IC Pressure

[holeshotmoe]

Bought a custom IC here and while the hard pipes are very nice, the IC blew a leak when I started jacking the pressure up around 18 lbs. Got it welded and now I think I have another leak because it's starting to behave like it did before. Is 18-20 psi considered high for most ICs, or do you think the IC might be ebay junk? Just wondering what some of the popular front mounts (ETS, Greddy, EVO stocker, etc) can handle. Thanks.

 

[Andy_S]

20psi isn't much for any intercooler, even an ebay one. You might have one that had some poor quality control.

 

[EMX5636]

I have a genuine Apex Core with custom end-tanks. It's ballooning pretty good on the top and bottom, but hasn't blown yet. This is at 33-34psi. If you're blowing at around 20, it's either a defect, or a really really crappy core. I've seen a few decent Ebay cores run over 30psi no probs yet.

 

[NateCrisman]

I'v run well past 30psi on an ebay XCpower 24x12x4 air/air core and also have been running mid 30's on what is surely a cheapo chineese air/water sold by Frozen Boost. IMHO, any intercooler should have no trouble holding 30+psi of boost regardless of who makes it. Agree with above that it wasn't welded correctly or something and should be an easy fix. It's not the case that XXX intercooler is only good to XXXpsi.

 

[curtis]

The problem with IC's on the market today is competition. There's so many and there selling them cheaper and cheaper. They all try to make the prettiest welds they can but a 1/8 inch weld that looks like a stack of dimes knocked over may look good but only be welded on 40 amps and only penetrate 1/32. The little stack of dimes are acheaved with single passes and usually the part is stamp cut and the edges not groved out or anything. If you make a wider weld and make a preheat weld and the second pass putting more heat in it it welds deep and want fail. I've fixed probably a dozen for locals that are this way and a bunch of different Intake manifolds. Brands don't really matter its how hard you beat on it luck of the draw and Mr Murphy. I've fixed Magnus intakes, the HKS knock off ones from ebay and the cheap delta cores on ebay all the way to the short route IC from extermepsi. Not bashing anyone's stuff just telling you what I've fixed. After I sold my s362 to a local buddy 2 days later he called and said the cars acting funny. the next day he called wanting the IC welded up . The grown ass man turbo spit the end tank all the way across the front and ballooned it out about an inch.

Repairing is usually worst than building from scratch dirt, grease, oil, funk and everything else is in the void under the weld then when you start to weld the contaminates start to float up and leaves a black nasty mess or worst starts a hole. I usually fix the split then go over all the welds the second time and sometimes for really bad ones or ballooning I'll wrap 1 x 1/8 inch flat bar around the tank and make a strap to either keep it from ballooning or hold the two halves together on a intake.

 

[holeshotmoe]

Thanks for the replies and background info. This IC was not a factory piece, but a factory core that someone had welded their own tanks onto. The leak I just got fixed was on the cold side where the IC meets the tank. It looked like the IC material broke away from the weld. The tanks are pretty heavy duty, but the IC appeared to be pretty thin stuff. But still, it should be able to take 20 psi. I suspect that the temp was too hot when welded and burned the thin IC material. I'll confirm whether this new problem is a leak in a few days. But I'm pretty sure it is...same symptoms as before.

 

[curtis]

Well when you get it off clean and clean somemore then pour solvent through it and let it soak then run a parts washer through it , then clean then a hose. Then take a new stainless steel brush that is perfectly clean and brush the piss out of all the areas that need to be welded and carry it to be welded. I would say ship it here but buy the time shipping and everything happens you could get it done there for the price of just one way of shipping and be done in 10 minutes instead of a week around trip. Just make sure its clean and inspect by pressure checking it in a bath tub or swimming pool with 30 or 40 psi on it for a while. If its going to fail it will then.

 

[AWDnot2]

Cracks on the tank to core area are mostly due to the material thickness of the tank being too thin, causing "oil canning". .090" is the thinnest I'd recommend. Thicker depending on the shape and size of the tank. Even on .090" pre-heat is not necessary. Bar and plate core with 3/16"-1/4" header and .090" tanks, I always see our welder set his rig to 160amps. I wouldn't think 40amps would even create a puddle.

I can also confirm the newer crap from china. Our current core mfgr from china is becoming such a problem that we're looking for a new mfgr/supplier and we've been dealing with this company for over 10 years. I'd say about 50% of our cores have core leaks that have to be repaired. this all started about a year ago.