I have had interest for some time now to measure and monitor charge air temperatures and intercooler efficiency. Finally got to it, here's some info about the setup and the results.

First I ordered a couple of good quality Auber temperature monitors/controllers:


The main idea is to be able to monitor temperatures before, and after intercooler.

I ordered another center vent panel to modify for the meters:



Then I took a couple of meters of standard shielded K-type thermocouple wire. By welding or just tying together the exposed leads results in extremely good, small and fast acting sensor for air temp measurements:


First sensor went in right after turbo. I was a bit worried if the sensor lead might cause any boost leak but it was completely air tight, no worries here:


And the other sensor went in after the cooler right to the silicone coupler:






So, here's a small video clip of how the temperatures behave during acceleration. Left display shows temperature in Cº right after turbo, right display shows temperature after intercooler right before throttle body.

In the clip ambient temperature is +15Cº, IAT is +16Cº, and I have driven a while slowly to let temps settle.

The number on the left display really is the temp after turbo, not the speed! Nice to have an intercooler in a turbocharged car, right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k563jmL2dsg

 

OMG! I can't believe you can't use the cup holder any more
I have a PSI3 unit which can give me the intake air temp (at the MAF) and a sensor in the intercooler/throttle body joiner. So I have before turbo and after intercooler temp comparison.

JohnD

 

It's a LHD car, the cup holder is on the right side of the center vents and works normally.

Yeah I have a ScanGauge2 also to monitor IAT at the MAF sensor. It's just that I wanted to see the intercooler efficiency so I needed the sensor also before the cooler.

 

You'll get the turbo outlet temp quite a bit hotter on a high gear blast!
Looks like you've still got some heatsoak to remove with the high IC outlet over ambient difference.

Nice install and decent locations for the K probes. the controllers look like they have a quick sample rate - shame there isn't a slimline dual input unit with T1-T2 difference display.

 

Seems so. I have already done some insulation between turbo and ic, and the cooler tilt mod. Temps do go down a bit tough when driving faster on a highway etc.

Yep, sampling 4 times a sec. The difference display would have been excellent, but this'll do for now.