I had AMS Upper and Lower. I ended up sending it back due to a mishap with my car. Nothing to do with parts. Just ended up in a crunch. Anyways I just wanted to get some opinions on pipes. Does it really matter if you buy $350 Upper Pipe or is some off brand $150 stainless steel pipes just as good?

 

Piping is piping, what you want is good fitment. Color choice might be an option for you too.

 

That's pretty much what I thought. I seen it as just a name you're paying for.

 

That's pretty much what it is. I'm sure the price you pay isn't really what it cost for the company's to make them. Its just the respected name that you're really paying for.

 

you're also paying for their r&d

 

its a metal pipe that runs air through it. not gas, not oil, not liquid hot magma. ****ing air.

you are paying for the name when you go ets or ams or ARC, god forbid (dont even get me started on ARC).

when it comes down to the uicp... its a pipe with a couple bends. aesthetics. dont put the ***** on a pedastal.

i run the UR upper and lower. never had a problem. bought them used and the licp is even heat wrapped

 

Yup, a pipe is a pipe. Functions and flows the same.

 

I have the DCSport one and I like it. I didnt pay for it (won it at MOD! whoot!) but I was going to buy the depot UICP when I was looking. Black=stealth and piping is piping.

 

There are two things you want to look for, fitment and materials. Fitment is a no-brainer, everyone wants good fitment. Materials is a subject for debate, some prefer aluminum while others prefer stainless steel. It's been debated numerous times so let's not drag the thread there

 

Almost all UICPs that I've seen are a constant diameter, matching the IC's inlet, and use a funky rubber connector on the turbo outlet to deal with the fact that turbo's outlet is smaller than the IC's inlet. The one UICP setup that I've seen that is different is that from T1R, which includes a replacement turbo outlet that ends up the same diameter as the pipe.

I would love to know if there are any data to suggest that the T1R flows better (or worse) than all of the others. In general, a smooth transition is better than an abrupt transition, but data outrank theory.

 

The ETS is a consistent sized pipe while some taper down a little at some point correct? Are there any threads that actually show better gains than others?

 

I have never seen an UICP with any taper to it. The ETS kits that I've seen used the OE turbo outlet and a rubber connector that smoothly increases in diameter, in contrast to other kits that I've seen that also used the OE turbo outlet and a rubber connector with an abrupt change in diameter. And then there's the T1R kit with the replacement turbo outlet. But I guess I should expand my request for data to include the ETS kit on the same side as the T1R to make it a question of smooth vs abrupt changes in diameter.

 

CBRD has a smooth taper too, their UICP replaces the stock turbo outlet.

 

Do you know of any back-to-back testing of these things/ I know that sudden decreases in diameter are deadly for flow. Sudden increases wouldn't - in theory - be any where near as much of a problem. But it probably isn't optimal, either. The question is how bad is it?

 

I will be going with Nisei one piece upper intercooler pipe when I'm ready to get one. My buddy has both the upper and lower on his evo 9, he loves the fitment and finish.

http://www.nisei-evo.com/