BMW MERA Charge Cooler Manifold - do88 Performance ICM-430-G

Enhance your B58 engine's performance with the MERA do88 Charge Cooler Manifold!

Background
The B58 engine, introduced with the F-series a few years back, has proven to be a real gem of an engine, capable of high outputs with great character. However, there are a few weak points that need addressing, both for performance and reliability. The B58 comes equipped with a water-to-air charge cooler that is coupled a with front-positioned heat exchanger (water radiator). The heat exchanger serves to cool the water circulating through the charge air cooler, which in turn helps dissipate heat from the charge air before it enters the engine. The charge air cooler is integrated into the intake manifold on the B58, making it an intricate and dense construction, demanding accuracy in the design and execution by us as an aftermarket producer.

Challenges with the factory components
Owners of tuned B58 engines often confront the issue of rapid heat soak in the charge air cooling system, particularly when the vehicle is used for track days. Elevated intake air temperatures may prompt the ECU to decrease the power output, or even switch the car into limp-home mode. Regular spirited street driving can also cause similar issues.

Additionally, the factory-installed direct injection system, with its obvious benefits, is not well suited for high horsepower applications or ethanol flex-fuel usage. To be able to inject more fuel, many turn to installing port fuel injector spacers between the intake manifold and the cylinder head. The downside of this solution is that it positions the injectors at a funny angle. As a result, the fuel hits the walls of the intake runners, leading to potential fuel puddling.

As is often the case, factory components can become limiting factors when you strive for high power levels, particularly in terms of airflow. The factory (OE) intake manifold is such a component, that not only restricts airflow but also poses a significant risk of cracking under high boost levels, due to its plastic construction.

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The do88 solution

This performance charge cooler is part of do88's MERA range! MERA as in more, means more cooling, better airflow, and more performance. Simply, MERA!

Garrett Motorsport core
do88's MERA manifold features a Bar and Plate design air-water core, crafted by esteemed Garrett Motorsport, setting the industry standard for quality and performance. Its construction incorporates thin, densely stacked cooling fins, which offer exceptionally efficient heat transfer. The core is precisely 102 mm (4 inches) thick, maximizing its effectiveness for this specific application. Both the air and water fins´ characteristics have undergone meticulous evaluation to achieve the ideal balance between optimal cooling and airflow.

Innovatively designed cast end tanks
The charge air and cooling water are evenly distributed across the core through carefully designed, cast end tanks. The development of these end tanks involved a comprehensive process, including 3D scanning, multiple design iterations followed by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, and 3D-printing, before arriving at the finalized prototype. We opted for cast end tanks over CNC-machining. Casting allows complex shapes that better serve the desired function. To us, maximum performance supersedes the bling factor!

Engine Cover Compatibility
A key objective during the development of do88's Charge Air Cooler, was ensuring its compatibility with the standard engine cover. Enthusiasts prefer to maintain the original appearance of their engine bay if possible. With this in mind, we invested significant effort to design a charge air cooler that not only makes a massive performance upgrade but also fits beneath the engine cover. We even managed the challenging task of accommodating do88's auxiliary fuel rail under the engine cover. The devil is in the detail and to date, this unique feature sets the do88 kit apart from the competition. High-performance builds tend to be made by enthusiasts who value the appearance equally as high as the sheer performance without compromise.

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Key Features

Versatile Manifold Design: From Fuel Injection to Power Modifications
do88's manifold outlet tank is pre-configured to accommodate auxiliary port fuel injection. A custom-made fuel rail with female AN-8 threads is included, which easily installs to the outlet tank. We designed it for compatibility with Injector Dynamics ID1050x-34-14 or Bosch EV14XK (short) fuel injectors. If you opt to not use port fuel injection, we provide injector blanking plugs for your convenience. Additionally, each cylinder runner on the outlet tank is equipped with a 1/8” NPT port, suitable for nitrous or methanol injection - a commonly used power modification for the B58 engine (sealing plugs are included).

Extra Measurement & Vacuum Ports
Integrated into the side of the manifold inlet tank, do88 has incorporated a 3-port pad directly into the casting. This feature offers the flexibility to measure additional parameters or serve as an extra vacuum source. Should you choose not to utilize these three 1/8” NPT ports, sealing plugs are provided in the included hardware kit.

Two 1/8” BSPT ports are strategically positioned on the top of the rear water tank. These ports serve dual functions. They can be used for monitoring both inlet and outlet water temperatures, but also act as bleeding ports to assist in the air-bleeding process, ensuring that all air is effectively purged from the intake manifold. For your convenience, 1/8” BSPT plugs are provided in the included hardware kit.

Advanced Thermal Management
Included with the intake manifold is a special thermal barrier spacer, engineered to insulate the aluminum intake manifold from conductive heat transfer from the cylinder head. This barrier effectively lowers intake air temperatures (IATs), enhances the efficiency of the charge air cooler, and helps minimize the issue of heat soak. Unlike the OE plastic intake manifold, the do88 manifold is made from aluminum, capable of withstanding higher boost pressures. The thermal barrier spacer reduces the conductive heat transfer, otherwise typical to aluminum components. The spacer features a robust seal, achieved through custom-made, high-specification FKM-silicone O-rings. These O-rings are installed in precision-machined grooves for a secure fit. This approach offers a significantly better seal compared to other competitors´ methods, which often rely on less reliable sealing agents.

Included Plugs and Caps for Manifold Customization
Should you wish to seal off the crankcase vacuum connection on the manifold outlet tank, a plug is included specifically for this purpose. Additionally, a cap is provided to close off the fuel tank breather line connection on the manifold inlet tank. These ports are commonly blocked for higher outputs, so we include these.

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Product Details:

• Utilizes a high performance, motorsport grade, Bar&Plate, air-to-water intercooler core from Garrett, 102 mm (4”) thick. 11 water cooling rows, OE 6 rows.
• Lower inlet air temperature under identical conditions: 23°C compared to OEM 41°C. Exact figures to be found in the diagrams under the product pictures.
• More air to your engine, less backpressure, and better airflow! Airflow at 0,1 bar / 1,45 psi pressure drop: 874 CFM (595 CFM), 47% higher! See the diagram under the product pictures.
• Peak power gain of 5 hp! Measured on car with bootmod3 Stage 2+ (BMW 340i 2017).
• Highest midrange powergain of 18 hp!
• Highest torque gain of 28 Nm!
• Designed in SolidWorks using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).
• Easy access to the spin-off oil filter for quick oil changes – no need to remove the manifold every oil change.
• Integrated sensor pad with three 1/8″ NPT ports to measure additional parameters (sealing plugs are included).
• Included fuel rail (included in the MERA version) for auxiliary top feed port injection.
• Injection plugs for each cylinder runner is included.
• Individual 1/8″ NPT ports on the top of each cylinder runner for nitrous or meth injection (sealing plugs are included).
• Individual 1/8″ BSPT breather ports for both inlet/outlet water connections on the back of the manifold for an easy air-bleeding of the system (sealing plugs are included).
• Plug-and-play design, requiring no modifications to install.
• Included are all the essential brackets needed for various components, such as wire harnesses and the engine cover.
• Can be installed with OE or aftermarket engine covers (with OE connections). It even fits with small modifications when running with the auxiliary port injection fuel rail.
• Thermal barrier spacer included, engineered to insulate the aluminum intake manifold from conductive heat transfer from the cylinder head.
• Custom made high spec FKM-silicone O-rings included for both the thermal barrier spacer and intake manifold (12 pcs in total).