Stage 2+ with Darkside Dev intercooler?

m3eater

Active Member
Aug 14, 2014
137
0
hi all i was just after some advice again please :D looking to get my k1 upto stage 2+ and would like to know if darkside dev s3 intercooler is actually any good? or would i be better off going with an s3 cooler from awesome or maybe a different fmic altogether? the reason i'm leaning towards the darkside one is the price obviously, but i do see more than one option for sale in the store? would it be the £300 one i need? also, do i need any pipes? thanks all
 

Dan FR

Meth addict. Stage 2+ Yo!
Nov 14, 2013
1,795
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Caerdydd
Would need the pipes and all prices are without VAT or delivery so it's not as cheap as you would think.
 

Joshkcupra

Local Retard
Aug 21, 2012
899
0
Gravesend, Kent
The darkside intercooler is actually a cheap china intercooler which they have *******ised. You can buy the same one on ebay for £180. You just need a different coupling worth £20.
 

m3eater

Active Member
Aug 14, 2014
137
0
Ah okay. I thought it was too good to be true. How do you rate the Chinese ones from eBay? I think I saw a discussion on these in another thread, can't really remember what the opinions were though. I also saw an s3 cooler on awesome gti, is this a direct replacement? I'd just need the two hoses for this? Last thing lol. What's the difference between the stage 1 and st 2 intercoolers that awesome sell? I think airtek was the manufacturer. Thanks!

How
 

Dan FR

Meth addict. Stage 2+ Yo!
Nov 14, 2013
1,795
8
Caerdydd
They're not bad at all. Certainly not the best out there but for the money and the direct fit, they're a bargain, they've been run at 360+hp on Stage 2+ too.

If you want the best performance wise and don't mind a bit fabrication then go for the Wellycooler option (google it) or pay our for the Peron intercooler sold by AKS Tuning.
 

m3eater

Active Member
Aug 14, 2014
137
0
another other question if anyone can help? was just wondering what temp my car should be at as it is now at stage 2 with a standard intercooler? once it warms up it just sits at 90 pretty much.
 

Dan FR

Meth addict. Stage 2+ Yo!
Nov 14, 2013
1,795
8
Caerdydd
That's your coolant temperature, nothing to do with your Intake Air Temperature.

You will need some form of diagnostic kit to view that, or the 'Torque' app for Android and a bluetooth interface for the OBD port is ideal and very cheap
 

m3eater

Active Member
Aug 14, 2014
137
0
That's your coolant temperature, nothing to do with your Intake Air Temperature.

You will need some form of diagnostic kit to view that, or the 'Torque' app for Android and a bluetooth interface for the OBD port is ideal and very cheap

lol what a noob. i've recently had it on a dyno and had everything checked. apparently i'm losing power somewhere, i just need to get it back in to find out exactly whats going on. i've also seen the liquid leon gauge which i'd like as soon as all the power mods have been done. thanks for your help
 

AlexK1

Active Member
Apr 20, 2014
545
2
Poole
I didn't think the liquid gauges were compatible with the mk2 yet? I may be wrong though


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m3eater

Active Member
Aug 14, 2014
137
0
i've just seen the THS intercoolers on ebay. they seem better priced too. anyone know anything about them?
 

AlexK1

Active Member
Apr 20, 2014
545
2
Poole
I've recently fitted one to mine, I paid them £400 on eBay after sending them a message (ths official seller). Wasn't too bad to fit, and has certainly helped with the cooling.

Most people seem to be jumping on the welly cooler, but I went for the ths to retain stock fitting and stealth look :)

42e0bf9525e460854ec9f1274ecaeb00.jpg


fed29868b1b857072deafb87f507058c.jpg


04a784fe5cd63e530e6f2ed98b5c4c5b.jpg



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m3eater

Active Member
Aug 14, 2014
137
0
great, just what i was looking for. thanks for the pics. i've actually just made an offer of 410 so hopefully they will accept it asap lol. it was a straightforward fitting then? and i guess it will handle stage2+ no problem? thanks
 

AlexK1

Active Member
Apr 20, 2014
545
2
Poole
That's ok I think they will for that price.

Straightforward yes, with no modifying but fiddly and time consuming. Took me best part of 3 hours by myself.

Handles stage 2 fine, can't comment on stage 2+ until next week haha. But I'm sure it will be fine!


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m3eater

Active Member
Aug 14, 2014
137
0
nice one. i'll be getting it fitted by a garage. i just wasnt keen on trimming the bumper but this sounds good. enjoy the 2+!
 

Joshkcupra

Local Retard
Aug 21, 2012
899
0
Gravesend, Kent
Mate they are identical, THS, Airtec more than likely import these, stick their badges on them and then resell them at 50% markup. I'm running one on my stage 2+ cupra at 360bhp and it handles it beautifully
 

Mac

Active Member
Dec 13, 2013
211
0
TM. RO
www.racingparts.ro
Almost no difference between a chinese and local one, i build them for a living every day. As long as they have no restrictions of flow you should be more than ok, i opened a few and are well made
 

Dan FR

Meth addict. Stage 2+ Yo!
Nov 14, 2013
1,795
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Caerdydd
You can tell they are not the same item, just look at the welds between the end tanks and the core...

But the end tanks are the same cast design (again not the same, some slight differences in the cast compared with the THS pics above), and the core is well made and non-restrictive.

I have a chinese one and it really does work very well. With the Meth turned off, even after hard boosting for prolonged periods, my IATs stay within 5-10 degrees of ambient temperatures, usually closer to 5. It only rises at very low speeds when there is next to no airflow. With the Meth on, never more than a couple of degrees above ambient, and i've seen 8 degrees below ambient on the over run ;)
 

m3eater

Active Member
Aug 14, 2014
137
0
Mate they are identical, THS, Airtec more than likely import these, stick their badges on them and then resell them at 50% markup. I'm running one on my stage 2+ cupra at 360bhp and it handles it beautifully

how long have you had yours now?