fabricating intercooler pipes?
05-23-02, 07:54 PM
#1
Braap Braap Braap BOOM!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ft. Worth, TX
Posts: 843
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
fabricating intercooler pipes?
I want to get the Greddy 2 row but the version with piping to the Greddy elbow is on backorder for another two weeks. I can't wait. How hard would it be to make the piping meant for the stock elbow to fit?
05-23-02, 08:34 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Corona,CA
Posts: 462
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's not hard if you find someone who is an expert on welding aluminum pipes. Remember how thin aluminum pipes are, you can blow a hole it in it quick. You can pick up some aluminum pipe and u-bends at Burn's Stainless. Just keep in mind that it cost about 3 times as much as steel bends.
05-24-02, 01:22 AM
#5
Rotary Enthusiast
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: las vegas, NV
Posts: 936
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I just finished doing mine.....they came out pretty good IMO. They were quite pricey though! I got the U-bend for $80 and the straight for $30 from Burn's. I have to have my friend weld it and weld the BOV on and i'm done! Pics are in my thread in the 3rd gen section under "she's almost finished".
05-24-02, 04:52 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Kalifornia
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The people at Burns Stainless are great and very helpful. The pipes can be purchased in either A, B or C grades depending upon imperfections. Depends on how **** you are. All material in Aluminum is 6061 T6 or harder. It gets harder with age.
I would not recommend trying to mandrel bend them yourself. I tried by Annealing straight tubing with a rose bud and heat crayon markers to 550 degrees F. for around 1 hour with out much luck. My bends up to 45 degrees had very small ripples ( probably should of tried more hold down pressure)and over 45 degrees looked really bad. After doing more research, I found out that 750 degrees F. for multiple hours ( like 20) then 500 F. for a few more and then a water quench (which I could not understand. ) I was way off and my results showed that.
So buy nice mandrel bends, cut them, fit them and take them to a competent welder. If you are **** like I am, design the bends so you can clean up the inside after welding (over penetration, ooze through). The outside might look beautiful but the inside ( The most important )might be full of SHT
I would not recommend trying to mandrel bend them yourself. I tried by Annealing straight tubing with a rose bud and heat crayon markers to 550 degrees F. for around 1 hour with out much luck. My bends up to 45 degrees had very small ripples ( probably should of tried more hold down pressure)and over 45 degrees looked really bad. After doing more research, I found out that 750 degrees F. for multiple hours ( like 20) then 500 F. for a few more and then a water quench (which I could not understand. ) I was way off and my results showed that.
So buy nice mandrel bends, cut them, fit them and take them to a competent welder. If you are **** like I am, design the bends so you can clean up the inside after welding (over penetration, ooze through). The outside might look beautiful but the inside ( The most important )might be full of SHT
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post