[JoeyFiasco]

Which do you think is the best design/most efficient? The spearco and its many incarnations or the Active Autowerk IC?

[Mr. 5]

Here's my review of the Active Autowerke intercooler;
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...0106&highlight

It's been doing its job for me and I'm extremely happy.

[camaross305]

speacro cores claim to have an increse of about 26rwhp at 15psi but no individuals have proven this themselves.

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by camaross305

speacro cores claim to have an increse of about 26rwhp at 15psi but no individuals have proven this themselves.

This is why I think my tests are ideal.
I could have easily compared the best run of the AA IC to the worst run of the OEM. Just imagine the increases!
Also, If you look at the dyno charts of the AA vs OEM then you can see how some increases are much bigger than just comparing peak numbers to peak numbers.
Look at the increase of hp at 5500 rpm!

[fedinand]

Originally Posted by camaross305

speacro cores claim to have an increse of about 26rwhp at 15psi but no individuals have proven this themselves.

Eugen tested the spearco and got similar results:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...noelle+spearco

[JoeyFiasco]

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

This is why I think my tests are ideal.
I could have easily compared the best run of the AA IC to the worst run of the OEM. Just imagine the increases!
Also, If you look at the dyno charts of the AA vs OEM then you can see how some increases are much bigger than just comparing peak numbers to peak numbers.
Look at the increase of hp at 5500 rpm!

You're wise beyond your years. Thanks for the review link I actually read previously to starting the post, just thought I get other folks involved. I like what you said about the AA IC being thinner and letting more air through.

[TMR]

I love the size of the AA IC.

[XS4]

Measure the temperature and pressure of the air going into the intercooler.
Measure both again going out of the intercooler.
Take these measurements across the rpm band, at the conditions and outside air temps that matter to you.
Compare the before & after numbers.
The greater the temperature drop, and the smaller the loss in pressure, the more efficient the IC is at that particular measurement point. You want the intake air cooled down as much as possible, while keeping as much of the pressure the turbos are giving you.
It doesn't matter how the IC looks, how it's shaped, or whose name is on it.
What matters are the numbers.
Thickness, height, shrouding, piping, these all -contribute- to the numbers, but they mean little -by themselves- because they are all tradeoffs with other factors like internal flow and heat transfer.
Flow: Your IC can be the thickest or the thinnest, but if the internal air paths bounces the air flow off right angles, detours and choked up passages, well it won't flow worth spit. Result: pressure loss. Or you can build a large spacious IC, with impressive street presence, with internal passages so large and so long that the air just sits inside until sustained boost eventually pushes it out. That would be called Lag.
Heat transfer: A 2" straight pipe flows air quite well, but makes a sorry IC because the air traveling thru it (and around it) doesn't interact with enough metal surface area to absorb much heat. A good IC is a balancing act. A Dyno run will interpret some but not all of the factors and translate it into HP & Torque gains.

[JoeyFiasco]

Originally Posted by XS4

Measure the temperature and pressure of the air going into the intercooler.
Measure both again going out of the intercooler.
Take these measurements across the rpm band, at the conditions and outside air temps that matter to you.
Compare the before & after numbers.
The greater the temperature drop, and the smaller the loss in pressure, the more efficient the IC is at that particular measurement point. You want the intake air cooled down as much as possible, while keeping as much of the pressure the turbos are giving you.
It doesn't matter how the IC looks, how it's shaped, or whose name is on it.
What matters are the numbers.
Thickness, height, shrouding, piping, these all -contribute- to the numbers, but they mean little -by themselves- because they are all tradeoffs with other factors like internal flow and heat transfer.
Flow: Your IC can be the thickest or the thinnest, but if the internal air paths bounces the air flow off right angles, detours and choked up passages, well it won't flow worth spit. Result: pressure loss. Or you can build a large spacious IC, with impressive street presence, with internal passages so large and so long that the air just sits inside until sustained boost eventually pushes it out. That would be called Lag.
Heat transfer: A 2" straight pipe flows air quite well, but makes a sorry IC because the air traveling thru it (and around it) doesn't interact with enough metal surface area to absorb much heat. A good IC is a balancing act. A Dyno run will interpret some but not all of the factors and translate it into HP & Torque gains.

Totally agree with you, I would also add manufacturing costs and targetted audience.
I know the IC is meant more to make the overall system more efficient but both units actually increased the power output by more than 10WHP. It's a little hard to compare the two without having the same mods and tunes.

[e.n335]

The Spearco design does not block any other cooling devices in the 335i. I use this FMIC and it performs great.

There is an excellent thread from Orb on the forum: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...hlight=spearco .

+1 for Code3 / Spearco !

[BaLLzZz]

I have an rpi and compared to stock and ease of install are top notch in my book. Also the crafstmanship is top notch.

[John4321]

Do any of the aftermarket intercoolers install without any modifications to crash beams and undertrays? I ran into this problem with my evo and would prefer something that's a simple bolt in.

[BaLLzZz]

Originally Posted by John4321

Do any of the aftermarket intercoolers install without any modifications to crash beams and undertrays? I ran into this problem with my evo and would prefer something that's a simple bolt in.

rpi

[TurboBullett@Ambient Thermal Management]

Originally Posted by John4321

Do any of the aftermarket intercoolers install without any modifications to crash beams and undertrays? I ran into this problem with my evo and would prefer something that's a simple bolt in.

the helix is a direct bolt on, you can install it without removing the front clip its as simple a bolt on as you'll find.

[JoeyFiasco]

Originally Posted by e.n335

The Spearco design does not block any other cooling devices in the 335i. I use this FMIC and it performs great.

There is an excellent thread from Orb on the forum: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...hlight=spearco .

+1 for Code3 / Spearco !

I've read up on these two, are they made by the same manufacture? If you look at the specs, the Spearco supposedly was tested up to 200psi (don't know why you would need it that high, but that equals great worksmanship in my book). The Code3 can only deal with 50+ ish.. Maybe a typo?

[JoeyFiasco]

What about the Helix IC?

"pre and post intercooler temp drop- 153 degrees F" for the Helix from http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...t=85237&page=9

� Temperature drops average over 125� F and 10% better than stock for the Spearco from http://www.treadstoneperformance.com...cooler+Upgrade

[Mr. 5]

Originally Posted by JoeyFiasco

What about the Helix IC?

"pre and post intercooler temp drop- 153 degrees F" for the Helix from http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...t=85237&page=9

� Temperature drops average over 125� F and 10% better than stock for the Spearco from http://www.treadstoneperformance.com...cooler+Upgrade

So the Helix drops the temp by 12.5 more degrees than stock. I don't know these specs with the AA IC, but I do know that it works and it works well.

[JoeyFiasco]

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

So the Helix drops the temp by 12.5 more degrees than stock. I don't know these specs with the AA IC, but I do know that it works and it works well.

no.. that's the Spearco. The Helix drops it around 40 degrees supposedly.