[Xx__xs]

Hey guys, I want to get an intercooler and downpipes for my car, but I can't get them both at once.

Which one should I purchase first? Does it matter?

And what is the most suggested brand for both of these?

For the downpipes what diameter works best. I have jb3 and intake on my car.

[momstmg78]

Downpipes- ar design
Fmic- hpf, Ams, helix

[Zaw]

Good question...
subscribed...

[Bimmer This]

You will be able to feel the power increase with DP's first. IC, not so much.

[Smitty1]

If cost matters I would go CX for the intercooler. It also all of 150.00 bucks not including the piping.

[Xx__xs]

Would the downpipes eliminate my cats? So its illegal?

I already have a muffler delete, will it make my car louder? I dont want tickets

[Forcefed3]

Downpipes.

[Forcefed3]

Originally Posted by Bimmer This

You will be able to feel the power increase with DP's first. IC, not so much.

I felt a large gain with my IC.

[ciomas]

I see you have a tune already - dowpipes will let your turbos (which are working hard already) breathe - will spool up better, car will become more responsive.

[SV Concepts III]

Start with downpipes. If you go catless, then they are not street legal. You can opt for high flow cats to pass emissions.

[Forcefed3]

Originally Posted by System Of A...

Would the downpipes eliminate my cats? So its illegal?

I already have a muffler delete, will it make my car louder? I dont want tickets

Yes it will make it louder.

[UCF 335]

its winter right now so go dps now and save up for FMIC closer to the summer

[ETS Michael]

Front mount helps all the way across the board. It also helps keep the tune (even stock) very consistent from one pull to another. When using the V5 we picked up over 30whp on our MAX wheel hp and a bunch more power through out the pull. The upgraded intercooler also recovered faster between pulls and didn't heat soak like the stock unit.

Right now the weather is nice and cool, but we did our testing in cool and hot weather and in both circumstances we gained with an upgraded intercooler.

The way we planned did our upgrades were as followed.

Stock
Stock + Procede
Stock + Procede + DCI/Charge Pipe
Stock + Procede + DCI/Charge Pipe + Intercooler
Stock + Procede + DCI/Charge Pipe + Intercooler + Exhaust
Stock + Procede + DCI/Charge Pipe + Intercooler + Exhaust + Downpipes

With this upgrade path we were able to put down 400/428 on 92 pump gas. We used STD correction and 5 on our Dynojet.

You have several ways you can go in the upgrade path, but in the end this is what we found to be the most beneficial.

Good luck on your upgrades! If interested, we will be releasing our complete product line shortly. We offer a 5.0" intercooler with no cutting as well as a 7.0" which requires minor trimming. We also have a set of downpipes available shortly.

Thanks!

Michael

[ciomas]

Originally Posted by UCF 335

its winter right now so go dps now and save up for FMIC closer to the summer

[Forcefed3]

Originally Posted by ETS Michael

Front mount helps all the way across the board. It also helps keep the tune (even stock) very consistent from one pull to another. When using the V5 we picked up over 30whp on our MAX wheel hp and a bunch more power through out the pull. The upgraded intercooler also recovered faster between pulls and didn't heat soak like the stock unit.

Right now the weather is nice and cool, but we did our testing in cool and warm weather and in both circumstances we gained with an upgraded intercooler.

The way we planned did our upgrades were as followed.

Stock
Stock + Procede
Stock + Procede + DCI/Charge Pipe
Stock + Procede + DCI/Charge Pipe + Intercooler
Stock + Procede + DCI/Charge Pipe + Intercooler + Exhaust
Stock + Procede + DCI/Charge Pipe + Intercooler + Exhaust + Downpipes

With this upgrade path we were able to put down 400/428 on 92 pump gas. We used STD correction and 5 on our Dynojet.

You have several ways you can go in the upgrade path, but in the end this is what we found to be the most beneficial.

Good luck on your upgrades! If interested, we will be releasing our complete product line shortly. We offer a 5.0" intercooler with no cutting as well as a 7.0" which requires minor trimming. We also have a set of downpipes available shortly.

Thanks!

Michael

Why would you get an exhaust before downpipes? I dont understand that.

[ETS Michael]

Originally Posted by gbreeE90

Why would you get an exhaust before downpipes? I dont understand that.

We picked up power from the exhaust by removing the 2 factory cats and resonator. The exhaust is very simple to install and we found most customers purchase an exhaust before downpipes.

We have also had reports from customers who purchased downpipes before deleting the factory secondary cats had problems with the secondary cats clogging and restricting flow.

Thanks!

Michael

[Forcefed3]

Originally Posted by ETS Michael

We picked up power from the exhaust by removing the 2 factory cats and resonator. The exhaust is very simple to install and we found most customers purchase an exhaust before downpipes.

We have also had reports from customers who purchased downpipes before deleting the factory secondary cats had problems with the secondary cats clogging and restricting flow.

Thanks!

Michael

Oh okay, I have never heard of anyone complaining about the secondary cats; but if thats what people thats fine.

[themyst]

Originally Posted by ETS Michael

We picked up power from the exhaust by removing the 2 factory cats and resonator. The exhaust is very simple to install and we found most customers purchase an exhaust before downpipes.

We have also had reports from customers who purchased downpipes before deleting the factory secondary cats had problems with the secondary cats clogging and restricting flow.

Thanks!

Michael

Interesting information. To my understanding, the downpipes are the largest restriction in the whole exhaust system. The restriction on the mid-cats are minimal at best and I have never heard of anyone reporting a power gain from cutting the resonator present on the E90. Removal of the mid-cats and resonator will also make the car sound terrible. Perhaps I'm getting too old for this

[ETS Michael]

Originally Posted by gbreeE90

Oh okay, I have never heard of anyone complaining about the secondary cats; but if thats what people thats fine.

Honestly... It's not very common. You can run with secondary cats for a long time, but under extreme circumstances or heavy driving (track) you could risk it.

Michael

[ETS Michael]

Originally Posted by themyst

Interesting information. To my understanding, the downpipes are the largest restriction in the whole exhaust system. The restriction on the mid-cats are minimal at best and I have never heard of anyone reporting a power gain from cutting the resonator present on the E90. Removal of the mid-cats and resonator will also make the car sound terrible. Perhaps I'm getting too old for this

We built a whole new 2.5" exhaust system and the car sounds great! We didn't just remove the factory cats. We only gained around 5whp and 10trq, but we did gain. The downpipes gained 15whp and 15trq. I guess in the end it depends on the customer.

It seems the majority of customers still have factory warranty and removing the downpipes before service is a pain for the average guy. I know I wouldn't want to do it. So it seemed logical to make the downpipes the last upgrade. The exhaust is a simple install.

Thanks!

Michael

[themyst]

Originally Posted by ETS Michael

We built a whole new 2.5" exhaust system and the car sounds great! We didn't just remove the factory cats. We only gained around 5whp and 10trq, but we did gain. The downpipes gained 15whp and 15trq. I guess in the end it depends on the customer.

It seems the majority of customers still have factory warranty and removing the downpipes before service is a pain for the average guy. I know I wouldn't want to do it. So it seemed logical to make the downpipes the last upgrade. The exhaust is a simple install.

Thanks!

Michael

Pft, I'll tax my turbos 0.5psi harder to offset the gains from an exhaust As a daily driver driven 60 miles a day, no one could pay me to put one on my car

[Mikey_Bo0sts]

Originally Posted by ETS Michael

We built a whole new 2.5" exhaust system and the car sounds great! We didn't just remove the factory cats. We only gained around 5whp and 10trq, but we did gain. The downpipes gained 15whp and 15trq. I guess in the end it depends on the customer.

It seems the majority of customers still have factory warranty and removing the downpipes before service is a pain for the average guy. I know I wouldn't want to do it. So it seemed logical to make the downpipes the last upgrade. The exhaust is a simple install.

Thanks!

Michael

Exhaust only gained 5 whp ?? , when are you going to introduce the products already ?