
Choosing the wrong end tank is not the end of it all, however it’s still important to find out which of the four types suits your needs best.
The decision has been made and options have been weighed. It’s time to shoot the arrow and pick the right end tank for your intercooler of choice.
End tanks are an extremely important piece of the puzzle as they are very common points of failure. The size and materials play a major role, meaning that the wrong end tank can completely nerf an otherwise great intercooler. In this article we will examine four types of end tank designs which will help you choose the right one for your build.
- Plastic
We live in a plastic world so it’s no surprise that such a critical component can be made of it. In many cases plastic is great. It’s cheap, tough and easily molded, however, its best application is on stock vehicles with limited boost.
Apart from plastic’s inability to handle pressure, the material is prone to physical damage from road debris. Even if you can avoid it, the constant heat cycles will eventually wear out the material causing it to bend or crack. This is a major failure point on many modern BMWs with plastic end tanks and even cylinder heads.
There are also often leaks from the rubber seal between the plastic part and the aluminium exchanger. They are often difficult to spot and can cause increased wear on the engine and turbocharger. Regular inspection of the system is a must.
Our advice is to avoid plastic ends tanks, especially in aftermarket builds. The headache you will experience in the long term is not worth the lower cost compared to the alternatives.
- Stamped
This design was the popular choice for low cost mass production before plastic took over. It’s a fairly durable design which can handle a lot more boost and doesn’t suffer from leaks as the tank itself is welded to the core.
These days however, stamped solutions are becoming a rarity both in the OEM and aftermarket world. They are simply not good enough for powerful builds, but at the same time are not as cheap for the OEM market.
- Cut-and-Weld Aluminium
This is where things start to get serious, provided you have a flawless welder. This design corrects the weaknesses of the plastic and stamped designs. These end tanks handle a lot of boost and their look can be highly customised in the hands of a creative welder.
The only downside is that due to the many welded parts, the possible weak points as a result of a poorly done job are many. When considering such a design always buy from a reputable source known for rigorous quality testing and precision welding techniques. If all that is done well, no amount of boost can harm this design.
- Cast-Aluminium
This design is the best of the best. It’s basically a single piece of aluminium with no discernible connection points of weak edges. As well as being virtually impossible to rupture with boost, the air flow through the end tank can be perfectly optimized during the initial design process.
The clean and tidy look is also preferable for more special builds. This of course is the most costly solution, but in the long run it might also be the most economically viable as a mechanical failure is extremely unlikely, even with ungodly loads.
If you can afford this type of end tank, it is the one to go for without hesitation.