Toyspeed.org.nz Message Board

What kind of piping are you using for your intercooler? Aluminum, stainless, or mild steel? I ask this because it suprises me how few people know to use aluminum piping for the intercooler. I keep telling people that aluminum disipates heat 6x faster than steel. So I can see how people would want to use steel from the turbo to the intercooler, but from the intercooler to the throttle body is no question.

can't remember who said it, but I read this on toyspeed once. haven't researched it any further or asked anyone else about it until now. I was enquiring about intercooler piping at the local "performance shop" and the guy asked what I'd be using and I said probably alloy (based on the above info), but he couldn't see why. he said maybe if you're running upwards of 15psi it might make some difference, but nothing major.

so who's right? is there much difference? I'm guessing if alloy disipates heat 6x faster than steel, it would be the obvious answer but still interested in everyone elses opinion...

On my subaru i have ali all the way, but id prefer SS off the turbo untill its out of the engine bay, as the pipe runs under my filter and creates alot of heat in the bay

Alloy does disipate heat faster because its more conductive to heat, it also means it heats up faster, theres 3 reasons why id use alloy, its cheap (ok not cheap as just mild steel but cheaper then stanless or any steel you can polish up like crome), you can polish it easy and make it look wicked and its lightweight

mild steels only good cause its cheap, but its heavy and it doesnt look as cool

It also rusts inside