With the replies in the treadstone thread, it seems there are a lot of people interested in a replacement IC vs. a performance upgrade. We stock the 3.5x8x22 core for use in our 3800 kits and by adding couplers/90s we'd have an affordable kit at just over $200.

These IC's are 600cu/in (our ZZP LNF IC is 900).

Questions are
-How many buyers out there at $209?
-Would you rather see charge pipes bundled?
-How many of you run stock boost levels but have changed out other parts?

 

compared to factory. How low does it hang? Will the 90s be welded on? Is this considered slightly bigger than factory? Cu. in. Comparisons between stock and this 600 cu. In..

I'm interested if I can get it before march 5th in my hands.

ALSO what's the diameter of the inlet and outlet?

 

Similar setup as treadstone:
https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/2-0l...t-beta-241958/
It's a universal core. No welded 90's. Like treadstone's this would be 600cu in, similar to stock. Cooling isn't going to be improved over stock unless you go to a larger core.

 

My main interest in getting a IC is to remove the plastic end tanks... I've seen enough of those explode to scare me into an aftermarket intercooler. I will not be going big turbo anytime soon. If anything I will get one of the BNR hybrids down the road, probably the k04-2860.

I think everyone who doesnt plan on going big turbo should jump on this!

 

Interesting hmm........................

IMO you'd be better off just saving up or pull a little more cash out ya ass & get the upgrade. Then again anything is better then stock

 

Would this be able to support a bigger turbo? Nothing huge or anything...could YOU do an anodized black one?

 

A bigger intercooler is not an upgrade on a stock turbo.. It just catches more bugs on the highway for you, lol.

I wish there was one less set of couplers though

Any one know the factory IC dimensions? I've been searching this whole friggen time on the search bar and cant find it. I know I've seen it a few times.

 

They were postd in the other thread I think.

 

I guess i will answer zoomers ?s.

I'd buy at $209.

charge piping bundle would be cool if I already didnt have your upper charge pipe. I DONT have your lower charge pipe yet.

Im getting dyno tuned march 5th at the BYT meet. Im getting a combo tune so I plan on running stock boost levels and about 22-23psi boost levels. Alot of cobalts should be there so you should get me the intercooler and I can install it there and show case it to the other members and Nick

lower the price and I can see if Nick will be willing to do a before and after on the dyno, lol.

 

I have to disagree w/you man, reason being I am gettin too much heat @ 5K & can't make any more power safely w/out either upgrading FMIC or installing meth kit. If I were to do that I could have vince bump me from 23psi to 24 or 25psi & be safe. I don't expect the stock turbo to last forever lol but till its gone I am rockin it. Untill it starts to go I will not be upgrading my turbo
Does this make sense?

My local dyno told me this along w/vince trifecta.

Edit- & honestly going from stock FMIC to the replacement is a upgrade on its own considering the fact that they are built better & gm's beloved plastic ends are out the picture.

 

understood. Stock turbo at the stock settings flows fine with the stock IC. But after going to 23psi, the intercooler cant keep up with the new flow of air. I gues the MPx one is best then? slightly bigger, doesnt hang below bumper and can probably hold out on the stock turbo the best.

 

Found the factory IC dimensions.

28 inches long
3.1 inches deep
6.25 inches tall

straight from MPx website.

looks like the stock IC is "542.5" cubic inches.

with that being said, then this "616" cubic inch IC is a small upgrade. lol.

thats a 73.5 cubic inch difference.

I will say that the surface area between the stocker and these ZZP cores are exactly the same surface area.

factory
28in * 6.25in = 175 sq. inches

ZZP
22in * 8in = 176 sq. inches

so I would assume ability to cool charged temps would be about the same.

 

Right now I am at a stand still w/modding the car but I wouldn't mind replacing the stock IC because of the plastic ends braking. Heard ppl braking them on stock tune/boost so I am a lil worried, I just see it as if your gonna spend money to replace somthing thats equal to whatever you have your better off taking the next step & get a biger one.
*Would be aftermarket
*Built better
*It's larger & ready to go bigger turbo when ready
*can get a few more psi/whp/tq out stock turbo

Don't get me wrong I would love to just replace my stock one now w/one of these great priced & manufactured fmic's but for me & they way my income is I would be dumb to buy it when I plan on needing bigger one down the road. For ppl out there that don't plan on doing this I would be all over this lol.

If you get one & get it on a dyno shoot me a pm & lmk how it does & what your temps look like

 

hah will do!

The way I see it is everyone is getting tuned on there factory IC right? how bad could it be to run 22-23psi on the stock IC if EVERYONE is doing it. Remember, I can check the difference only if I get this one or the Treadstone one before The 5th. I might try an install early if I get it early to see if there will be a fitment issue.

ZZP, I would prefer to get one from you guys since I have your CPs and you guys have a great history on the CSS.net site. But its truely going to come down to who can put a good factory replacement out sooner

 

you need to use the appropriate size core for your boost/power level due to the pressure drop from the core. Too big a core and youll hurt your performance, too small a core and youll hurt your performance.

Stock -> mpx 600 core would be a good reliability mod for 20-24psi power levels.

 

I just need two questions answered lol

 

The MPx core is about 728 cu. inches if I recall.

I guess we can think of this as a compressor in a refrigerator..

To create a cooling effect a pump circulates a fluid from a smaller tube to a larger tube forcing heat to be absorbed using the equation P=VT or what ever that equation is, lol. I dont remember anymore.

If pressure stays constant and Volume increases... Temp decreases.... I cant remember this equation so I cant explain it but a physics major can for me, lol.

The turbo in our car is the compressor. If we increase its output than more compressed air enters the system. Once it reaches a change in volume ,a.k.a the intercooler, Temp drops but pressure stays the same... as long as the heat has somewhere to escape and the volume change is significant enough.

Whats really changing is the rate at which the air flows!... its moving at lets say a speed of 32 cfms.... once it enters the IC, that number drops.... tooo maybe 22cfms (made up number, not real info here.. just an example) Pressure is still the same and the temp has dropped, then it enters the cold side charge pipe, cfms go back up, volume decreases to the diameter of the charge pipe, and pressure again stays the same

I know physics YAY!. At least I think I do, lol.

 

The equation you are thinking of is pv=nrt. But it tells us nothing in this case, you can't solve a heat transfer problem with this equation, it is used for gas in a closed chamber with no heat / matter loss. And 32 cfm is not a speed, it's a flow. Also the volume doesn't change when the flow enters the charge pipe, that makes no sense.

Fluid dynamics / heat transfer theories are somewhat hard to grasp when you don't have any knowledge of the theories behind them. Maybe I should write something about how to solve a simple heat exchange problem, but I think it's too much for a forum and most people would simply click the back button after the first 2 lines of equations, lol.

But anyway, for those who are curious, here the equations behind a simple heat exchanger. Heat exchanger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

p.s. : if you don't know what an integration, a derivative, or a differential equation is, forget about it, lol.

 

Oh theres the physics major!! see I told I didnty know anything and this guy just proved it! amazing performance.

 

Not a physics major, mech. engineer.

 

I might buy? It's cheap and it basically gets rid of the part that has been bugging me. It's seriously between this and MPx.

MPx seems to be a little bit more performance and a good stock replacement, but it's also $350

So IDK, what I'd do

 

Good thing, I only paid $200 for ZZP's Intercooler during Black Friday Sales. I love it so much, its a very superior design they came up with. I wished they included the ZZP logo on it before they shipped it out.

 

That's a killer deal. But aren't you worried about clipping it? Where I live, we have so many inclines and declines, I'd have to be careful all the time. I'd scrap all over the place if I'm not careful. That's the only reason why I struggle with ZZP's IC.

 

Treadstones already starting a group buy on theirs. $250 at 10 buyers. Theres 4 now. 6 more to go.

Im honestly going to buy which ever one becomes available in my hands by March 4th first. Treadstone is winning since theyve engaged their group buy.

 

It's funny that they all have their faults.

Hahn: Price. Is it made out of gold?
Crazy Steve (Genuine Saab): Fits like a square peg in a round hole. Crashbar covers half the IC. Mounts behind the IC. This one is just a general POS.
Synapse: Likes to crack along the welds. Has welded tanks instead of cast, and it's ugly. The whole point of replacing the IC is so you don't crack an endtank. Way to go, Synapse.
MPX: The input and output tubes aren't 2.5". (That needs to be remedied quickly.)
Mounts are iffy.
Treadstone: Mounts behind the crashbar, which means it is somewhat covered by the crashbar, and it is small.
ZZP: Hangs too low.

I'm not lowered, so when it comes time, I guess I'll shell out a little extra for the ZZP.