How much power will ebay aluminum intercooler piping hold?

[Funfettie]

Hi there
So im completing my 600whp engine build, and I have pretty much everything else supported, but Im questioning my intercooling. Its an ebay kit (CXracing) I got several years ago, but it 2.5" aluminum mendral bent, with a large 22x11x3 core. Im wondering how much pressure the piping will hold? I have ran this piping at 32psi on a 68hta and it held fine. I plan to run 25-30 psi on the new setup (PTE5857). Will it hold?? or should I start looking for stainless? heres a like to the auction!
Eclipse Talon 4G63 2G Intercooler Piping Kit +BOV 95-99 | eBay
Thanks
Bob

 

[Archer Fabrications]

um, for that price, it looks like ## getting a whole intercooler. you can go to ETS (extreme turbo systems) and they ahve good stainless piping that will hold, do you plan on running meth injection? i have a VR-speed factory FMIC that i am going to be throwing on with my PTE 6152, and the piping looks the same, aluminium and what feels like pop can light. i have questioned it also, but i think as long as you have good couplers you should be fine. but hey, there is only one way to find out. run your current setup, if you notice leaks get new piping!

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

Im wondering how much pressure the piping will hold? I have ran this piping at 32psi on a 68hta and it held fine. I plan to run 25-30 psi on the new setup (PTE5857). Will it hold??

What makes you think it won't hold now on 25-30psi after you said it held fine at 32psi. Pressure is pressure and your running less now than you were before... It should be just fine.

 

[agentorange313]

Hi there
So im completing my 600whp engine build, and I have pretty much everything else supported, but Im questioning my intercooling. Its an ebay kit (CXracing) I got several years ago, but it 2.5" aluminum mendral bent, with a large 22x11x3 core. Im wondering how much pressure the piping will hold? I have ran this piping at 32psi on a 68hta and it held fine. I plan to run 25-30 psi on the new setup (PTE5857). Will it hold?? or should I start looking for stainless? heres a like to the auction!
Eclipse Talon 4G63 2G Intercooler Piping Kit +BOV 95-99 | eBay
Thanks
Bob

Gravediggers right

I really wouldn't be concerned at this point of about how much pressure these intercooler can hold but rather the cooling efficiency of the cores. Increase pressure means increase friction and compressing air heats it. Can this intercooler cool the charged air enough? Thats my concern.

Personally I hate aluminum piping, I know its light, but I cant stand that they are so weak and get crushed ever time i go to tighten my t bolt clamps. I prefer steel piping, but its does weigh considerably more.

 

[Funfettie]

makes scene.. haha the whole air flow/pressure confuses me. bigger turbo=more flow, but little turbo can make same boost pressures.. soooo confusing.. anyone have an article on this for dummies?

 

[Archer Fabrications]

Gravediggers right

I really wouldn't be concerned at this point of about how much pressure these intercooler can hold but rather the cooling efficiency of the cores. Increase pressure means increase friction and compressing air heats it. Can this intercooler cool the charged air enough? Thats my concern.

Personally I hate aluminum piping, I know its light, but I cant stand that they are so weak and get crushed ever time i go to tighten my t bolt clamps. I prefer steel piping, but its does weigh considerably more.

i didnt even think about crushing the piping when you tighten the T bolts...WTF now im second guessing my piping also

 

[Funfettie]

Gravediggers right

I really wouldn't be concerned at this point of about how much pressure these intercooler can hold but rather the cooling efficiency of the cores. Increase pressure means increase friction and compressing air heats it. Can this intercooler cool the charged air enough? Thats my concern.

I have heard that ebay intercoolers are actually very efficient for what you get. Any brands of coolers that you could recommend? I heard from a company that pressure tests that Mishimoto is junk.

 

[Archer Fabrications]

makes scene.. haha the whole air flow/pressure confuses me. bigger turbo=more flow, but little turbo can make same boost pressures.. soooo confusing.. anyone have an article on this for dummies?

30 psi is 30 psi, but with a small turbo its working harder and producing less CFM (flow) at say 30 psi then a huge turbo would push running 30 PSI, pressures still the same, the bigger turbo is just moving more air, in essence, you could get say the same amount of flow at 30 psi on a 16g as you would say 20 psi on a gt35R (hypothetical) to give you an idea, bigger turbos are more efficient because they dont have to work as hard to produce the flow desired.

 

[Funfettie]

Oh, this makes scene now! cool, thanks! So does intercooler piping SIZE have an effect too? Will 3" piping be needed for my power goals?

EDIT: well, obviously it has an affect, will it make a large difference?

 

[knewblewkorvett]

What makes you think it won't hold now on 25-30psi after you said it held fine at 32psi. Pressure is pressure and your running less now than you were before... It should be just fine.

I agree

 

[Archer Fabrications]

Oh, this makes scene now! cool, thanks! So does intercooler piping SIZE have an effect too? Will 3" piping be needed for my power goals?

EDIT: well, obviously it has an affect, will it make a large difference?

im not to familier with the turbo you are running, but you have this to consider. the bigger piping and core, the bigger the space needed for the turbo to pressureize, you could get really bad pressure drops by the time the air finally reaches the intake, if you were to say stay with 2.5 piping. most people run 2.5 anyway.

think of it this way. is it easier to blow air into a straw, or a 6 inch Inner diameter PVC pipe?

if your boosting 30 PSI and you have really bad pressure drop you could only be getting 25-27 by the time it reaches the engine.

 

[silicosys4]

I agree with worrying about the core efficiency more than the pipes holding. I have a 1g kit by the same manufacturer, I'm pretty sure the piping is the same...to make a long story short...a .22 rifle only went through the first j-pipe I bought 1 time out of 5 shots, when I saw that I stopped worrying about the pipes holding pressure...the couplings and clamps are the weaker links imo

 

[agentorange313]

Oh, this makes scene now! cool, thanks! So does intercooler piping SIZE have an effect too? Will 3" piping be needed for my power goals?

EDIT: well, obviously it has an affect, will it make a large difference?

Unlike fluids, air compresses. If air compresses then it will take time to become dense and "move along" the intercooler piping. Larger intercooler piping can result in some lag and is normally used with a turbo that can compensate with a large charge air output.

Stick with 2.5 piping. It will meet your goals and most of the goals int he community. If anything I would just make the coldside, after the intercooler 3 inch piping.

 

[Jon91TSi]

30 psi is 30 psi, but with a small turbo its working harder and producing less CFM (flow) at say 30 psi then a huge turbo would push running 30 PSI, pressures still the same, the bigger turbo is just moving more air, in essence, you could get say the same amount of flow at 30 psi on a 16g as you would say 20 psi on a gt35R (hypothetical) to give you an idea, bigger turbos are more efficient because they dont have to work as hard to produce the flow desired.

Incorrect. A turbo's efficiceny isn't relative to it's size. It's reliative to compressor design, A/R, turbine design, etc. Also, a smaller turbo may work harder to produce a higher psi because it isn't intended to operate at that intended pressure, hence compressor maps. Please make sure your information is correct before you post.

 

[agentorange313]

think of it this way. is it easier to blow air into a straw, or a 6 inch Inner diameter PVC pipe?

if your boosting 30 PSI and you have really bad pressure drop you could only be getting 25-27 by the time it reaches the engine.

The problem with that theory is that when the air is cooled it will condense, then allowing for more air to enter the engine. If you have large piping after the intercooler, the air has time to expand and become less dense. The less space the charged air is allows the less it will expand. Smaller piping also allows for decrease in lag.

 

[Archer Fabrications]

Incorrect. A turbo's efficiceny isn't relative to it's size. It's reliative to compressor design, A/R, turbine design, etc. Also, a smaller turbo may work harder to produce a higher psi because it isn't intended to operate at that intended pressure, hence compressor maps. Please make sure your information is correct before you post.

i said it was a hypothetical situation... kind of like an analogy... dude, of course it has to do with compressor design. but i am correct that a 16g will not flow anywhere near as much as a GT35R...... the 35r will work less hard to produce as much CFM as a smaller turbo would... im making a very general statement about that..

The problem with that theory is that when the air is cooled it will condense, then allowing for more air to enter the engine. If you have large piping after the intercooler, the air has time to expand and become less dense. The less space the charged air is allows the less it will expand. Smaller piping also allows for decrease in lag.

you wouldent wnat the air to expand though... because you dont want high pressure drops correct? what i was getting at is 2.5 is better then 3 in most cases... was taking it one extreme to the other. unless of course your running like a 42r or something.

 

[Jon91TSi]

i said it was a hypothetical situation... kind of like an analogy... dude, of course it has to do with compressor design. but i am correct that a 16g will not flow anywhere near as much as a GT35R...... the 35r will work less hard to produce as much CFM as a smaller turbo would...

Obviously.. You're comparing apples to oranges though..

 

[Archer Fabrications]

Obviously.. You're comparing apples to oranges though..

a 68HTA vs a 58 trim are apples vs oranges

 

[snowborder714]

I know there's a post on this site that quotes a section from the book Maximum Boost on what piping size supports what airflow. Hopefully someone else knows what thread it's in since I've been searching for a while and can't find it.

 

[Archer Fabrications]

its on a honda website, but probably similar to what you were looking for

Airflow velocity for different intercooler piping diameters (2.0 2.25 2.5 2.75 3.0 inches) - Honda-Tech

 

[Jon91TSi]

a 68HTA vs a 58 trim are apples vs oranges

You were comparing a 16g to a 35r, they are in completely different leagues.

 

[snowborder714]

Found it - http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/tur...-different-sized-intercooler-piping-flow.html
Look at post #8.

Edit: Looks like urbansmoker beat me to it with the same info in another location.

 

[agentorange313]

you wouldent wnat the air to expand though... because you dont want high pressure drops correct? what i was getting at is 2.5 is better then 3 in most cases... was taking it one extreme to the other. unless of course your running like a 42r or something.

I dont want to argue, just clear things up. It was a misleading statement.

6 inches will more more air than a 2.5 inch piping. Is it more efficient no, not with this volume of air. There are many factors that need to be considered. Why do you think ducting became so much smaller in building now, people used to craw through it, now a child can barely fit though, but heating ad cooling is more efficient now.

 

[BigBeans]

Hi there
So im completing my 600whp engine build

I hope you don't think that setup is going to make 600whp.

 

[1983gsp]

If you are worried about holding pressure, boost leak test 10 psi more than you intend to run. So, blt to 40 psi to make sure everything will hold. Clean all sealing surfaces with denatured alcohol or a good solvent and use hairspray on the piping to make sure hoses don't blow off. Using hairspray as a sealant on the couplers acts as a "glue" and keeps everything together. Good quality t-bolt clamps spread out the clamping force equally around the pipe preventing the pipe from crushing. I've personally never seen an aluminum ic pipe split or crack. Not to say it can't happen, but, I think aluminum piping is fine.

On ic piping size, the smaller the pipe, the less lag and higher velocity you get. The bigger the pipe, the more volume and and lag you have. Its all about give and take and finding a happpy medium.