# Gen 2 Upper Intercooler Pipe Project Complete.



## EricSmit (Dec 21, 2016)

That looks way better. hahaha.


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## Quagga (May 30, 2017)

Does this go all the way down to intercooler outlet?


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## idrive65 (Feb 13, 2017)

Yes, it goes all the way to the intercooler exit. Everything is still nice and tight.


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## anthonysmith93 (Jul 15, 2015)

I wanna do this to my Gen 1


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## Choda (Apr 6, 2017)

Man i really wish you guys did dyno or track results with your DIY mods. The oem cold pipes dont look very restricting and going out of the FMIC at 2 inch up into a 2.5 inch pipe up the engine bay and back down into 2 inch at the TB... I would guess, hurt performance and airflow. I don't know for sure but I'm guessing keeping it a 2 inch pipe from FMIC to TB would be best. But again, the stock piping doesn't look bad.

You are feeling better low end power but are you seeing any difference in total boost? Im surprised you are hearing the turbo more also

Errrrr lmao


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## idrive65 (Feb 13, 2017)

My thinking was this is a closed loop between the FMIC and throttle body. Without a vent or BOV air can't escape. After coming out of the FMIC from a 2.0 to a 2.5 inch tube, air velocity would slow down as it decompresses into the larger diameter. (Bad) However, heat would instantly lower as a byproduct of the pressure decreasing. (Good). Then as the air travelled the length of the metal (not plastic) upper tube towards the throttle body, heat would further dissapate since metal loves to attract heat. (good--even if it was milliseconds). And again because of the closed loop.....right before the throttle body, air velocity would have to increase back up as it went from 2.5 to 2.0 tubing. (good). So the engine would see the same velocity. That was my thought process. 
Also, with metal tubing, sound will bounce differently then plastic which is why I'm probably hearing the turbo.


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## Choda (Apr 6, 2017)

hmmmm you got me thinking


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## loveshackle (May 30, 2017)

Choda said:


> Man i really wish you guys did dyno or track results with your DIY mods.


^^^this^^^


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## 5banger (Dec 9, 2016)

I'll replacing my plastic tube with 3" aluminum tubing and relocating the maf close to the tb. I will be recalibrating the tune to support this. We'll see how it turns out.


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## idrive65 (Feb 13, 2017)

Cool


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## dustinz85 (Jun 28, 2017)

Does this work for the Gen2 TD models?


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## Choda (Apr 6, 2017)

5banger said:


> I'll replacing my plastic tube with 3" aluminum tubing and relocating the maf close to the tb. I will be recalibrating the tune to support this. We'll see how it turns out.


areyouabletoproducebeforeandafterresults?


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## 5banger (Dec 9, 2016)

Will do.


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## Choda (Apr 6, 2017)

How? Track times would be great. The trap speed will be a clear indicator


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## 5banger (Dec 9, 2016)

I'm not going to the track but I'll post an acceleration video.


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## idrive65 (Feb 13, 2017)

One of these days I will have to get the dimensions of the intercooler so I can compare it to my Cobalt's. Since the Gen 2 piping is compatible, maybe a bracket adapter can be made to make it fit.


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## Choda (Apr 6, 2017)

5banger said:


> I'm not going to the track but I'll post an acceleration video.


Nice, do you have the ability to over lay the stock piping vs the new ones? Do you have a way of logging boost?


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## 5banger (Dec 9, 2016)

I'm using hptuners so boost will be in the log.


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## Choda (Apr 6, 2017)

5banger said:


> i'm using hptuners so boost will be in the log.


yes!!!!!!


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## 5banger (Dec 9, 2016)

To the OP, now you need to do the lower charge pipe. Mine made a good improvement according to my log data. Spool time decreased and starts sooner. More low end torque and top end. I attribute the gains to the rigidity of the tube and removal of that goofy resonator thing connected to the compressor outlet.


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## idrive65 (Feb 13, 2017)

Will do. And congrats on pushing the envelope. I will be be getting under the car soon.


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## 5banger (Dec 9, 2016)

Finished up my hotside charge pipe.


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## idrive65 (Feb 13, 2017)

5banger said:


> Finished up my hotside charge pipe.


So are those two (2) 90 degree bend pipes? Or is one of them more like a 60 degree bend mated with a 90 degree?


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## Choda (Apr 6, 2017)

Very nice setup and thanks for providing some info using your logs


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## 5banger (Dec 9, 2016)

idrive65 said:


> 5banger said:
> 
> 
> > Finished up my hotside charge pipe.
> ...


Just two 90's. There's a bump that lines up with a notch in the stock quick disconnect that you'll need to remove on the intercooler to get the hose coupler on and create a proper seal. I'm not sure why they used plastic on the upper charge pipe and rubber on the lower charge pipe.


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## idrive65 (Feb 13, 2017)

Is The turbo exit a 2 inch diameter? I want to get the right silicone size for the exit.


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## 5banger (Dec 9, 2016)

idrive65 said:


> Is The turbo exit a 2 inch diameter? I want to get the right silicone size for the exit.


1.75" actually. It's ridiculously tiny.


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## 5banger (Dec 9, 2016)

Finished mine for the most part. Just need to get my good quality hose coupler in the mail to replace the crappy spectra coupler holding the two pipes together.


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## LDForget (Jul 15, 2017)

Can you make a list of the different sizes of tubes/couplers/modifications needed to run hardpipes?


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## idrive65 (Feb 13, 2017)

Hot charge pipe off the turbo(Bottom side)is: 1.75 to 2.5 silicone coupler. Then a 90 degree black 2.5 inch aluminum pipe. A long extended one about 18 inches. Then a 2.5 to 2.5 silicone coupler. Then a 90 degree aluminum pipe. Then a 2.5 to 2.5 silicone coupler. I bought the ones with the clamps included on the couplers.


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## idrive65 (Feb 13, 2017)

Topside recommendation: don't buy tight 90 degree piping. Buy the 90 degree 2.5 inch piping that is an easy bend. In other words it takes it's time before it gets to the 90 degree mark. Hopefully, that makes sense. Also, you need a 90 degree 2.5 to 2.0 inch silicone coupler for the final connection at top. The intercooler exit is 2.0 inch. So you will need a 2.0 to 2.5 exit coupler.


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## 5banger (Dec 9, 2016)

I used 2.5" silicone couplers to slide over that bump notch thing on the intercooler inlet and outlet.


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## lmiller0810 (Oct 10, 2013)

Maybe I missed it but, didn’t the ZZP/Hahn pipe have a BOV spot?


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## idrive65 (Feb 13, 2017)

Hopefully I'm following your question correctly. On ZZP, ecotec section, you can select with or without the bov option. As far as old Hahn products, the piping I used in this project is Hahn LNF upper without a bov. So there are ones without if you can find someone selling one. Or you will have to configure your own.


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## lmiller0810 (Oct 10, 2013)

Thanks. Long day yesterday. 


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## lmiller0810 (Oct 10, 2013)

I have had two orders of the elbows go bad. Any chance you can give me the seller or a link to the ones you got?


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## lmiller0810 (Oct 10, 2013)

Not the same.










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## idtuner (Jun 2, 2018)

Confused cause I thought the first post said it would fit after trimming it?



lmiller0810 said:


> Not the same.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Xpod666 (Feb 5, 2019)

I found this Injen piping for the cobalt ss. Will it fit on the Cruze? 



https://www.amazon.com/Injen-Techno...DVHTGQ69CAM&psc=1&refRID=RHC10FVG5B5JQCTWPB6A


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## mchristjr1983 (Sep 16, 2019)

Xpod666 said:


> I found this Injen piping for the cobalt ss. Will it fit on the Cruze?


It can be modified to fit for the cold side. A guy from Gen2 Cruze Owners FB group just did a decent write-up on it. I've currently got the pipes and waiting on couplers and hardware. I need very badly to obtain an electric saw.


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## Xpod666 (Feb 5, 2019)

mchristjr1983 said:


> It can be modified to fit for the cold side. A guy from Gen2 Cruze Owners FB group just did a decent write-up on it. I've currently got the pipes and waiting on couplers and hardware. I need very badly to obtain an electric saw.


Looks like he did a good job on it. I just ordered mine and some couplers.


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## 2017Blkbeauty (Mar 29, 2019)

Can you provide links to the proper parts zzp or Hahn.


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## Bigchris10 (Dec 30, 2019)

idrive65 said:


> I just completed my DIY intercooler Upper pipes for 2016+ Gen2 Cruze.
> No one has it available, so i did it myself.
> 
> I currently own a Cobalt SS and my wife has a Gen 2 Cruze Sedan Manual Shift. The ZZP upper and lower pipes on my Cobalt SS were measured and saw that it was close and angles were very similar.
> ...





idrive65 said:


> I just completed my DIY intercooler Upper pipes for 2016+ Gen2 Cruze.
> No one has it available, so i did it myself.
> 
> I currently own a Cobalt SS and my wife has a Gen 2 Cruze Sedan Manual Shift. The ZZP upper and lower pipes on my Cobalt SS were measured and saw that it was close and angles were very similar.
> ...


Is this the top pipe you’re talking about I can’t tell if it’s the one you used


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## Arizona (Nov 23, 2021)

idrive65 said:


> I just completed my DIY intercooler Upper pipes for 2016+ Gen2 Cruze.
> No one has it available, so i did it myself.
> 
> I currently own a Cobalt SS and my wife has a Gen 2 Cruze Sedan Manual Shift. The ZZP upper and lower pipes on my Cobalt SS were measured and saw that it was close and angles were very similar.
> ...


My I ask why the upper intercooler hose mod? Bigger? Less ridges?


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## Arizona (Nov 23, 2021)

idrive65 said:


> I just completed my DIY intercooler Upper pipes for 2016+ Gen2 Cruze.
> No one has it available, so i did it myself.
> 
> I currently own a Cobalt SS and my wife has a Gen 2 Cruze Sedan Manual Shift. The ZZP upper and lower pipes on my Cobalt SS were measured and saw that it was close and angles were very similar.
> ...


I have a 2017 Cruze sedan. From what I understood and by the photos the pipe went all the way to the interintercooler outlet. By the pics the lower union is way higher than the intercooler outlet and there is more bends down lower. Not straight in. Did you alter the existing outlet pipe too by cutting it off up higher than it going all the way to the exit. The union is more near the top and the exit is down a lot lower than where that forward pipe clamp is at.


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