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CTS Direct Fit Intercooler experiences?

ashiun

Ready to race!
Location
Toronto, Ontario
Ya boy here took advantage of a GREAT deal and is getting his CTS Direct Fit intercooler installed for under 1K CAD. Problem is, I can't find much information about this particular unit vs. say... the IE, Wagner, and Unitronic ICs. Anybody here running this IC able to chime in?

Direct fit as in stock location, not the FMIC one. I'm also having trouble opening almost half of the datazaps in the intercooler thread.

As far as volume goes, it had about 85% more volume. Can't find any information regarding pressure drop.

On another note, I'm so ready to join the big boys. Going to have my clutch done soon (RSR) and finally push some bigger numbers, just a shame it will be winter soon. I've already got my intake (hah) and downpipe on, and have lowered my JB4 to a 4psi peak with pretty much under 3psi under 3k RPM to preserve my stock clutch.
 

larbel

New member
Location
Hong Kong/LA
Could you please help and share the actual weight of the CTS unit? I'm putting together a small list of IC weight and it would greatly help.. The CTS should be bar & plate and pretty heavy right?
 

ashiun

Ready to race!
Location
Toronto, Ontario
Could you please help and share the actual weight of the CTS unit? I'm putting together a small list of IC weight and it would greatly help.. The CTS should be bar & plate and pretty heavy right?

I can certainly try, though only if I can bring a scale to the shop because he's putting it straight in when it arrives.

I'm actually looking forward to it being heavy though. More weight over the front axle to help with my traction woes :D
 

ashiun

Ready to race!
Location
Toronto, Ontario
I guess I'll be the guinea pig for you guys then. Nobody else seems to have the CTS stock location IC.
 

ashiun

Ready to race!
Location
Toronto, Ontario
I have had it for over 5 months.

Oh! Now that I think about it I remember seeing your name come up in a couple threads about intercoolers. I've also been unable to open any of your datazaps for some reason.
 

liljonny16

Ready to race!
Location
MS, FL
I have it. Installed it a little over a month ago. In this the Texas heat, it's been great. Does exactly what it says. My only complaint is the amount of "trimming" that is needed to install it. IMO, the instructions don't do a good job of quantifying just how much "trimming" is actually needed to install the intercooler. I spent more time "trimming" than I did removing the stock unit and installing the CTS one. Just my experience. I do have experience installing these factory replacement intercoolers as I installed a EuroJet one on my CC and I installed a buddies APR one on his Golf R, neither of which required any "trimming."
 

ashiun

Ready to race!
Location
Toronto, Ontario
I have it. Installed it a little over a month ago. In this the Texas heat, it's been great. Does exactly what it says. My only complaint is the amount of "trimming" that is needed to install it. IMO, the instructions don't do a good job of quantifying just how much "trimming" is actually needed to install the intercooler. I spent more time "trimming" than I did removing the stock unit and installing the CTS one. Just my experience. I do have experience installing these factory replacement intercoolers as I installed a EuroJet one on my CC and I installed a buddies APR one on his Golf R, neither of which required any "trimming."

Ehe good thing I'm not doing the install myself :^)
 

JerseyDrew77

Autocross Champion
Location
Virginia & NC
Car(s)
2016 TR GTI S 6MT
I guess I'll be the guinea pig for you guys then. Nobody else seems to have the CTS stock location IC.

I've had it for over 8 months now. Yes, it's a little heavy but that's because it's a bar & plate design; better than tube & fin. It definitely does its job, you can take a look at my dyno sheet. I did 3 pulls, back to back and all 3 were pretty much on top of one another.
 

auditthxckid

Ready to race!
Location
skokie
Cool, thanks. I don’t know why people haven’t talked that much about this IC. I was able to pick it up on eBay for $450 brand new so I thought it was the best option for me.


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Zx2man

Ready to race!
Location
Vancouver, Wa
Im pulling the trigger tomorrow on one. A local euro performance shop with solid reviews has installed a few and said they perform extremely well. Fitment is tight but good. 639+300 iabor. So 940 installed. I dont got my garage no more, no floor jack, car port living in a apt, fuck it ill pay for the install lol.
 

ashiun

Ready to race!
Location
Toronto, Ontario
It does well. Idle temperatures are nothing to write home about, but under boost temps drop very rapidly.

No matter how long I've been sitting in traffic and heatsoaked, IATs under WOT drop to 10 degrees above ambient and holds it after 2-3 pulls.

However, my entire intercooler/radiator/condensor setup has come unhinged TWICE already. The tabs are a bitch. First time, the serpentine belt rubbed a hole in the coolant hose and left me stranded on the highway spewing coolant everywhere.
 

auditthxckid

Ready to race!
Location
skokie
Im pulling the trigger tomorrow on one. A local euro performance shop with solid reviews has installed a few and said they perform extremely well. Fitment is tight but good. 639+300 iabor. So 940 installed. I dont got my garage no more, no floor jack, car port living in a apt, fuck it ill pay for the install lol.



That’s a good price for install. I was having body work done on my car and it took them three hours to install the IC. Only thing I don’t like is that they had to trim some plastic in order to get the fitment right but other then that, it’s one of the biggest ICs besides Wagner. I also heard bad things about Wagner causing pressure drop.


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