hi all
i was chatting to a car mechanic (bog standard, not a tuner) about why i havent fitted my FMIC yet (huge costs to weld up the pipes) when he suggested i have a try using 2.5" flexi hose (same stuff as used in exhausts). he had a couple of points to make about this method

1. cheap at 20 quid for 2 metres, will need 2x2m lengths for a typical install.
2. flexible enough to move with the engine.
3. solid enough not to blow off at moderate pressures.

im kinda thinking that for the hell of it, i should get 4 metres of this stuff and give it a go. i know the interior surface of the pipe is going to be pretty rough but will that really make much difference?

personally, i am not going after huge power - more a sustained cooling effort for trackday action. once the pipes are fitted, its easy enough to heatwrap them and noone will ever know how cheap it was

thoughts and opinions readily accepted

_________________
Sprint ST165 aka "The 500BHP Sledgehammer" #6 in the Toyota Sprint Series. GT3071 1.9bar

Andy - what is this stuff called that you are thinking of?

_________________
Kris
95 ST205 - slept for 10 years, now waking up...
Avensis
http://www.gtfours.co.uk
_______________________________________
Turbocharging - the replacement for displacement

its called "flex tubing" in the trade Arvin catalogue for replacement exhausts and associated pieces

part number is FCP13L for 64mm tubing.

its basically exhaust flexi
hth

_________________
Sprint ST165 aka "The 500BHP Sledgehammer" #6 in the Toyota Sprint Series. GT3071 1.9bar

hmmm, not too sure about that stuff...immediate reservations for using this stuff would be:

1. Material it is manufactured from
2. Internal construction i.e. smooth would be good
3. How heavy is this going to be?
4. How will you join the ends together with e.g. Samco?
5. Will this hold e.g. 2 bar boost?

Would be very handy is this stuff was a solution, it would save on a lot of hassle for hard pipes?

I suspect that this probably isn't going to be suitable or there would be loads of cars with this already attached to?!

_________________
Kris
95 ST205 - slept for 10 years, now waking up...
Avensis
http://www.gtfours.co.uk
_______________________________________
Turbocharging - the replacement for displacement

Like This stuff Andy?

I would be concerned about poor flow at the boundary layer - you might need to go up a size sort of thing to account for this
Also. I have no idea on the pressure capabilities?
And it's potentially quite heavy

Wort further investigation I suspect. I have had similar thoughts but using exhaust quality rubber hosing like you find on boats. Not that cheep though

http://www.flextubing.com/SelectionGuide.htm

Ether-Pur FLEX 84 & Ester-PUR FLEX 85 is rated to 5500Psi

I would not use it, that’s for sure.

Many reasons, . Low performance, corrosion, loose bits coming off, then entering the engine, many others tooooooo…

You can get Nice shiny 2 1/2" stainless steel pipe for £15 a meter.

I take’s about 3.5 meters approx to make compete system.

Bends, well a few choices, some soft, some hard, cut the 90's for 45, they become cheap that way, some welding, bit of buffing, and sorted.


my website, needs a lick of paint and some polish.

Any benefit of stainless over Ally Jon?

_________________
JP
GT4DC Treasurer

Grey St185 RC
Silver BMW E46 M3
Multicolour yawn Honda VFR400
Silver Honda Civic Type-R

I'm sure I've seen a front mount which was entirely fitted with straight lengths of steel pipe. The curves were made by linking these together with Samco piping.

Is this not a good plan? Would seem to get the best of both worlds to me.

_________________
JDM ST205 (286bhp and 281lb/ft)
JDM ST202 (Finally sold )
1982 Pontiac Trans Am 5.7L V8 (See my website)

Candyman, thsi i sthe typical DIY route for FMIC pipes. the main issue is the hoses blowing off. All hard pipes should really have a form of collar to stop the samco slipping off under boost.

_________________
JP
GT4DC Treasurer

Grey St185 RC
Silver BMW E46 M3
Multicolour yawn Honda VFR400
Silver Honda Civic Type-R

Alloy for race

Stainless for road.

Alloy cools better.

Stainless more durable.

Stainless cheaper, easier to fabricate.

Alloy for me on the wide body, stainless for the road car.

Seen big power with both used.

Alloy is a lot lighter than steel.

just to update: ive gone back to the original plan and started making it in 2.5 inch 316 stainless steel.

to this end, i have 3 metres of straight and 8x 90 degree bends rolling around the back yard

_________________
Sprint ST165 aka "The 500BHP Sledgehammer" #6 in the Toyota Sprint Series. GT3071 1.9bar

Good choice on the grade on stainless Andy

I'll be interested to hear how you get on.

What are your thoughts on the routing of the pipework?

_________________
Kris
95 ST205 - slept for 10 years, now waking up...
Avensis
http://www.gtfours.co.uk
_______________________________________
Turbocharging - the replacement for displacement

gonna take a 90 degree bend right out of the throttle body, then drop it down above the gearbox (have to remove the redundant batteyr tray), under the chassis rail and into the FMIC

the turbo side, going to clock the turbo and see if datajon can hook me up with a clocked actuator bracket, then it should be a simple elongated u-bend to get under the chassis rail into the fmic

_________________
Sprint ST165 aka "The 500BHP Sledgehammer" #6 in the Toyota Sprint Series. GT3071 1.9bar