Why?

 

Why not? The size of the intercooler is fine.

 

Ignoring heat issues from metal parts?

 

yes, if u can make em its possible. but why.

 

Because i already have the stocker and im using a k04. That size intercooler is fine without the plastic end tanks. Figured i can make some for around 50$. Why not? Itll be fun.

 

If you can weld aluminum I'm sure it's possible. Grind off the crimp tabs and go to town. However the shape of the end tank isn't exactly off the shelf stuff, and the placement of the inlets and outlets have to be pretty damn exact.

In my original post I said I was still throwing a p0100 code and I forgot to follow up. It was because the inlet and outlet pipes were off by a very small amount over the stock unit. However it was enough to create angles that caused leaking around the couplers, despite being tightened down very hard (and visually looked like a good seal). I only found out after putting a boost tester on it and wiggling it a little.

I bought some hump couplers and all is well.

FYI, don't buy Injen hardpipes if you have the choice. I wish I went with Hahn. The couplers and clamps that came with it are garbage. The turbo coupler in particular is painfully short, and on the pipe you can tell it was designed to be longer and I had to buy a longer one. The weld for the tab to screw to the engine was too far off even with the rubber spacer stretched over as far as it could go. It didn't leak on the stock intercooler - but it was close. The new one being just slightly different was enough to push it over the edge. Even with the pipe completely flush to the turbo it's a tiny bit too tall and rubs on the hood. Also you only get hotside piping. It simply wasn't worth the money saved and when I include the lack of cold side piping it's not like I saved a lot of money anyways.

(the busted endtank happened on the side with factory connections though so I'm not faulting the Injen pipes for putting stress on the plastic or anything)

 

You sir are dumb. Look at any car under $30k retail and you get plastic, it won't be as much as gm, but you didn't buy the car for it's build quality and interior did you? If you did then you should have bought a gti to cruise all slow and comfy in.

Plastic ls intakes? Really? They are reliable as all hell up to well over stock power levels. You break it tightening it, well then you suck.

You kids moan about the lnf sooo much. Sorry, you still can't get the same performance for that price point unless you want a ford

 

Look under the hood of all new Audis that cost 50 000. Everything is plastic. Focus st. Everything in Plastic

Don't know why people say they demand top quality from a $20000 car when that's pretty much the least you can spend for a half decent car.

 

20k cars should be made of cf.

 

Cartanium Cobalt!

 

Lolz dude. $20k is rental-car price.

 

Def is, or that fact that for most applications plastic will do fine, and the end tanks probably had the manufacturing plant skim on one of the expensive materials to save money.