Hey guys, so I want to know if I should upgrade my stock intercooler? Nothing is wrong with the stock one at moment, but wondering if I would see any significant gains in performance if I upgraded. I'm on a 23psi tune with intake, upper charge pipe, gm stage sensors and full exhaust. If so which brand would you recommend and is it very hard to install? Do I have to take off bumper to do it? Should I get updated tune after or does that not matter? Appreciate any help

 

only answer here is YES. end tanks are plastic, they can and have cracked due to cold or potholes or just bumps. plastic doesn't belong on a turbo charged cars intake system. except maybe the actual intake. upgrade. no u don't need to tune for it, no there wont be any gains on stock turbo. just peace of mind that u wont be stuck somewhere with a cracked intercooler.

 

Would you recommend mpx? How hard is install? So no real performance gains like it claims?

 

I recommend zzp for their perfect fitment. No there isn't a gain in hp on stock turbo but I do feel that mine held the boost better without it falling off sooner. That's just me though.

 

You do have to remove the bumper. I have zzps and it was definitely a very nice item and install was easy.

 

Like everyone else says , I'd go with zzp, lower profile one , unless ur planning big turbo eventually. Only performance gains there would be is less Psi drop. And of course better cooling due to larger core. But main reason is still cause of plastic stocker. Yes bumper must come off, it's super easy, there is a how to

 

I bought the ebay one, it looks good but the upper piping has a hole for a BOV so I had to use the stock piping and the bumber is a little hard to get straight back on the intercooler is a little wider but it still works I have pics if you want to see before deciding

 

If you count on your car to daily drive stay away from made in China stuff on eBay. Don't cheap out on something your counting on to work and not leak. Made in the USA helps to keep us working and helps to pay for companies to develop more parts for our dying platform. I would rather have a stock one. Zzp's fit, function, and price are hard to beat.

 

I wanted the zzp but the $800 was a little expensive and I didn't have the money for it so this will last until I can upgrade. Believe me it wasn't my first choice

 

How much u pay for the eBay one? I have no regret buying my zzp intercooler.

 

I got the chrome series for 322.45 shipped so can't complain turbo smoked slightly for about ten minutes but that was because the old tubing the vacuum line had broken from the lower map sensor so I couldn't even drive the car for a week but it had sucked in water and the dang plastic on the passenger side of the intercooler had cracked which goes to show how shitty they are one pothole I might add not even that big

 

Stick with your stock setup. There are no gains in performance and its a huge price tag. Most people that end up cracking the stock setup are the ones with curb rashed rims, replacing struts/ wheel bearings often, aka not taking proper care of the car driving it like a 4x4. Shouldn't have intercooler problems unless you physically hit something hard. Or something hits you(raccoon deer porcupine etc) 280,000km on my stock setup. Trifecta 24psi tuned and 4 winters driven never had a boost leak or crack to date.

 

I had just bought this car about a month ago, stealership I bought it from had actually glued the line back to the hose so couldn't by looking. And as for the intercooler they are notorious for breaking looks as though it had been cracked for some time as I,had the clutch replaced at the same time so definitely not my fault. This is my daily driver not my off road truck I know how to drive my cobalt, not my first one.

 

Wow ur totally ignorant. Guys have blown intercoolers from nothing but boosting to levels ur at , people have split charge pipe from boosting past stock psi. The idea is u change out the garbage with something that won't maybe leave u stranded at the side of the road because u stepped on it a little or hit a small pot hole. may let the people who actually have some experience with this give the advice and u just continue driving ur car on ur crappy tune so u don't embarrass urself when ur intercooler decides to blow. And btw if u really cared about ur car u wouldn't be on a trifecta tune.

 

You paid over 300 for an eBay intercooler with charge pipes that are useless considering the hole for the bov. You could've got a zzp one for the same price. I'd like to see pics of fitment.

 

I only needed the cold side pipe, so hot side I used the stock pipe. Will post pics after work tonight

 

 

Gotta get to work somehow lol

 

Another vote for the ZZP lower clearance one. Been on with the ZFR for about 20k miles, no issues, install was easy.