Doing the wise way... asking before buying!

[guillermoe]

Greetings!

My slow KA-T project continues now that I was able to save some money to buy more stuff haha.

Well, a friend gave me a nice intercooler but lacks the piping as he is going to use it in his next build.

I have been looking in the CXRacing site and it seems their intercooler pipes kits are good but now I am facing a hard choice: Want to place my BOV after the intercooler and recirculate it so, which would be the best option... one universal pipe kit or a pipe kit for SR20 (yes, I am going bottom mount)?

Also, my intercooler has 2.5" input and output and will be connected to a gt2871r... I will need a special couple for this right?

Thanks for the help!

[480sx]

It really depends on your skill set, and what your comfortable with doing, along with the tools you have available. Personally, i would stay away from the IC kits for the SR or whatever and go with a generic kit that you can cut up and coupler together. The IC kits will very rarely work for your specific setup, so your going to pay a lot of money for something that you will have to cut and coupler together anyway. If you shop around on ebay, you can find a high quality kit for under or around 100 bucks with every bend and coupler/clamp you need to do the job.

Im pretty sure that turbo needs the SR type adapters so you can use it, i might be wrong though. You will need the reducer couplers, you can pick those up in various places for between 20-30 bucks for the 3 or 4 ply ones.

GL with your build and keep us updated!

[sunnys14]

GT2871R has a 2" outlet so it pretty much depends on what size hotpipe you are using. Most SR / bottom mount KA-T's (like me) run a 2.25" hotpipe. So you would need a 2" - 2.25" silicone 90 degree transition elbow. I got mine for 30 bucks from http://www.atpturbo.com

[krazydriver]

CXracing makes some of the better IC piping kits. But their prices on ebay are cheaper then on their site One of the ebay names they use is Just-Intercoolers.Also if you buy from their ebay site, they'll add extra couplers/reducers whatever for $4 each!!!

But it's probably better to build your own setup then to try to use an sr20 prebuilt. The only thing to worry about then is any flanges you might need welded on, in which case i HIGHLY recommend finding a qualified welder who can tig it for you.

[240sxvaj]

on my 91 s13 t25 i'm using sr HKS ssqv/hotpipe combo with sr Greddy type-M FMIC and everything works fine, didnt have to weld anything to make it work. the only thing i had to do was gett a slightly longer coupler were the intake mani connects to the cold pipe. other than that i never had any problem. But if you can weld and have time to kill then go for the cheap stuff. they all work the same. the only reason why it wouldnt work is if the turbo mani is wayy off. which most of the bottom mount are almost all the same location, made to work with sr elbow and dp.

[jbenz]

But it's probably better to build your own setup then to try to use an sr20 prebuilt. The only thing to worry about then is any flanges you might need welded on, in which case i HIGHLY recommend finding a qualified welder who can tig it for you.

+1, just be careful where you go, last time i had ic piping custom fabbed for me it took over two months, such a waste.

[krazydriver]

lol, i fabbed/welded the stuff myself. Which is why i'm recommending taking the welding part to someone who knows what their doing.

First time MIG welding aluminum = not very nice welds.

[guillermoe]

Thanks guys!

I am just a lil bit confused now... from many posts read here in Nico (yes, I am a searcher) I thought that KA-Ts with bottom mount setups using exhaust manis designed to use SR downpipe (such as Megan's one) were able to use SR hot pipes with minimum tweaking work.

Is this wrong then?

[240sxvaj]

Thanks guys!

I am just a lil bit confused now... from many posts read here in Nico (yes, I am a searcher) I thought that KA-Ts with bottom mount setups using exhaust manis designed to use SR downpipe (such as Megan's one) were able to use SR hot pipes with minimum tweaking work.

Is this wrong then?

Sr hotpipes do work. if you read what i posted my whole set-up are mainly sr parts. they all work fine. the only complication i went through was making a test-pipe since there was a gap between my cat and my downpipe. so i bought two of the 3" 2bolt flange from frsport and 3" metal pipe about 3"longer than stock cat. Then got muffler shop to weld it(total cost to make test pipe $50).

As long as the turbo manifold is made to work with(turbo size t25, t28, and t30 w/t2 flange) sr elbow and sr downpipe. you can use SR Hotpipe, FMIC kit, etc...

[480sx]

If you use primarily hump hoses/couplers your going to make your a life a lot easier.

[guillermoe]

What do you think about this kit? (ignore the intercooler) http://www.cxracing.com/mm5/me...=INCK

It seems this 4 parts is kinda easy to handle as it includes couplers. Once everything is correctly placed I can take the pipes to weld.

I will need the T28 compressor outlet pipe from FRSport to connect the hot pipe but, will I need to get the compressor inlet one too? ( http://www.frsport.com/Genuine....html) It seems both MAF and filter will get on the way of the hotpipe if using it. Should I get just a striaght pipe with flange?

[480sx]

Your gona pay out the nose for a kit like that. If your going to get it welded anyway, just buy a DIY kit and use a hack saw to do what you need to do. Then tape the pieces together the way they need to be welded, as well as mark them with a sharpey or something.

You can get all the piping you need for your IC system for less than 100 bucks. Welding would probably run you at least 50 for someone with a tig machine and experience. Still cheaper than one of those kits, and guaranteed to work, AND look beter, as long as you do your end right.

[guillermoe]

CXRacing guys are very nice and are offerig me that kit (without intercooler) as $140 shipped.

Just so you could understand my situation better... I am afraid of doing a complete DIY job for these two reasons: 1) I SUCK at mechanical craft... I am an automation and software engineer who loves computers lol This far I have been able to get into my car, tweak it and learn many things from that... but I dont feel ready for complete DIY design/cut/weld stuff yet. 2) At the place where I live (Mexico) we dont have welding shops with the quality I would require from them. People over here like heavy duty trucks more than cars so nearly all shops just fulfill the needs for such vehicles. I could get my car to the States (2.5 driving hours lol) but it would get everything more expensive and cumbersome.

I dont mean to ignore your kind suggestions 480sx but, knowing the facts, do you still think a DIY kit would be good for me?

[480sx]

I see what ya mean man, no problems. I would have let it go, but you said something about wanting to get them welded together anyway so, just figured id keep prodding ya to go DIY heh.

140 for that kit isnt bad at all, prly would be a good rout for you. Again, if you go with a few hump house couplers from ebay or whatever it will make your life a lot easier. I like using them for the couplers on the intercooler, it allows for an inch or so worth of play in the system. Really handy if everything doesnt line up perfectly.

[guillermoe]

And they seemed nice and helpful guys... just check out the last email I received from CXRacing:

Guillermo to Kevin Hello Kevin, how are you? I am about to buy the SR piping kit you offered me but will need someextra info to check what else will I need to buy. Can you give me the diameter specs for both hot and cold pipes fromthis kit, please?

Kevin Xie to me 2.75 on cold side and 2.5" on hot side then reduce to 2" to the turbo.I really don't have time to answer your questions. If you like it, buy it,if not, please don't buy.

I was really interested in buying lots of things from them... but not anymore.

[240sxvaj]

Man, bad customer service. hate people like that. I hope they go out of business!! i had a guy from phase2 gave me bad customer service, right when i walked in, no greet, nothing. looked at me and my buddy like "what the fuuck you guys want". still i had no choice but to buy my cams and studs.

[guillermoe]

Right, nowdays people think we are forced to buy from them and situations like this one just increases my love to places with good customer service, even if they are not as cheap.

Anyways, can somebody suggest me any other place where to find good FMIC piping kits?