hey i was wondering,
I know on all the sites like ETS and AMS, it says upgrading the intercooler to 3.5 will increase hp. But is it really worth it on a stock turbo? or is it just more for looks? I would greatly appreciate your opinions/ proven results

 

Depends on how much boost you run and how hot the area you live in. The stock intercooler also will heat soak if you like to run the car hard, better replacements will not heat soak as quickly

 

okay, thanks i know off topic , but how do you like your kelford 272's? Did you upgrade valve springs and retainers?

 

Intercooler is a great upgrade to combat heat soak.

Kelfords are good, but on the IX,I would personally run Cossie M2's or GSC S2's if you can get your hands on them. Early Kelfords would snap by the Mivec,but they fixed that now.

 

I like them just fine, cams don't make a ridiculous gains. I will be maxing the stock turbo the best I can so I felt cams were necessary. I felt a little difference when changing them but then again I rarely drive by myself so the added weight never helps I did upgrade the valve springs but I left the stock retainers.

 

so ams or ets?

 

which do you think is a better investment?

 

Ets 3.5"?

 

lots of intercoolers out there man besides those two you need to look and also depends on how much power your shooting for just make sure its 3.5" whatever you buy

AMS
Buschur
APS
ARC
Greddy
ETS
Cbrd
Mishimoto

 

okay thanks=) im looking for close 350-400 as a dd

 

how much are you looking to spend??

 

Dont listen to these guys i have back to back dynos of me swaping the stocker tor a bushur 3.5 in fmic and yeah i gained 15 awhp but lost 20 tq NOT WORTH IT DONT DO IT. Just get a lower intercooler pipe, couplers and t clamps

 

as of right now, I am trying to get as much as I can with the stock turbo. Do you think its reachable? sorry if these are stupid questions, I am doing as much reading as I can find lol

 

really? you lost tq? do you think its necessary on stock turbo? or is it just more for looks?

 

there was obviously something wrong with that guys setup above terrible advice get the intercooler. you will not get more then 400whp out the stock tubo and thats pushing it really hard so its most likely to blow so average 350-370 range. the oem intercooler will heatsink easy so it will make getting your goal harder. as stated get one of the companies above. good thing about this forum is there are plenty of used intercoolers for sale around the 500 range so you can get a quality one and be set for good.