Intercooler options are galore at this point...but let me say what I'm looking for and maybe someone can help. I like the length, height, flow, and ease of mounting of Hahns IC. I do not like the thickness or the price of Hahns though. Does anyone know of an intercooler that resembles Hahns length and height, but is as thin as the stock OEM IC, that is priced at 500 or under?

I also dont mind the height and length of the stocker either, plus I like the thickness of it. So does anyone know if someone has had success with changing out the plastic ends on the stocker?

Ive asked these questions in a couple IC threads that were somewhat off topic, so I figure maybe someone can help out with this.

I dont on ever making over 400WHP in the balt so the need for a 600 HP IC seems unneeded. I also would like to have an IC that takes up the entire bottom grill area. I dont need a ridiculously massive IC because the K04 will never make enough volume to justify it, and I dont need some thick IC simply because the cross flow of air will be less effective.

did you try CIA or Dejon Powerhouse. where are you in NC by the way?

Didnt know CIA had an IC, and dejon's doesnt take up entire lower grill. I am located outside of Raleigh NC, in a po-bunk town called Hillsborough. I did live at Carolina beach for a year a while back, Kure Beach is definately a nice spot to reside.

most testing showed only 4-7whp difference the stock inter cooler is sufficient for coming from the factory at a decent size, but bigger will cool you better as you probably know, i believe i read somewhere that because of the size of hahns on the factor turbo it takes longer for air to fill it.... thats an expensive <10 hp

Didnt know CIA had an IC, and dejon's doesnt take up entire lower grill. I am located outside of Raleigh NC, in a po-bunk town called Hillsborough. I did live at Carolina beach for a year a while back, Kure Beach is definately a nice spot to reside.

CIA does not have a IC

synapseturbo even tho it is rated 600hp

Synapse Intercooler... right at $500-600 but it's a garrett core some of the best on the market... :)

You need to come to raleigh and actually get a tune!

Synapse Intercooler... right at $500-600 but it's a garrett core some of the best on the market... :)

You need to come to raleigh and actually get a tune!

Yep $500 shipped for mine.

Lol... :)

Yep $500 shipped for mine.

same here

I guess I need to jump on this synapse bandwagon... LOL

too bad mine was free! :D

I guess I need to jump on this synapse bandwagon... LOL

too bad mine was free! :D

Lucky bastard. :)

Synapse Intercooler... right at $500-600 but it's a garrett core some of the best on the market... :)

You need to come to raleigh and actually get a tune!

I may actually do that. Seriously thinking about a custom tune. I have see alot of members that are pretty happy with the tuning you have done for them. Right now I am somewhat happy with stock, but I know before the summer ends I will be wanting more powah. I was hoping to make it out to the last dyno run alot of the locals (including you I think) were doing, but work takes up nearly every effing weekend. I figure once I get moved, I will be able to really have some fun with modding the cobalt.

As far as IC's go I like synapses, but again I dont like the fact that its core is only 24" long. I would like one about 28 - 30 inches long and 8-9 inches high and 3 - 3 1/2 inches thick with rounded ends. I know synapses is squared off on the end tanks. I just figure if I'm going to spend 500+ dollars on a bolt on that realistically isnt going to net me much HP, I want it to be "perfect".

To be honest you don't need one that big. I have an 18" core I/C and it's just fine... and I have one of the most aggressive tunes out there right now!

To be honest you don't need one that big. I have an 18" core I/C and it's just fine... and I have one of the most aggressive tunes out there right now!

Trust me I know I dont need one that big, but I want that damn bottom grill filled up. I may have that OCD shit, but only for car symmetry. I figure if its made thinner then the volume is still low enough that pressure drop wont be an issue.

LOL then just keep the stocker on and take out the grill thats how my roommate has his!

LOL then just keep the stocker on and take out the grill thats how my roommate has his!

You dont know of anybody in the triangle that does decent welding/fabricating that could alter the stocker's ends do ya? I dont know of anybody that has done that yet, and I'm willing to bet that with some new aluminum ends, the stocker may hold its weight against the aftermarkets. I'd be willing to try it out if it was priced decently.

Yes I do! :) The same guy who mocked up my I/C for me! :)

wait so what your saying is if you take off the stock IC and chop off the plastic pieces and replace with larger aluminum it will flow better?

wait so what your saying is if you take off the stock IC and chop off the plastic pieces and replace with larger aluminum it will flow better?

In theory yes. Plastic, heat soaks quicker than aluminum. Find you someone who can fabricate some rounded ends, I would think that the IC would work out great.

im sure my muffler guy could. he does a whole pluthra of shit, that or National speed absolutely can but they charge a little bit. But if air moves through the same intercooler faster wont that lead to warmer air out the other end in turn leading to less power?

Know what im saying? like unless your adding a larger surface area for that air to cool, your just moving air through the same cooling piece faster and it would lead to hotter IAT's i would think.

Honestly as long as you have cool enough air going into the turbo (yeh the turbo will heat it up quick), and you have a good set of CP, I dont think the temp raise will be much, if any at all. The thing with IC's is that you dont want to have an IC to big because of pressure drop, but you dont want to have one too small because, there may not be enough cooling fins, to honestly get cooled from the cross wind. I believe the stock sized IC is a good size for an IC, considering our small-mid sized turbos. Yeh if youre pushing a huge snail, and maxxing out HP near the 500 range, I wouldnt trust the stocker, but in all honesty do you plan on achieving over 400 WHP with your car? If so, then IMO youre better off trying a different platform all together. I know some naysayers will say we are capable of it, and they are right. Just look at Bruno Massel...he has achieved nearly 1500 WHP on a 4 banger ecotec using stock block and head.

Anybody know an algorithm to figure out the volume needed in an intercooler to properly handle the pressure/boost/air flow/temp of the K04? Something like this: at 22.2 PSI the turbo is pushing about 16.3 lbs./min, while the turbo is spinning at about 161,000 RPM creating a temperature of X. I have the volume of air, I am guessing the turbine air temp is about 250F or so. So my question is 16.3 LB/min + 250F = What sized intercooler needed? It's kind of late and I'm down to the last of my michelobs, so my numbers may be slightly off on this.

And also, has anyone considering water spraying your air to air FMIC, to lower temps even more? I'm sure it wouldnt be hard to do this. Or does anyone have a methanol injection kit on the LNF yet?