Greddy vs ARC vs Hybrid Intercooler Kit

[eXc]

Thanks for all the replies guys Still havn't decided yet. haha

[locosam]

I was in the same position as you. After a whole month of trying to decide, i still couldnt figure out which way to go.

With so much discussion about both coolers and no clear winner, it must mean that both are pretty similar to each other (hybrid vs greddy)

In the end, i figured that both of them were fine for me. And since that there was no bad reports about either, you couldnt go wrong with either choice. I decided to go for the greddy kit in the end. Both were around the same price (for genuine hybrid). The hybrid cooler was a little bit bigger (for r33) though.

What swayed me was that before hybrid came along, everyone was using jap coolers before, so it was a safe bet. Also, i pm'd a couple of people and they said the greddy quality was top notch. And lastly, a friend of mine had a greddy on his 200sx which he was very happy about.

Im sure if i went hybrid instead, it would work just as well...but i guess in the end i just wanted the greddy name

[SAWAKITA]

I'd go for ARC as they only make quality stuffs.... they spend time to design and test and test... not just to make it fit in the car... but to achieve the best performance

[slow_r31]

some food for thought

for the $$$$$ btw a "brand name" cooler, and a hybrid, you could get more mods that would make farrr more difference to the cars performance than a "brand name" vs hybrid core. they are both going to be better than stock, and the stock cooler has seen a few cars with high figures.

[paulr33]

i had a fmic install a few months ago and here's what i found. i considered most options and actually purchased an intercooler without piping. turned out the intercooler was a bad core and not suitable. cooler purchases from things like ebay should be avoided if possible. much better off goign to your local tuner / workshop and asking them for price and get them to do it.

anyway here's what i learnt

1) the intercooler was a crap truck core (the one i brought) - cheapie but still, expensive cos i didnt use it

2) most jap kits will flow the same vs a chinese / hybrid core. the avg car your talking about is like 250rwkw tops which wont show massive signs of restriction / benefit from xyz brand. of course if you were talking about a 900rwkw car then i'd get a few models tested and find the best but not for a midly stocker street car

3) the stocker gtr cooler is good for about 250rwkw or a bit more (thanks sydneykid)

4) your local workshop is likely to do a better deal including supply and install for an intercooler than someone like nengun with a jap brand kit. once you factor in shipping, tax, fitting and workmanship it adds up

5) piping is very expensive, usually more than the core itself. some $400 for the pipes

6) labour to fit and do the piping is expensive, usually more than the core. some $500 in labour

7) some workshops will fit a jap kit some will do their own hybrid copy or whatever their supplier gives them. chances are you wont notice the difference

8) bigger cooler and bigger core generally means more lag in the system. this does not equate to less or more power, just from the time you dump the throttle to the time you "feel" the power is more time because you have to pressure that big core.

i had chasers do mine. i originally brought a 650x300 from shift performance and the cooler core was gay and a truck hack up, way too big for a stocker r33. they fitted a 500 (ish) x 300 core and did the piping and it came up great. some front bar mods (series 2) and all stainless piping fitted. total cost was $1200 supplied a fitted. for a jap kit from nengun avg $1300 then you can have someone fit it or fit it yourself. sure it has an nice apexi logo or trust or blitz but are you really going to notice that extra $600 in original purchase price and labour to fit it ?

again my knowledge really only applies to what ive learnt and researched / found

most people spend more time comparing models and finding if the piping will match than actually having fun with their car. just take it to a workshop and say how much for fit / supply cooler. ask 3 shops, pick the best and book in it

[siksII]

with the v-spl kit including the piping you have to trim the front bar for the piping to fit, and its not perfect, the top pipe that goes across the engine sits a bit high(touches the bonnet) or else you have to trim the fan. (on a s2 r33)

other than that it works and the finish is good.

in relation to the gtr cooler, although paulr33 says the gtr cooler is good for around 250rwkw, i have seen a gtr with a lot more than than, ~320 using the standard cooler. whether or not it would be better to have larger cooler for that power i dont know, but it was not restricting the car to ~250rwkw thats for sure.

[GTRgeoff]

I bought the Hybrid monster that supposedly is rated for 800hp and made the piping myself. I have had no issues with lag and run a temp probe post IC and find the outlet temps to be within 1 degree of ambient temp. It is supposed to have only 0.5psi drop at around 15 psi or so. GTR coolers are coming down in price so look for a bargain there too.

[eXc]

Alright. I decided if I am getting one, I am gonna get the GREDDY V-SPL, unless it's more difficult to fit.

Has anyone fitted one of these to a R32 GTST? I am curious how easily they go in (need to cut bar/fan?)

Cheers

Chris

[Dee 33]

My workshop dude said that the hybrid cores are fine but as someone else suggested, they use chrome plating on the piping in the kits which flakes off and looks like shit.

I have just had a Garret fmic kit installed on my S1 R33. Sits a tiny bit too high for my front bar (which is damn low) but the pipes are shiny and there was not much modification needed.

[bless_you]

hybrid copy = $300

piping from metal fabricator = $80

silicon joiners = $90

clamps = $26

= $496

installed by myself in 6 hours

before = 288rwhp @ 10lb

after = 328rwhp @13lb

:)

[600hp]

ARC has internal deviders for less pressure drop.