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      11-30-2011, 12:01 PM   #89
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Originally Posted by BMW86 View Post
The Akra gear looks mint! What diameter are the Akra dp's?
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      12-15-2011, 03:11 PM   #90
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I like how no one has mentioned that the Wagner is a sad copy of our Stepped core intercooler design....I guess people will never stop buying pirated movies and music in the same way that people will buy Wagner and not Helix. When you have spent years creating a product that has a revolutionary design and great reputation, it really boils your blood to see another company make a half ass copy of it...

I would love to put a Helix IC up against a Wagner.


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Originally Posted by HP Autowerks View Post
AR makes one of the best DP's out there right now. Zero fitment issues so far.

Akrapovic is still limited on its info.
Agreed- we take .5 hours off of install when installing AR downpipes.
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      12-15-2011, 04:04 PM   #91
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex@Helix View Post
I like how no one has mentioned that the Wagner is a sad copy of our Stepped core intercooler design....I guess people will never stop buying pirated movies and music in the same way that people will buy Wagner and not Helix. When you have spent years creating a product that has a revolutionary design and great reputation, it really boils your blood to see another company make a half ass copy of it...

I would love to put a Helix IC up against a Wagner.




Agreed- we take .5 hours off of install when installing AR downpipes.
Can Helix build a custom intercooler using factory couplers? I like the Helix intercooler, but would rather use the factory couplers like the HPF & Wagner units use.
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      12-15-2011, 04:15 PM   #92
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Originally Posted by ADVANT123 View Post
Can Helix build a custom intercooler using factory couplers? I like the Helix intercooler, but would rather use the factory couplers like the HPF & Wagner units use.
Unfortunately we do not make them with the factory couplers but for a very good reason. I do not want to start any sort of argument over this but there is a large air flow restriction when using the stock couplers. Please remember that with our set up you can always revert back to a stock intercooler by simply re-using the clamps that we give you to put the stock 90 degree and straight piping pack on. The removal of the larger silicone piping (Helix) and re-installation of the stock piping (BMW) should only take about 5-10 minutes. I dont know why that process is so disliked as it doesnt take very much time at all. The benefits of replacing those stock couplers, even if you dont fully understand or agree with the restriction, greatly outweighs the time you spend taking them off. Would you spend an extra 5-10 minutes working on your car if you thought it would give you a better end result? I know I would. Nothing is irreversible with our set up.

Last edited by Alex@Helix; 12-15-2011 at 04:29 PM..
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      12-15-2011, 07:33 PM   #93
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex@Helix View Post
Unfortunately we do not make them with the factory couplers but for a very good reason. I do not want to start any sort of argument over this but there is a large air flow restriction when using the stock couplers. Please remember that with our set up you can always revert back to a stock intercooler by simply re-using the clamps that we give you to put the stock 90 degree and straight piping pack on. The removal of the larger silicone piping (Helix) and re-installation of the stock piping (BMW) should only take about 5-10 minutes. I dont know why that process is so disliked as it doesnt take very much time at all. The benefits of replacing those stock couplers, even if you dont fully understand or agree with the restriction, greatly outweighs the time you spend taking them off. Would you spend an extra 5-10 minutes working on your car if you thought it would give you a better end result? I know I would. Nothing is irreversible with our set up.
Alex, what kind of power levels have your customers achieved with your upgraded turbos combined with your stepped intercooler + downpipes?

Also, is there a current groupbuy on your intercooler? I noticed that you can "buy" a deposit for the groupbuy on your website.
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      12-15-2011, 08:22 PM   #94
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex@Helix View Post
Unfortunately we do not make them with the factory couplers but for a very good reason. I do not want to start any sort of argument over this but there is a large air flow restriction when using the stock couplers. Please remember that with our set up you can always revert back to a stock intercooler by simply re-using the clamps that we give you to put the stock 90 degree and straight piping pack on. The removal of the larger silicone piping (Helix) and re-installation of the stock piping (BMW) should only take about 5-10 minutes. I dont know why that process is so disliked as it doesnt take very much time at all. The benefits of replacing those stock couplers, even if you dont fully understand or agree with the restriction, greatly outweighs the time you spend taking them off. Would you spend an extra 5-10 minutes working on your car if you thought it would give you a better end result? I know I would. Nothing is irreversible with our set up.
Alex- I'd have no problem spending the extra 5-10 minutes removing the stock couplers if someone could prove to me that the stock couplers are really that restrictive at the power levels that we are talking about here (<450whp). I agree, there will be a point where they will become a restriction, but are we really there yet? All the dynos that I've seen of cars that have HPF intercoolers are very similiar to cars with Helix/ETS/AMS intercoolers. If there really is a "large restriction" as you say- why aren't we seeing it in the dynos? Has Helix performed some some sort of testing to determine how much flow is gained by removing the stock couplers at the <450whp level?

Again- not trying to start a war here, just trying to get the facts out on the table and separate the "theory" from the actual results people are seeing.

Regards,
Joe
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      12-15-2011, 11:05 PM   #95
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bklounge View Post
Alex, what kind of power levels have your customers achieved with your upgraded turbos combined with your stepped intercooler + downpipes?

Also, is there a current groupbuy on your intercooler? I noticed that you can "buy" a deposit for the groupbuy on your website.
I cant say if there is a group buy or not since I am not a vendor on 1addicts. What you can do is look in the turbo section on e90 post or PM me on there.
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      12-15-2011, 11:25 PM   #96
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ADVANT123 View Post
Alex- I'd have no problem spending the extra 5-10 minutes removing the stock couplers if someone could prove to me that the stock couplers are really that restrictive at the power levels that we are talking about here (<450whp). I agree, there will be a point where they will become a restriction, but are we really there yet? All the dynos that I've seen of cars that have HPF intercoolers are very similiar to cars with Helix/ETS/AMS intercoolers. If there really is a "large restriction" as you say- why aren't we seeing it in the dynos? Has Helix performed some some sort of testing to determine how much flow is gained by removing the stock couplers at the <450whp level?

Again- not trying to start a war here, just trying to get the facts out on the table and separate the "theory" from the actual results people are seeing.

Regards,
Joe

Joe,
Are you saying that the restriction is not there? You are saying that air flows better through the picture below than through our silicone couplers?


Truth is there are probably many restrictions in the system but when we are designing a product we do so to the best of our ability. So because most of the cars are under 450 horsepower we shouldn't have made the 10 minute inconvenience for better flow capable of outperforming other companies intercooler past the 450 hp mark? Have you seen the amount of cars upgrading turbos, installing meth, and reaching that 450 horsepower threshold? What you are saying is a 10 minute inconvenience is not worth eliminating a restriction in the system (even it it were minor) and having the ability to run over 450 horsepower with the Helix Intercooler.
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      12-16-2011, 06:53 AM   #97
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex@Helix View Post
Joe,
Are you saying that the restriction is not there? You are saying that air flows better through the picture below than through our silicone couplers?


Truth is there are probably many restrictions in the system but when we are designing a product we do so to the best of our ability. So because most of the cars are under 450 horsepower we shouldn't have made the 10 minute inconvenience for better flow capable of outperforming other companies intercooler past the 450 hp mark? Have you seen the amount of cars upgrading turbos, installing meth, and reaching that 450 horsepower threshold? What you are saying is a 10 minute inconvenience is not worth eliminating a restriction in the system (even it it were minor) and having the ability to run over 450 horsepower with the Helix Intercooler.
So based on your statement above- I'm taking it that you have done testing to prove the stock couplers won't let you run over 450 whp with the Helix Intercooler? All I'm asking for is simple data- show me any kind of dyno in which someone says "I made 500whp with a Helix intercooler but I could only make 450whp with a HPF intercooler".. If you can show me this, I'm sold on the idea- all I'm saying is that I haven't seen ANYONE run into this problem.. YET

Again- I understand your design approach and can appreciate your insight into the future of 600whp+ N54's, but for us guys who only want a 400-450 whp car, the convenience of not having to remove the stock couplers is nice (oh, and not having to hack 2-3" of plastic material off your car like the HPF intercooler does) is nice...

Thanks for your comments and sharing Helix's point of view.

Regards,
Joe
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      12-16-2011, 07:52 AM   #98
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BMW86 View Post
The Akra gear looks mint! What diameter are the Akra dp's?
2 1/2 "
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      12-16-2011, 10:06 AM   #99
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ADVANT123 View Post

So based on your statement above- I'm taking it that you have done testing to prove the stock couplers won't let you run over 450 whp with the Helix Intercooler? All I'm asking for is simple data- show me any kind of dyno in which someone says "I made 500whp with a Helix intercooler but I could only make 450whp with a HPF intercooler".. If you can show me this, I'm sold on the idea- all I'm saying is that I haven't seen ANYONE run into this problem.. YET

Again- I understand your design approach and can appreciate your insight into the future of 600whp+ N54's, but for us guys who only want a 400-450 whp car, the convenience of not having to remove the stock couplers is nice (oh, and not having to hack 2-3" of plastic material off your car like the HPF intercooler does) is nice...

Thanks for your comments and sharing Helix's point of view.

Regards,
Joe

Joe,
Im sorry but I don't see the logic in the first question. You need me to do testing to prove that air moves through 2.5 inches of smooth silicone better than the reduced diameter of that stock piping that I posted above? The 450 horsepower number is the number that you gave me based on your knowledge of intercooler design. Helixs' position is that swapping the stock couplings will help air flow no matter what horsepower range you are in. Whether that turns into exponentially more horsepower after a certain power thresh hold has yet to be tested as there aren't many cars that have over 450-500 whp. There is one, and guess which intercooler he had?! Either way, you cant argue that the restriction isnt present and that we eliminate it. What you can argue, and what I wont be able to decide for you is if eliminating that restriction is worth 10 minutes of your time. Thats it.

My reason for stepping into this thread is because I was disgusted at Wagners poor attempt to copy our design. The intercooler is a TUBE AND FIN design. Granted their tanks are nicely made but everything else is poorly built. That, plus the stock couplers will have this intercooler performing just better than stock but nowhere near the level of the Helix Intercooler. With the Helix intercooler you do not need to trim anything like you do with the HPF. On the 335i there is absolutely no trimming and on the 135 you need to push your ambient air temp sensor up a little bit and trim the 2 sq inches of plastic around it.

Last edited by Alex@Helix; 12-16-2011 at 10:38 AM..
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      12-16-2011, 10:43 AM   #100
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I dont think he is debating if air will flow better or not through a bigger diameter pipe/hose. He is asking is there any data to show that the improved air flow makes a difference. Is the bottle neck of the stock couplers inhibitory enough to make an actual measurable difference.

We can slap on a 12 inch diameter hose and have even less restriction right?
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      12-16-2011, 10:58 AM   #101
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Originally Posted by Papethova View Post
I dont think he is debating if air will flow better or not through a bigger diameter pipe/hose. He is asking is there any data to show that the improved air flow makes a difference. Is the bottle neck of the stock couplers inhibitory enough to make an actual measurable difference.

We can slap on a 12 inch diameter hose and have even less restriction right?
Thank you- exactly my point...
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