method to routing Intercooler Piping?
 

I'm currently working on the routing of the hard pipes for my I/C setup.
Since it is not a kit setup, there's no "correct" way to do it. So therefore I have a lot of discretion how to run it.

However, I am wondering what advice, tips, or rules there are to running I/C pipes. Obviously I'd want to make the shortest run with the least amount of bends. Being that I'm tight on space to begin with, I can't run a very simple style route. I'm going to have to have a few bends, whether I like it or not. But how much will that REALLY affect me?

Here are some things I assume...
-hard pipe bends are better than silicone coupler bends
-a rounded 180 is better than 2 90s
-smooth bends are better than sharp ones
-...

anything else i should take into account?

These are 2 current options I'm able to do... (I may figure out others)
I'm thinking the one on the right is the better choice.

(the sharper bends near the IC are where the pipes would be coming towards the front of the car and they would be rounded 90s, not sharp like in the drawing)

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d5...3/74d5f146.png

Granted I am coming from the land of turbos, but I would the setup on the right, and keep your inlet pipe after IC away from the head unit as much as you can. I dunno if SC headunits will heat up as much as a turbo but if so, same thought applies.

One on the right would be the way I would go.

That was exactly my thought, and the pic threw me because I thought it was a turbo at first.

Radiant heat is a bad thing.

yea the one on the right i only thought-up/realized it was possible when i drew the first diagram. Im pretty sure i'll go with that one. Plus after laying it out a little, the TB tube looks WAY better coming up from below than across from the side.

the most scary part of either way is getting the passenger side pipe from engine bay to the Intercooler. I have NO room to run it and the only way involves some cutting but I have it figured out and the end result will be sweet.

one on the right, from everything ive read. and dont forget the few 1/16th " holes on the ends of the ic itself for condensation

Hmm... that is a tricky one. What do the instructions that come with the kit say?

thanks, but no thanks. That's also known as a boost leak.

They say something about me spending all my remaining free time on my V, and helping no one else build anything.... :-P

Yeahhh but when will it be done though?

Had issues with keeping the pipes connected to the intercooler, and if they blew off you had to take the nose off to get them back on, so when we did my setup we made plates that welded to the tubes and then bolted to a mouning point. You can see then between the IC's inlet and outlet.

I say the one on the right. That looks cleaner and more direct. Just make sure your connections are tight or they will pop off.