UAS intercoolers... opinions?

[HSVKLR]

Has anyone had any experience with the intercooler kits for R32 or i guess R33 GTSTs from Unique Autosports?

Im interested in purchasing one but its obviously not a big name brand so im a little scheptical about flow rates, pressure drop and overall quality of the kit.

Your opinions are most welcome...

[Silver-Arrowz]

Check out Micks metal craft.

Or, go to Nengun or taka kaira and look for brand ones if you really want one.

[Guest INASNT]

Have u tried contracting UAS to see what coolers they use?

Micks coolers r good bad damn expensive

[HSVKLR]

Now that you mention Mick's metalcraft i have a feeling..... Because i did ask them a while ago and they said from memory TTV8 (1000+hp Commodore Ute from S'Nats 2002) ran the same i'cooler that they sell....

I have tried to get in contact but t no avail (very busy) am waiting eagerly on their reply so i thort id stick a post.....

[Guest INASNT]

Originally posted by HSVKLR

Now that you mention Mick's metalcraft i have a feeling..... Because i did ask them a while ago and they said from memory TTV8 (1000+hp Commodore Ute from S'Nats 2002) ran the same i'cooler that they sell....

I have tried to get in contact but t no avail (very busy) am waiting eagerly on their reply so i thort id stick a post.....

and what u gonna do when he tell u how much ttv8's cooler must have cost?? :eek:

and theres no point putting sumthing as big as what ttv8 used on your car it would just be a huge overkill, unless u r planning on running 1000hp 2!

[HSVKLR]

nah nah nah.... was just saying that i think they said that their supplier is the same guy that supplied TTV8....

haha 1000hp i wish mate... 300hp@wheels will do...

[Roy]

I think you will be surprised to find out who makes UAS coolers under licence (gentlemans agreement)

If you think Micks metalcraft are good quality and what your after then buy a UAS IC. (Hint hint)

UAS are only cheaper as i suspect the crew at UAS dont mark up their prices as much on their IC kits. I havent yet heard any probs with people bolting these kits up themselves either.

[red17]

I thought the UAS coolers were good until i saw the pic attached to this post. Im sure the core is fantastic, it certainly does look well made, but using silicon hose for bends isnt such a great idea.

Personally, id go for an ARE kit, probably more expensive, but at least your getting quality metal bends in HPC steel.

At the end of the day, ya cant beat the japanese stuff... but you pay for it.

Red17

[HSVKLR]

yeah ive been looking at that pic for ages...

call me a fool but i cant pick a goodie from a badie - whats particularly bad about this pic??

thx for the feedback tho!

[red17]

Its not so much the core HSVKLR, its the way theyve connected it. Instead of using metal bends, theyve used silicon hose sections. This has a habit of expanding under pressure causing an uneccesary weakness in the system. Imagine something expanding and contracting as you come on and off boost.

Im not sure about the net result of this, whether it be your boost is less effective (eg 14psi becomes 11 after expanding of the hoses) or if its merely more lag. Either way, it cant be good.

I dont want to diss UAS gear, because they sell alot of quality gear, its just their piping kits might leave a little to be desired. You can always buy a core, then get the piping done by someone in stainless or mild steel?

Red17

[Roy]

I dont think silicon hose expands and contracts under boost. Look at it this way, atmospere is 100 kPa or 1 bar (14.5psi) which is referred to absolute pressure.

Say you want 1 bar of boost on your car, well that is gauge pressure. Absolute pressure = Atmospheric + Gauge pressure (or - vacuum)

You have to stop and remember 1 bar is not a lot of pressure, for an engine that is trying to compress 1 bar of air, well that places additional loads on the internals, (much bigger than 1 bar during compression & ignition, also cylclic loads are harder to control than constant loads).

Im not sure about the net result of this, whether it be your boost is less effective (eg 14psi becomes 11 after expanding of the hoses) or if its merely more lag. Either way, it cant be good.

Pressure will not drop to 11psi, the compressor will always want to pressurise what is downstream of it. So if there was to be a volume change, it would still reach say 14 psi but may take longer to pressurise the larger volume.

But IC pipes will only ever see 1 bar, now consider our garden taps run at about 3.5 bar. I dont see our garden hoses expanding and contracting, and i dont use expensive silicon hose on my garden hose. Also the fact that the silicon hose in the picture has a constant radius also makes it less likely to expand/contract.

Also im positive that a 2.5 or 3" silicon bend is more expensive then an equiv metal bend, and also has perhaps more desirable thermodynamic properties.

Expansion is not a problem, high vacuum, (higer then i suspect any car will ever run) may be a problem for hose collapsing, but in real world terms 1 bar is not a lot of pressure for a hose to handle.

Would i use silicon hose in my car , No. Too expensive, bastard to keep clean and i dont hink they will ultimately be as durable as metal. From a performance perspective, i dont think they give away anything to metal bends, only they are more expensive.

Oh and i suspect our coolant lines run at more than 1 bar of pressure, and people use rubber & silicon hose for connecting radiators.

I thinks that was more like 50cents worth

[Clint32]

What is the difference between using silicon hose in between the metal pipes and using a 90deg bend, nothing. Its not like you can make the pipes in one piece and weld them to the turbo/cooler. The silicon stuff is very good and would good for over 100psi, air line is made of cheaper stuff and copes with well over 100psi without any change. The UAS kit would use these to keep the kit simple and what it also does is keep the bend tighter meaning less problem for trimming the front bar.

Well HSVKLR you could go and pay $2000+ for a Jap kit or $1600 for the UAS kit but you would still need to get it fitted. Find a local performance place you will find a cooler will cost about $800 plus about $600 for the pipes and fitting and you have yourself something just as good (if you were here in adelaide i could do it for you).

[red17]

Ok, the silicon thing, you make a good point Roy. I'd recently heard some less than desirable stories about APS kits which are ALL silicon hoses. This led me to believe that the use of silicon hose was not an ideal solution to intercooler piping.

And as you point out, is probably a more expensive solution anyway

Red17

[Steve]

HSVKLR. a HYBRID 600x300x76 bar and plate coola is rated at a 2psi drop at 650hp which isnt too bad for most streeters.

The cost about $800 (coola only)which is pretty cheap, I have one and it does a great job, as soon as I got it fitted I had to replace the clutch as the stock one just couldn't hang on any more.

Just another option

[HSVKLR]

Thanks steve and all you others for the info!!

Ive decided that ill just go with the UAS kit, it's good value and im not ever going to get anywhere near 650hp in this car so this kit should do nicely...

It arrives in 10days - cant wait