Thread: Intercooler piping ideas

heres mine...p10

(Use the bluebird turbo outlet pipe to make that hot side a lot cleaner than I have.)

I would suggest going here http://www.sr20-forum.com/turbo/32464-turbo-set-ups-post-pics.html and taking a browse. Piping really is not the hardest thing in the world. It comes to measure twice, cut once. The hardest part could be finding a aluminum welder to getting your pressure relief valve mount to your intercooler piping in the right spot, or just buy one.

In the beginning I was all flustered with questions about piping as well, especially with my NX2K (#1 Space #2 DEAR GOD NOT MY FOG LIGHTS!). However, over time I learned it comes to just busting out the best you can do for custom fab, sawzall, holesaw etc. Make it work first, then bling it out. There is no such thing as a hard project just one that takes longer. Whatever gets the job done. Personally, I'm not about shine, I'm about simplicity and functionality. Get a simple ebay kit as mentioned above, mock it up and measure twice, looking at the link above would certainly help for ideas (dont get lost in the BLING BLING SHINY SHINY, chrome dont get you home)

As for the Air conditioning....I ditched that anchor a looooooooong time ago. I admit I have the luxury of T tops, but it drains power and ads weight and clutter just more junk to maintain and get in your way.

I would be more focused on tapping the block and getting that squared unless you have a JDM DET.

Definitely measure twice cut once, I'm building my piping now and yesterday I measured multiple times, finally cut it, when I started tightening the t-bolt clamps noticed that I cut it a little short . Oh well that's part of the learning experience. Make sure you use T-Bolt clamps, not worm clamps! If you get an eBay piping kit they usually will throw in a bunch of cheap once that will last a few removals. Heck I'm still using my 2.5" clamps from my first turbo build from over 4 years ago, they have been on and off a few times already .

For the BOV SiliconIntakes.com sells nice little prewelded T's that you can use, I've been running my greddy bolt patter one (along with a silicon intakes greddy knock off BOV) for 4 years now too, working well still. BOV

When doing your piping one of the harder tasks will be to get the IACV, VC Breather, and BOV recirc welded. I'm actually experimenting with JB Weld, I did two bungs the other day, they are actually strong, but it hasn't seen the engine heat yet .


As much as I hate bling and chrome, there is actually a good reason to have shiney chrome IC piping, it reflects radiant heat. I wouldn't go out of my way to get chrome piping, but I wouldn't sweat it if your kit came with it by default. I actually bought a black piping kit, but the paint chips overtime.

Vadim, for the bungs, you can drill/tap for some fittings with threads on one side and bungs on the other instead of welding. Much simpler and easier to do! Holds up well too if you use thread sealant.

That is what I have done on my turbo intake pipe for BOV recirculation, vacuum port and VC breather.

You can use one of these below to see what I mean (AN - barbed fitting is the example piece. But you get the idea)

That's true, but two problems with this: 1. if you use cheap ebay Aluminum that is fairly think and weak, I can see it stripping off the threads. 2. Major flow restriction...

Solution: Don't use cheap shit

Also, if you have the correct thread/Barbed fitting, I personally do not see a flow restriction??

I see your point about stripping threads however.

Would you two gents be willing to submit photos of your solutions to compare and contrast?

I had a problem with the IACV... i only have silicone after the MAF, so i needed to TAP silicone(damn)... since i live in a shitty country a DIY´ed it...

Just took a simple bolt, drilled the biggest hole i could before it´s week, chaved a few mills of it´s hexagon head, for not to protrude too much and hurt the flow, 2 big washers on either side of the silicone, and a bit of black RTV silicone for extra security and that´s it... i did it because it´s a low boost sr20de, i wouldn´t trust that for high boost, and it´s experimental, let´s see how it holds...

How i did it:



Were i got the ideia:




That´s a really cheap solution for the 16mm IACV hose...

Great example! I think that would be great, any others?