Pretty much every IC pipe route I see go from turbo above the exhaust manifold and then to the IC.
Is there any particular reason no one ever go below instead?
Use a Jpipe like this maybe:


Would that not be a better route? Less heat from manifold?

If you were to get a turbo with the compressor outlet facing down you could go that route. That J-pipe in the picture is a DSM style one that still needs to go to the other side though, instead of going on top that one goes below the manifold. Pretty common to see on DSM setups using a TDo5h based turbo.

you'll see more single side or under-manifold routing on garrett-style. It's about setup logic more than heat exchange, the air coming out is already plenty hot.

Quoting GSX_TC:
If you were to get a turbo with the compressor outlet facing down you could go that route. That J-pipe in the picture is a DSM style one that still needs to go to the other side though, instead of going on top that one goes below the manifold. Pretty common to see on DSM setups using a TDo5h based turbo.



thats exactly what he is saying. use the dsm jpipe to go below the turbo, instead of over top the manifold