stainless vs aluminum IC piping?
The Bull
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,578
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From: Grand Rapids, MI
Aluminum. It's far lighter and thermally works better with the heat. No need to go with that heavy stuff. Look at Lynch's 10.5 setup and you'll see that even his downpipes are aluminum. I wouldn't recommend that for a street setup, but for the strip it's a killer way to consider dropping a few pounds.
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Originally Posted by T/A KID
I have 3 J-bends from Performance E Curve and the material is Aluminized Stainless Steel. What could I use to polish it. What do you guys usually use on Aluminum.
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If the temp of the air going through the intercooler piping is lower than the temp under your hood, you're going to be heating the air in the piping. If the temp of the air going through the intercooler piping is higher than the temp under your hood, you'll be cooling the air in the piping. Which is usually the case?
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I think the air time in the pipe is so small that either will be fine. Aluminum will absorb heat faster than stainless but on a street car both materials will achieve the same final temp. Aluminum in lighter and can be polished but will oxidize and you would have to maintain if you where going for the polished look.
Stainless Steel once polished it stays looking good.
I do not think it will matter, use what ever you have laying around.
Ricky
Stainless Steel once polished it stays looking good.
I do not think it will matter, use what ever you have laying around.
Ricky
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From: Anheuser Busch, Houston Texas
Originally Posted by FastKat
If the temp of the air going through the intercooler piping is lower than the temp under your hood, you're going to be heating the air in the piping. If the temp of the air going through the intercooler piping is higher than the temp under your hood, you'll be cooling the air in the piping. Which is usually the case?
If the air in your FI system is colder than the air under your hood, you would want to insulate the system air from heat absorbtion. If it is warmer, then you want to shed heat from that air with heat rejection into the engine bay.
The implication is ambient underhood temps have a corellation to IC pipe material and thickness, since they will both attempt to average out.
Not really sure if it would make much of a difference.
Thanks for filling in the details there... I kinda got lazy and didn't explain everything in between the lines.
I think a more practical way of looking at it is heat soak. Is your under hood intercooler piping going to heat up from engine heat, actually causing the air flowing through them to heat up? I think the aluminum will transfer the heat faster than stainless, but then again I would say that the amount of heat would be very small. However if/when I put an intercooler pipe next to something hot (exhaust manifold, turbine, radiator) I will use a heat shield.
I think a more practical way of looking at it is heat soak. Is your under hood intercooler piping going to heat up from engine heat, actually causing the air flowing through them to heat up? I think the aluminum will transfer the heat faster than stainless, but then again I would say that the amount of heat would be very small. However if/when I put an intercooler pipe next to something hot (exhaust manifold, turbine, radiator) I will use a heat shield.
Originally Posted by lo_jack
Fastkat is bringing up heat rejection vs. insulation as a determining factor on IC pipe material (and to a degree then thickness). Sounds like an undergrad paper.
If the air in your FI system is colder than the air under your hood, you would want to insulate the system air from heat absorbtion. If it is warmer, then you want to shed heat from that air with heat rejection into the engine bay.
The implication is ambient underhood temps have a corellation to IC pipe material and thickness, since they will both attempt to average out.
Not really sure if it would make much of a difference.
If the air in your FI system is colder than the air under your hood, you would want to insulate the system air from heat absorbtion. If it is warmer, then you want to shed heat from that air with heat rejection into the engine bay.
The implication is ambient underhood temps have a corellation to IC pipe material and thickness, since they will both attempt to average out.
Not really sure if it would make much of a difference.
Free 99 works for me.
Originally Posted by NXRICKY
I think the air time in the pipe is so small that either will be fine. Aluminum will absorb heat faster than stainless but on a street car both materials will achieve the same final temp. Aluminum in lighter and can be polished but will oxidize and you would have to maintain if you where going for the polished look.
Stainless Steel once polished it stays looking good.
I do not think it will matter, use what ever you have laying around.
Ricky
Stainless Steel once polished it stays looking good.
I do not think it will matter, use what ever you have laying around.
Ricky
Originally Posted by raymond mckinney
Carl how u been doing? And cheaper isn't always better!! What's going on with the Hot Rod? U trying to beat me J/k at least mine sounds better with ur old exhaust on it!!
Cheaper is better for this broke *** redneck boy
