared to previous do88 intercoolers.

The core is new, but the end tanks and all accessories are the same as before. The intercoolers feature cast end tanks that distribute the airflow over the full core in a very precise way. This is very important as a good tank design will be beneficial for both pressure drop and cooling efficiency. To be able to fit an intercooler with appropriate thickness for the job, it was also necessary to design a new upper ambient air guide. This was designed in our 3D-scanned environment to ensure perfect fitment to the vehicle-integrated air guides, as well as the intercooler. To further remove bottlenecks, the intercooler kit MERA has intercooler connections that are 70 mm (2 3/4 inch) to really allow for the air to pass without restriction. This also means that there are new hoses included for each position, of which all are 3D-designed with maximum airflow in mind. All hoses are CFD-tested to ensure this. The hoses on the turbo outlet are made from a high-temp spec. material, rated to 240°C (464°F) continuous temperature. In order to really take advantage of all the heat-transferring ambient air, the carbon ducts come with proper seals towards the body, forcing all of the air to pass through the core, and not escape around it.

All in all, the weight increase compared to the OEM units is relatively small considering the sheer size of the intercoolers, and the fact that it´s an all-aluminum, dense construction. Our intercooler weight is 8,45 kg (18,10 lbs) per piece and the 997.2 OEM intercooler weighs 3,30 kg (7,27 lb) per piece. As much as it may seem in terms of weight increase, it is more than well compensated for if we consider the performance gain these intercoolers provide!

The intercooler kit comes with hoses adapted for OEM or do88 (70 mm) y-pipe. What differs is the included hoses. Choose your version in the drop-list above.

When it comes down to performance, the do88 intercoolers significantly reduce the intake temperature! In the graph below the difference towards the OEM 997.2 units is presented. The data is collected with an AIM race logger under 5 consecutive runs in an immediate sequence. Full throttle accelerations between 50-250 km/h (30-155 mph) in a Stage 1 tuned Porsche 997. No cooldown in between, just full pull. During every test, the car was driven in Sport Plus, AC off.

The test was conducted in the following manner:

Firstly, 5 runs were made with the car equipped with OEM intercoolers. Stop, fast change of parts to the do88 intercoolers. Shakedown for a few minutes and then 5 runs made in the exact same way as with the OEM parts. The decrease in inlet air temperature is significant, peak delta is 18°C (32,4 F) see the graph below!

Cooling is important, and so is airflow. After many hours of development, refining the end tanks and choosing a core to meet our demand, the result is an intercooler that is much more efficient in terms of heat transfer as well as airflow. Using our in-house Superflow SF-1020 Probench, the airflow is verified as a complete system, with hoses on both inlet and outlet, for both the OEM 997.2 intercoolers, and the do88 performance intercoolers. What you see is what you get – MERA performance from do88!

This diagram shows the air flow at different pressure drops of do88 intercooler compared to the OEM:




This diagram shows intake air temperature of do88 intercooler compared to the OEM: