Topic: EBAY Intercoolers (Read 2328 times)

Photofixer · « **on:** January 18, 2009, 07:38:45 PM »

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Car-Truck-Parts-Accessories__02-06-04-05-SUBARU-WRX-STI-TOP-MOUNT-INTERCOOLER-Y-PIPE_W0QQitemZ110338280412QQadiZ2865QQadnZCarQ20Q26Q20TruckQ20PartsQ20Q26Q20AccessoriesQQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item110338280412&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A1|39%3A1|240%3A1318

Thinking about doing it.. Anyone ever try it?

idipskoalmint · « **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2009, 09:17:30 PM »

There are threads on Nasioc saying OEM STi > eBay > OEM WRX in terms of performance

phong · « **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2009, 09:53:11 PM »

Another possibility would be to watch Nabisco for a used TXS TMIC to come up for sale. I picked mine up for something like $250, people just don't understand the value of these things.

9925leggy · « **Reply #3 on:** January 18, 2009, 10:00:37 PM »

^^^
glad to see you got that bad boy on. notice a difference?

phong · « **Reply #4 on:** January 18, 2009, 10:09:02 PM »

Nothing noticeable on the butt-dyno but I have broken into the high 2.7's g/s load range when doing some logging (which is pretty damn good for a TD04 running 19 psi).

jays05 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 19, 2009, 08:56:18 AM »

Garrett > Spearco > China(ebay)

That's how it goes as far as intercooler core manufacturers go - I don't think there are any others besides Garrett, Spearco, and the various chinese manufacturers.

stylesrex · « **Reply #6 on:** January 19, 2009, 08:58:28 AM »

stay away from ebay tmic they're garbage. its an inefficient hotbox.

BradleyGT · « **Reply #7 on:** January 20, 2009, 12:00:35 PM »

Quote from: stylesrex on January 19, 2009, 08:58:28 AM

stay away from ebay tmic they're garbage. its an inefficient hotbox.

...and they look/fit like garbage as well. I wouldn't recommend them.

dw0095 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 20, 2009, 12:39:25 PM »

There are two different Ebay Intercoolers out there, I owned both of them.
The second revision is slightly smaller and the mounting tabs are correctly positioned on the core.
A bar/plate design is always better than the stock tube fin in my opinion.

Quote from: BradleyGT on January 20, 2009, 12:00:35 PM

...and they look/fit like garbage as well. I wouldn't recommend them.

Here are some pics of the V2 of the Ebay intercooler installed - Looks pretty damn sexy if you ask me.

Here is the V1 installed, passenger side tab is located completely in the wrong place and it just sat on the heatshield bracket. Slight rubbing on the strut bar left side.

Comparison between ver.1 and ver.2

stylesrex · « **Reply #9 on:** January 20, 2009, 01:36:10 PM »

freddy's friend kyle had an ebay tmic. when he asked me to tune his car, i noticed that i had to set wastegate DC pretty high relative to the target boost.

he switched to a STi tmic and overboosted bad. really bad, like 4psi. that was enough proof to me that the ebay tmic has huge pressure losses.

my impression of this tmic is that is just a big box that fills with hot air. and the bigger the tmic the longer it stays heat soaked.

BradleyGT · « **Reply #10 on:** January 20, 2009, 01:49:21 PM »

Quote from: dw0095 on January 20, 2009, 12:39:25 PM

Here are some pics of the V2 of the Ebay intercooler installed - Looks pretty damn sexy if you ask me.

I wish I could see pics at work

dw0095 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 20, 2009, 01:57:12 PM »

Quote from: stylesrex on January 20, 2009, 01:36:10 PM

he switched to a STi tmic and overboosted bad. really bad, like 4psi. that was enough proof to me that THAT ebay tmic has huge pressure losses.

Kyle had the crappy version 1 iirc. Did you actually pressure test the intercooler? Could've been from bad gaskets at the elbows or leaky Y-pipe, punture?

I will say that my personal experience with the intercooler was all positive. Dom didn't have any problems with my WGDC's and it was always cool to the touch. Johnny Giavanos (versacewrx) is the owner of my old intercooler and I have not heard a complaint.

skyphix · « **Reply #12 on:** January 20, 2009, 02:24:41 PM »

Quote from: stylesrex on January 20, 2009, 01:36:10 PM

freddy's friend kyle...

Wait wait wait... you tuned Kyle's car??

Capitalandmotors · « **Reply #13 on:** January 20, 2009, 03:09:52 PM »

the intercooler that was on kyles car was a v1 and the pressure loss i found was from the jerry rigged tubing feeding the intercooler.

stylesrex · « **Reply #14 on:** January 20, 2009, 03:10:31 PM »

Quote from: skyphix on January 20, 2009, 02:24:41 PM

Wait wait wait... you tuned Kyle's car??

not really. he asked me to make it run smoother so he could actually drive it around. I told him i could def do that if he helped me with modding my xbox. When i got to his car and saw that it had parts on it i didn't anticipate, i spent extra time making a handful of tweaks here and there and did some data logging. i made it run much better with the collection of mods he has but didn't fully tune the car. I told him that it needs to be logged and re-tuned for the new tmic but he isn't so inclined.

ARDuell · « **Reply #15 on:** January 20, 2009, 03:18:15 PM »

yeah, i ended up with kyles old intercooler. it fits like crap and i just ended up taking it off and putting the stock wrx one back on. there was a horrible leak in the y pipe like my brother fred said, and i when i went to take the intercooler off, the tubing just came apart.

stylesrex · « **Reply #16 on:** January 20, 2009, 03:23:06 PM »

Quote from: dw0095 on January 20, 2009, 01:57:12 PM

Kyle had the crappy version 1 iirc. Did you actually pressure test the intercooler? Could've been from bad gaskets at the elbows or leaky Y-pipe, punture?

I will say that my personal experience with the intercooler was all positive. Dom didn't have any problems with my WGDC's and it was always cool to the touch. Johnny Giavanos (versacewrx) is the owner of my old intercooler and I have not heard a complaint.

no i didn't pressure test it. at one point a bov mounting bolt was suspect to leak due to an English threaded bolt being used and not properly torqued. from my recollection it was re-tightened and the leak still existed.

Quote from: Capitalandmotors on January 20, 2009, 03:09:52 PM

the intercooler that was on kyles car was a v1 and the pressure loss i found was from the jerry rigged tubing feeding the intercooler.

that would answer the above leak. all of these ebay tmic use jerry-rigged tubing. its the only way to get them to fit. did you tighten the clamps or just install the sti tmic? nvm, saw andy's post.

Photofixer · « **Reply #17 on:** January 20, 2009, 07:46:04 PM »

See If i posted this on Saab92x.com I would of got..

I got this .. I got This.. here's Mine.

I wanted Good Info and this thread delivered.

Although I understand the heat soak, Is it apparent that you could just use Silicon tubing kits? Or make sure the ones used are good.

Seems like the welds are good. The name brand TMIC's what is so different about them? The Intake ?

This is what's Going on over at Saab92x.com for the Saabaru guys..

http://saab92x.com/viewtopic.php?id=24119

stylesrex · « **Reply #18 on:** January 20, 2009, 09:17:24 PM »

Quote from: Photofixer on January 20, 2009, 07:46:04 PM

See If i posted this on Saab92x.com I would of got..

I got this .. I got This.. here's Mine.

I wanted Good Info and this thread delivered.

Although I understand the heat soak, Is it apparent that you could just use Silicon tubing kits? Or make sure the ones used are good.

Seems like the welds are good. The name brand TMIC's what is so different about them? The Intake ?

This is what's Going on over at Saab92x.com for the Saabaru guys..

http://saab92x.com/viewtopic.php?id=24119

you can use a silicon tubing kit but as far as i know there isnt one the correct size to fit the tmic and turbo outlet. this is why many people cut their y-pipe and section it to make it longer. the fitment issue is the tmic is taller than stock. when you try to use a stock length y-pipe, the stem part of the Y is too short to reach the turbo outlet. this is where you cut the 'V' part off of the Y and use a coupler to lengthen the straight section.

some examples of differences can be construction, flow characteristics and research and development.

to really find out answers on these tmic i'd perform some tests. First pressure test. See if it has losses from inlet to outlet. next i would mount a temperature sensor at the turbo outlet and one before the throttle body. both of these tests would yield factual unbiased results. when compared to the stock intercooler the ebay one should produce more g's/rev <-- engine load based on overall volume. how well does that larger volume of air flow vs stock?

a good subject here. i almost posted this in my dissension thread. Im waiting to put a STi tmic on my car.

Photofixer · « **Reply #19 on:** January 20, 2009, 09:25:56 PM »

I like this Guy

ElSmarto.. Oh I understand now the cutting. Hmmm But doesn't more dense air with larger IC? That is the Question.

idipskoalmint · « **Reply #20 on:** January 20, 2009, 09:31:44 PM »

Quote from: Photofixer on January 20, 2009, 07:46:04 PM

See If i posted this on Saab92x.com I would of got..

I got this .. I got This.. here's Mine.

I wanted Good Info and this thread delivered.

Although I understand the heat soak, Is it apparent that you could just use Silicon tubing kits? Or make sure the ones used are good.

Seems like the welds are good. The name brand TMIC's what is so different about them? The Intake ?

This is what's Going on over at Saab92x.com for the Saabaru guys..

http://saab92x.com/viewtopic.php?id=24119

FWIW ...

CSS has some issues with people paying for I/Cs and not shipping them for 4-5 months.

The vendor review thread on Nasioc is full of these cases, and ClubWRX has a few threads as well.

Disclaimer: I haven't done business with the company, so I can't validate any of the claims

dw0095 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 21, 2009, 08:29:42 AM »

Indeed a good thread with good info.

I have one last photo to post to compare the two intercoolers.

V1 on left, V2 on Right

Example of a modified silicone y-pipe

stylesrex · « **Reply #22 on:** January 21, 2009, 09:46:32 AM »

awesome pics Dubs

deadlydave · « **Reply #23 on:** January 21, 2009, 01:50:52 PM »

Quote from: stylesrex on January 21, 2009, 09:46:32 AM

awesome pics Dubs

Now, how would a larger intercooler be effected by turbos of different size?

jays05 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 21, 2009, 03:02:00 PM »

It's all about cooling capacity and flow rates. My experience with the ebay IC cores is that the cooling capacity is more than adequate, but they flow like crap. This is probably why the OEM STI TMIC can outperform the ebay TMICs... while the ebay ICs may have more cooling capacity, it's unneeded, and the OEM TMIC flows better.

Now with a bigger turbo, you need more airflow capacity, and this is where the big FMICs come into play.

Author Topic: EBAY Intercoolers (Read 2328 times)