CorkSport TMIC Cold-pipe

[AndrewCS]

We have been developing a larger volume cold-pipe for top mount intercoolers. This enlarged cold-pipe would offer a better flow path for air exiting the intercooler as well as provide a larger volume for this air to flow through.

The stock cold-pipe is very narrow at the entrance and it doesn’t offer as optimized a path for the air to flow. The air exits the intercooler heading towards the front of the car and as it enters the stock cold-pipe it hits a wall. The CorkSport Cold-pipe would offer a better and more gradual path for the air to follow. This would decrease the turbulence running through the pipe and increase the air flow.

The increased size of the pipe does present a problem with one of the mounting bolts. Our solution is to use an Allen head bolt that can be accessed through the bottom of the pipe. Another nut would be used on the top-side to ensure the bolt doesn’t come loose and end up in your engine. The pipe would come with an NPT plug to plug the hole after installation, or it could be used as a possible mounting location for a methanol/water injection fitting.

Below is a CAD image of the cold-pipe. In the second image you can see the access hole for the bolt that can be plugged or used for methanol/water injection.





The next image shows a 3D print of the pipe next to a stock pipe. You can see how much larger the volume is in the redesign pipe and the improved airflow.



The next image is the 3D print installed in the car. The CorkSport Cold-pipe was designed using the stock pipe as a template so the part will fit just like your OEM cold-pipe.



So what is the benefit?

We did software simulations and flow bench testing of the stock pipe versus the CorkSport pipe. The CorkSport pipe flowed over 15% more air volume than the stock pipe. When combined with a CorkSport Top Mount Intercooler the two flowed about the same due to the intercooler being the most restrictive component in the system.

This means power gains are likely to be minimal from upgrading the OEM cold pipe. We have not dyno tested this part because we believe the power gain would be too small to overcome normal variance on a dyno.

The primary benefit would be to add the NPT port for methanol or water injection.
The retail price for this part would be around $149. How many people are interested in this product for this price?

We are concerned about producing a part without a clear performance benefit. We have to sell lots of these to have a viable product. This may be one of those instances where we spend $1000’s to develop a part only to hit a dead end because the performance benefit was not realized.

Is there anything you would like to see done differently? Any feedback you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

-Andrew

[NCZ13]

I think this is a fantastic option for those who like to keep their factory parts for when they have to stock out, but the lack of a performance benefit will definitely turn alot of buyers off, especially when majority will upgrade the top mount for maximum gains. if there was a way to design the pipe to significantly increase flow even with an upgraded top mount obviously you would attract alot more buyers who are running with larger TMICs. Most people will upgrade their intercooler before going with meth injection, therefor negating the gains from your cold pipe, and the only real benefit remaining being the tap.

Ultimately 150 for a tapped cold pipe which only benefits stock intercoolers flow wise might not be that big of a seller. I dont believe you would sell these in high enough volume to justify the obvious research and design you guys put into your products.

[Pendarus]

I'm not seeing too large of a market for these myself...most BT guys are going with front mounts, and if the overall flow doesn't increase much when its combined with an upgraded TMIC then it's kind of moot in my opinion (other than the NPT port...but there's other solutions for that). The increase in flow with the stock TMIC will not be realized because the IC is the bottleneck in the first place.

As far as different...with a redesigned cold pipe you could also have a less restrictive cold side exit on the TMIC by getting rid of that 90 degree downturn. Think something like the circled portion of the image below and a straight cold pipe entrance. Maybe you would see enough improvement in overall flow in a redesigned cold pipe with the redone cold exit on the IC to help push sales. The IC/cold pipe could be sold as a set for drop in replacement, but again most people going BT are going front mount. So even with the less restrictive cold side exit on the TMIC and cold pipe I'm not sure that there would be that many sales.

AMS_Performance_Mitsubishi_Lancer_Evolution_X_Cast_Front_Mount_Intercooler_FMIC_01-01.jpg

Personally I like TMIC's and would prefer one over FMIC if they were close in performance...heat soak doesn't bother me and the less pipe to pressurize the better...but I digress. Thanks for pushing the development for this platform...it is much appreciated and needed

[tomek_46]

Personally I would pass on this, it sure would be nice but 150 and no real performance gain... I don't have a lot of money so I have to spend it on more useful mods. Thanks for developing new stuff though.

[zatara]

I personally don't think I would get this since it would have such limited gains seeing as I already have a TMIC. However for future sales, would you consider bundling this with your existing TMIC for some sort of package deal? Obviously I'm sure you guys have marketing people that could help with sales.

I do think the port for Meth/ water injection is an awesome idea.

[Mistersix]

depends if people who go bt stick with the tmic. i intend to go bt but am unsure of goin fmic. i like the stealth and simplicity of tmic and would want to maximize every aspect when going bt.

so for me this product has legitimacy.

there may be more benefit from this piece when pushing more boost?

[Sid3wayS]

Love to see you guys trying to advance the platform but I personaly dont see this going anywhere. $150 dollars for a cold pipe that wont give me anything but another possible point to check for a boost leak. Yeah the fact that I dont have to tap my own hole for w/m injection is nice but if Im daring enough to run meth, I had better be daring enough to tap and thread a piece of metal. I actualy like the idea @Pendarus had of making the tmic and cold pipe one piece. Make them both bigger to flow more to compare to fmic and get rid of the real problem that is the "U" turn that the flow of air does.

[Pendarus]

Originally Posted by Sid3wayS Love to see you guys trying to advance the platform but I personaly dont see this going anywhere. $150 dollars for a cold pipe that wont give me anything but another possible point to check for a boost leak. Yeah the fact that I dont have to tap my own hole for w/m injection is nice but if Im daring enough to run meth, I had better be daring enough to tap and thread a piece of metal. I actualy like the idea @Pendarus had of making the tmic and cold pipe one piece. Make them both bigger to flow more to compare to fmic and get rid of the real problem that is the "U" turn that the flow of air does.

I was actually thinking of keeping the two pieces separate so that if you wanted to do something to the cold pipe/attachments to the cold pipe and you fucked something up then you wouldn't have messed up the castings/welded pieces permanently attached to the core. It would act as one smooth piece obviously, but I'd think keeping them separable would keep options open for future modding/fail protection :p It would probably keep down cost too if they outsource the core to another company (i have no idea if they do or not)...there are probably "standard" core attachment options that they could select so it wouldn't have to be some crazy cast/welded part they have attach to the core.

[skeeter149]

hey at least its a viable option for people like me who stripped the holes for the bypass valve.

[Pendarus]

True...it's probably a hell of a lot cheaper than OEM for stuff like that.

[neonracer27]

Is there a difference between this and possibly boring out the OEM CP? I think that this will only help with airflow and making it less restrictive. Dyno is the only way to know for sure though IMO.

[Pendarus]

Originally Posted by neonracer27 Is there a difference between this and possibly boring out the OEM CP? I think that this will only help with airflow and making it less restrictive. Dyno is the only way to know for sure though IMO.

I don't think you can bore it out to the dimensions that CS has designed the new one to...check out the side by side and then the shitty transposition I did with my awesome paint skills (sorry I don't have anything more powerful than paint to rotate stuff correctly lol)

stockvsprint.jpg stockvsprint_1.jpg

Plus at $150 you'd probably do better to get the new piece and not modify the stock one. Paying someone to go in there with a grinder/dremel (and not fuck it up) would probably cost nearly as much as just buying the CS one.

[neonracer27]

your right, good catch, an all out custom pipe might be the way, but I think you would run into the same price range. Hopefully they dyno this and prove that it helps out.

[AndrewCS]

Hey guys, I appreciate all of the feedback. Since we've already put some time and money into this and it's not showing any decent improvements and based off of your comments, we are going to be stopping development on this one. Unfortunately this happens sometimes where we get going on a project only to realize its not worth the time and effort. Again I appreciate the feedback and now we can get going on some other parts for you guys! I wrote a blog about this part that should be going up soon so look out for it. Thanks again!

-Andrew

[dale_gribble]

Necrothreading. This is the first I have read of this even though I have been thinking about this for a while.

@CorkSport; your guy mentioned that in simulation the upgraded cold pipe was not a restriction and that the upgraded TMIC was causing the cold tube to be a moot point. Where was the choke point in the TMIC? Was it the hot side end tank, the core itself or the cold side end tank or the design altogether?

[CorkSport]

It was the core itself.

Derrick

[Monotonous ONE]

Not worth it on your end.


Dont do it.

[dale_gribble]

I didn't suggest it was worth it for them to pursue at this point, I was merely curious where they determined where the flow restriction was.

Thanks @CorkSport;

[CorkSport]

It was one of those weird parts which looked good until we did the testing then it hit the failboat for being worthwhile.

-Derrick

[Monotonous ONE]

Even a vendor who shalt not be named considered doing it and realized it wasn't worth it.