Switching to hard i/c pipes?

[BestBuy297]

Ok, would it do any good to buy this?
http://www.hopupracing.com/grmiecalpiki.html
As much as I would like to get a bigger turbo, and huge front mount, realistically, I just don't see myself being able to do it, anytime soon.
So.........would switching out the rubber and plastic piping for the hard pipes give me any extra power? I already have on order the K&N FIPK and the Apex'i N1 catback, if that info helps with telling me how much extra neck jerking i'll get.
Thanks.

 

[nightspeed87]

you wont get any extra neck jerking, just a louder sounding turbo and your power band may be a little smoother due to less flex and pressure drop in the rubber hoses. Id say save your money and wait till you get a front mount unless you can get some custom sidemount intercooler pipeing done for cheap.

 

[OSXer]

Adding hard pipes won't necessarily give you more power, but it will give you power sooner in the form of better throttle response. The rubber piping swells under boost, while hard pipes don't.

FWIW, it'll also make your turbo's spool a bit louder, as well as the BOV.

 

[VanIsleDSM]

I just switched to hard pipes, don't bother... get a bov though.. the stock one sucks.. my boost went up 3 psi from changing my bov cause the stock one leaked so bad.

 

[FORMONTOYA]

I just switched to hard pipes, don't bother... get a bov though.. the stock one sucks.. my boost went up 3 psi from changing my bov cause the stock one leaked so bad.

I'm curious as to what kind of "hack job" is required to put an aftermarket BOV on the OEM 2G upper "pipe"?

While the hard pipes will NOT give you anymore power, as stated, it will improve the throttle response. Also the added benefit of hard pipes is that you can then upgrade the BOV (which as stated is a POS). Plus you'll have one more thing on the list of upgrades completed.

Also, whatever you do, DO NOT VENT THE BOV (unless you have the MAF-T setup).

 

[DSMunknown]

Also, whatever you do, DO NOT VENT THE BOV (unless you have the MAF-T setup).

Even if he had the MAF-T, he should recirculate the BOV.

 

[sureshot971]

you guys say recirculate but i have the apexi twin chamber bov and i dont think you even can recirculate it so is it just made diffrent or is it a bad bov to have?

 

[VanIsleDSM]

No hack required. Many companies sell kits with bov flanges that can fit into the stock location.

 

[gvillegsx]

I have that kit on my car, did't make it noticeably faster. It does sound louder and you can hear the air wirling through the pipes as well as the turbo spool. I have the hardpipe kit in combo with the k & n kit and the sound from turbo is nice. Looks a lot nicer too as well.

 

[Zmann42087]

you guys say recirculate but i have the apexi twin chamber bov and i dont think you even can recirculate it so is it just made diffrent or is it a bad bov to have?

If you are unable to recirculate your BOV because it doesn't have the proper fittings, then yes, it is a "bad" BOV to have if you are a DSM owner (w/o GM MAF-T).

That said, you should find out if the make a recirculation fitting/adaptor for your Apexi BOV. I know they do for say, the HKS SS. Just a thought...

 

[Hideki]

The stock 2G upper intercooler pipe is a piece of junk (that flat spot behind the airbox is a major restriction) and needless to say the stock plastic blow off valve sucks. Just imagine the turbulence inside your upper intercooler pipe. Before thinking about getting a front mount get a hard upper intercooler pipe and decent BOV that'll recirculate back into your intake. It's cheap, easy to install with hand tools, and you'll appreciate it when you start to turn up the boost

 

[cburke23]

I have seen Dyno sheets where there was a gain in HP with adding hard pipes. Somewhere in the 5-10 rang.
I am making my own, it's a lot cheeper then buying them. I am useing Flux weld to do it but it should work just fine. I am just getting started, I can grind all that away to make it look better, but then again I am painting them black so who cares.

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[FORMONTOYA]

I imagine the only reason you MIGHT see a power increase is due to the fact the OEM pipes are basically are a POS............more prone to leaks and such, but definitely worth the upgrade.

 

[gvillegsx]

If I were you I would just try to pick up the kit from someone who is upgrading. I remember I paid something like 230 for the kit and will be getting rid of it soon when i upgrade to a front mount. You should be able to save some cash getting it used.

 

[Zmann42087]

If I were you I would just try to pick up the kit from someone who is upgrading. I remember I paid something like 230 for the kit and will be getting rid of it soon when i upgrade to a front mount. You should be able to save some cash getting it used.

Yeah, that is exactly what I did. I got my (hard/aluminum) GReddy intercooler pipes along with a GReddy Type-S BOV used on ebay for about $150 shipped.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

you wont get any extra neck jerking, just a louder sounding turbo and your power band may be a little smoother due to less flex and pressure drop in the rubber hoses. Id say save your money and wait till you get a front mount unless you can get some custom sidemount intercooler pipeing done for cheap.

I 100% agree. For a stock car upgrading to hardpipes is a terrible mod.
This was one of my first major mods because I was under the false impression (2 years ago hard ic pipes were all the rage on this forum it seemed) that the "oh so restrictive stock piping was killing flow and thus, power".
Save your money to buy other things like suspension, exhaust, fmic or a turbo even. You'll most likely have to ditch those pipes if you ever get a fmic anyways, unless long route is your bag.

EDIT: They sell adapters of all kinds for all kinds of bov that will fit the stock uicp.

 

[burnt_toast96]

In the first issue of "Project Car" a new mag, hard pipes added something like 10hp ontop of some other mods on the dyno on a 1g.

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

I have seen Dyno sheets where there was a gain in HP with adding hard pipes. Somewhere in the 5-10 rang.
I am making my own, it's a lot cheeper then buying them. I am useing Flux weld to do it but it should work just fine. I am just getting started, I can grind all that away to make it look better, but then again I am painting them black so who cares.

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Holy bubblegum Batman! Lots more heat and little more wirespeed. Unless that is stick...which more amperage is vmuch needed.

 

[VanIsleDSM]

yep.. much hotter.. it's all undercut except a few spots on your flange weld, which I imagine you turned up the heat for.. still needs some more but you def got the right idea.

 

[Eagle18g]

To answer BestBuy297's question i would say save you money! Unless you are loaded i wouldn't Buy Greddy anything. There are about a million things that you can better spend your money on. Plus if you want to upgrade to a Front Mount later you just threw away all that money. Make sure you get New BOV too. My car has a 1g blow off and i just put on a K&N filter changer kit and my blow off is quite loud. Other things you could blow almost 250$ on i would go for a down pipe if you already have the N1 cat back get the N1 down pipe and it will be domination

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

Plus for 50 more than the Greddy pipes you can get a whole FMIC kit.

 

[spyderturbo007]

I picked up 1.76lbs/min running 17psi on a EVO III 16g just by adding a UICP.

 

[cburke23]

I know I needed more heat, I'm still new to this. But to show you this was about $50.00 total to build your own. I finished up yesterday and I gained 3 more PSI and I can feel more responce. I also turned up the heat.

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[paul s]

I have switched to Greddy hard pipes(lower/upper) and BOV valve, along with intake and P/S, alt pullies. The car is all stock(2g) other then above mods. I have noticed quicker spool up( 15psi 2300rpm) and better throttle response. Also with just the above mods plus boost at 16-17 psi and a lot of porting the car went 14.0/98mph.

 

[VanIsleDSM]

looks better cburke, more penetration.. takes a bit to control the higher heat.. get a gas shield addon to your mig if you can.. makes for nicer welding than flux-core.

About the pipes, I didn't say they wouldn't help at all.. the stocker is obviously restrictive.. just that the bov will make a much bigger difference.. and as mentioned earlier.. you can almost buy a front mount for what a set of ic pipes cost...