Where to find cheapest FMIC piping kit?

[Malecki]

I looking for a R33 GTST piping kit for my hybrid intercooler, does anyone know where i can find them for a good price, the cheapest i've found is $750!

[Mr GTS4]

do it yourself...

doto the DIY section and there are afew people that have done it for a 33.

quite easy to do it and alot cheaper.

[Roy]

Typically if you work smart you can actually get a better result cheaper doing/managing the piping install yourself.

If you are not familiar with the piping route then have a look at some HKS/Trust cooler setups, or do a few searches on the forum.

If you are a patient person then you can come up with a much better result, as if a workshop were to take the same care they would have to charge a fortune for their time:(

So my thinking is ring a few exhaust shops and get some prices for 2.5" mild steel bends. You can use the factory pipe from turbo to inner guard, and throttle body to next to timing belt cover...this saves a few bends and dollars and means you can use the std BOV location, but you can replace all the pipes if you want.

You will need 6 (7 will cover it) 90degree bends. You can buy 3 x 180deg bends if its cheaper and you will need about 500mm off cuts of 2.5" tube. About $150 and you should have all the materials.

Taking the front bumper bar off is easy, and so is hole sawing the guard under the battery, just take a bit of care and look at other setups where it is done. Trim the cutout, prime the cutout, or use rust killer etc etc and that is about the most difficult part.

From there just measure, trial fit, cut the bends to get the desired clearances etc etc. When you get the angles right just use plenty of good quality tape to hold the bends together. Black marker to show the alignment of pipe sections helps here to:)

Make sure the fit up of tube ends is tight with no gaps, and the tube which is usually about 1.6mm thick is nice and square. If you have access to a drop saw then great otherwise a hacksaw and file is fine. Make sure any dags and sharp edges ar filed/removed

Once you are satisfied that all the pipe runs are right, then go through the yellow pages and find your local welding shop/boilermakers. Give them a call and tell them you have 10-11 x 2.5" welds to be done.

Say you would like them tig'd and fully purged, and that the pipes are taped/fitted ready for tacking and welding. They will run a blade thru the tape at 2-3 places to reveal the pipe and tack the pipe as orientated by you with the tape. Then they can take all the tap off and weld away.

Try a few places, the smaller niche palces are better and their price vary from a case of beer to 1 hrs work (About $60). Dont get them to dress the welds or anything, you can do all that yourself.

So we are up to around $200 now..plus your time and running around.

The welders can also weld lips onto the pipes to stop hoses blowing off, they can roll an edge onto them as well. Rolling the edge is cheaper as its quicker to do, try a few local exhaust shops or metal work places.

Now you just need hose joiners and clamps. Here you can save a few dollars by using you old clamps and black hose. You will most likely need a few extra so can use hydraulic hose from places like Pirtek, again can use off cuts for dirt cheap, or use proper silicon joiners which are a bit pricier.

But with a few new joiners and clamps you are now looking at less then $300. Now with some wet and dry you can give the welds a quick once over and clean up the pipes for a lick of paint, whatever colour you like. So that $15 for paint and clear coat, and wet & dry. You can for about $100-150 have them ceramic coated.

The only thing is chosing the right welding place, as most exhaust shops couldnt weld to save their lives, go to a boilermaker and you have to look twice to see the weld once you have given them a 30 second going over with some wet and dry.

Then again if this all sounds too hard then i have seen nice IC pipework done for around $500-600.

Here is a Piccie of my engine bay. I used stainless and welded it myself as at the time i was fortunate enough to have access to the equip to weld it.

Over my Xmas holidays im actually going to finish polishing my compressor cover and inlet pipe and get it all ceramic coated, then with the rocker covers sitting next to me, my engine bay should look a lot prettier.

[GTR V]

Here's another way

GTR V

[chrisgero]

I’m new to this, I’m in the process of installing an intercooler to my R33 but I would like to use the original piping from the Turbo.

I was going to look at the hardware stores for some piping, maybe alloy, do you think this is a good choice.

Next can I use joiners on both ends of the intercooler and both ends of the piping from the motor or does it have to be welded, I don’t know.

I am going to do this over my holiday were I can work on the car.

Some feedback would be appreciated

Chris G :flamed:

[mattysaidso]

can someone post up a pic of where the piping goes through the gaurd on the drivers side. jus interested as to extactly where the piping goes through, and the shape of the bends....

[Aurora]

Can sell you my HKS piping kit from a HKS Type-S Intercooler Kit for $200, PM if interested.

[chrisgero]

Can sell you my HKS piping kit from a HKS Type-S Intercooler Kit for $200, PM if interested.

.

Like i said in my previous message, Im new to this and i was going to install the intercooler myself over my 6wks holidays. Would it be suitable for a R33, If it is I am interested.

Do you still have the piping and if so were can i send the money.

chris