QuickSilver_SS

Other then gms1 I am totally stock. I am wondering. Are there any gains to be made from installing a hot or cold side charge pipes ? And if so , how much and which would give the better gains ? The cold or hot side pipes ? I really don't want to get an intake though because there is really no one around my area to tune for it. Any advise we be great ?

user 72239

iTrader: (4)

Theres not much gain with charge pipes, they just ensure that if you run higher boost they wont crack. Especially the upper charge pipe which is notorious for cracking.

nobody2u

No gains just what was said above.

Get a trifecta tune if there are no HP tuners near you.

QuickSilver_SS

Do you know if anyone around you? We live in the same basic area. Imbin Lower Sackville.

What about a cat back? Any real worth while gains?

reaper89

iTrader: (2)

cat back is mainly for sounds, DP is where you will see the gains.

Slowbalt2000

iTrader: (1)

With learn down, you won't gain without tuning afterwards.

reaper89

iTrader: (2)

he's got GMS1, learn down is off

Slowbalt2000

iTrader: (1)

I stand corrected. But a tune would still help nonetheless :p

slapbetcommissioner

iTrader: (3)

He has gms1 so he will have some gains. Not as dramatic as tuning for parts but it will allow bolt ons to improve airflow to some extent.
If you don't want to tune a 3" downpipe is your money best spent.
Upper charge pipe might improve turbo spool slightly but any hp gains are moderate. More for reliability than anything.
K&n intake is good. If you have something to watch your trims you can get them near perfect by ajusting the air filter.
Trifecta remote tuning is a good way to go if you don't know anyone with HPT to get a custom or remote tune.

TurboTechRacing

iTrader: (24)

Upper charge pipe is the one that shows gains. Plus stock are plastic and can blow up over time, aftermarket are stronger and dont allow this

Injen is a good choice, otherwise Turbo XS is another good choice for a complete upper and lower kit.

ATLsilverSS

iTrader: (4)

^^^^^^^what he said aftermarket charge piping prevets this:

Slowbalt2000

iTrader: (1)

Big ass engine cover lol

FasterIsBetter

Yeah, its actually the HHR SS airbox. Weird huh?

QuickSilver_SS

When you say upper charge pipe. Is that the one that connects to the turbo and then down to the ic? I ask because when i was on a web site for injen charge pipe. It claimed 7-8hp gain from the pipe. And i assume i wouldnt need a tune for the upper charge pipe?

nobody2u

Catback you might see somewhere between 1-5whp increase, mixed results really. Would need to have a downpipe first and foremost though. I've heard there is an HP tuner around NS, but I don't know anything about him. I personally went with trifecta, didn't see the benefit of finding someone around here at all, especially since I get free updates. Go to BNRacing to get your trifecta tune, I think there may even be a deal on right now. A++ customer service from them.

There are only 2 reasons to get the charge pipe:

1) Is it looks better.
2) You are pushing a lot of boost and are worried about it blowing up. I'm tuned and my stock charge pipes are just fine. I'd probably only replace them if I went bigger turbo. On stock turbo the stock charge pipes are fine. Usually when people blow them up is because there was a recall on them where GM installed a clamp to keep them from blowing off and such and they never had it done or it happened before the recall happened. If there is a clamp attaching your charge pipe to the block you are fine.

slapbetcommissioner

iTrader: (3)

You might get hp improvements if you were running big boost or a turbo swap. But aside from lookin like crap the stock charge pipe isn't very restrictive.

QuickSilver_SS

So if I didnt want to get a new dp . What would be the next mod I should do then that will see some gains ?

Macgyver2484

iTrader: (3)

If money is tight get some Injen pipes. They're about $175. ZZP also makes some good pipes. I ended up getting Injen because ZZP was out of stock at the time. You aren't going to see any realistic gains for a charge pipe.

bmartz1991

iTrader: (35)

You could get a K&N intake.

Sox-Fan

iTrader: (7)

I've got TurboXS. The whole kit took about an hour. Went right on. Also have the TurboXS catless DP. Don't expect any gains from the charge pipe set but,that's looks and durability, but a good downpipe will be seat of the pants noticeable. A good tune will make an even bigger difference once you do get a good DP.

And if you do a lower charge pipe expect to have to monkey around a little bit to get it to seal properly on the bottom of throttle body. Doesn't matter which charge pipe set you get on that - the throttle body doesn't have a ton of area to get your coupler and clamp on and get them sealed well. Especially!! the first time you do it. Almost everyone blows it off the throttle body that first time they hit boost and then gets that shocked "did I just blow my motor?" look on their face when they hear the big kaboom.

Don't ask me how I know this.

06 GM CobaltSS

I definitely felt a quicker spool up with the Injen upper charge pipe. Nothing crazy, but faster.

ATLsilverSS

iTrader: (4)

Injen claims the gains.....and probably are realistic....brcause they are like 2ft shorter than all other pipes. Less pipe to pressurize. Cia claims similar gains with their over the engine version vs their conventional version

nobody2u

If there is dyno proof I'll eat my words.

jacream_booSSted

wouldn't aftermarket hot side pipes also dissipate a little more heat on the way to the intercooler? lol maybe i'm a little off on this?

Sox-Fan

iTrader: (7)

Nah. Air doesn't stay in the pipe long enough to make a cooling difference, given the little surface area difference between stock and an aftermarket one. Not sure the cooling properties are all that different either. Certainly not enough given how fast the air gets through the tube.