Intercooler Piping Suggestions
 

I need to purchase piping for my intercooler. I am looking for some suggestions on what I should do. I am a DIYer, so the cheaper and good looking still, the better. ;)

I would buy it off ebay because for around 70$ you can get some nice bends with a few couplers and maybe a cheap bov if you pick the right one. How were you planning on routing the piping.

I am going to use a HKS ssqv. So that will have an effect on how I do it. I am not sure on how I am going to route, just want the most effective way possible.

There are several piping kits available on ebay from cxracing, under a few seller names. Something like this is what I am looking at. I plan on having the compressor outlet going straight down, so essentially 2 90s on the hot side, and then 3 90s for the cold side (silicone coupler at the TB for one bend, and the rest of the bends will be in the piping, with silicone only used for straights). Probably going with the defacto 12x18x3 cxracing IC as well.

So has anyone on here used these before?

I used the 2.5" ebay pipes to make a setup, although now I use the FM pipes. If I made these after I clocked the turbo, I could have made it a bit shorter.

https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/att...999558-005.jpg

https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/att...999558-003.jpg

https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/att...999558-004.jpg

Vash-

sorry for thread jack...I would stay away from the ebay intercooler piping if you plan on welding...I mean unless you have a lot of pipe and patience. The Chinese use really impure metals you will notice the orange smoke come off of it when you weld...Also to prep the pipe to weld you will have to grind and now you have a fucked chrome pipe. Anyway on the other note, Vash's intercooler piping looks really clean if you plan on using just silicone elbows and couplers go for it.

Anyway what headlights are those Joe ?

Just make sure whatever you buy from ebay include t-bolt clamps, not worm clamps.

I got a set of aluminum piping from CXRacing with a 1.2mm wall thickness and had no issues welding it what so ever.

Tougelabs, were you welding chromed piping? You've introduced at least 2-3 other alloys into your weld if that is the case and that would most likely cause the weird smoke/discoloration. I had no weird smoke from welding the aluminum pipe set I got.

Mine wasn't the best or cheapest way to go about it, but I bought a bunch of bends, couplers, clamps, reducers, etc. from ATP, and then a metal blade for the mitre saw and went to town.

Ebay kit is probably best, and less trouble. I went a different route, I had $100 in store credit at Ray-sir-six's place of work. So I got plugs, synthetic gear oil, and a butt load of silicone connectors. Then I went to ebay and bought a 2" mandrenal bend exhaust system kit. I had sveral 90's, 45's, 180's to work with. Then I cut the pipes to what I needed, had one welded special at the muffler shop, and used my connectors to piece it together.

If I hadn't already had some fm pieces for the intake and turbo. I would of completely went ebay kit. It would definately be cheaper, and better clamps.

I did that with Ebay stuff...def need to clock the greddy turbo down and get rid of a few feet of piping. :)

I have some many points this thing could blow apart, its scary. lol

I bought some a builders kit in 2.5" mild steel mandrel bends from RacingSolutions.com. Like 65 bucks for 2 45's, 90's, and 180's. Should be plenty to fab up the charge pipes. I bought steel because I can weld it at home with my cheap welder with minimum welding skillzzz. And bought some silicone to connect the pipes. But there will only be 4 silicone pieces.