Vudu Stage 3 Intercooler Questions

[esp_martin]

So with the British Pound at an all time low (almost 1:1.1 with the US dollar) and Vudu Performance looking like they have a firesale on their products, does anyone have any history with Vudu engine products? Their Stage 3 Intercooler is going for about $330 and manifold around $250, with another 10% off if you're a new customer (code Welcome10 just FYI). The shipping is of course outrageous but I'm still coming out ahead of anything comparable stateside and their designs seem a lot better than the alternatives.

For comparison the best stage 3 intercooler in the US on value is whoosh and the Vudu design just seems better from a physics standpoint with way more surface area and it's made by Airtec which (i think) is a reputable Euro company. And @JDG has a Vudu manifold. If he could chime in on what size he has (the 38mm outlet isn't available, only the 34mm and the 42mm) I would definitely appreciate the input.

So does anyone have either product on their ride? If the Stage 3 intercooler, is it a direct fit? Euro Fiestas seem to be a direct fit but there's an upper mounting point brackets that need to get drilled. Guessing that would be the same with our US spec cards? Manifold looks like an OEM that has been ported so that should just be a direct remove and replace, correct?

I did some digging through the forum but really couldn't find any definitive recent takes so anything is appreciated.

 

[gtx3076]

In retrospect I would have gone with Whoosh's V1 intercooler for the stock turbo. I looked at Vudu's website and they don't mention how much pressure loss they have across their intercooler. Lowering the temperature is great, but not if the turbo can't maintain boost pressure.

 

[esp_martin]

In retrospect I would have gone with Whoosh's V1 intercooler for the stock turbo. I looked at Vudu's website and they don't mention how much pressure loss they have across their intercooler. Lowering the temperature is great, but not if the turbo can't maintain boost pressure.

I would have never considered pressure loss so thanks for pointing that out. The only reason I would get an intercooler would be to future proof myself to go big turbo so this gives me a lot of food for thought. Does the 7PSI wastegate you have now make up the pressure loss from the whoosh V3?

 

[thecman02]

What is your goals for this car? You didn't specify if you are changing turbos. I can tell you it is disappointing that they don't have a stated pressure drop. With that being said, assuming it is the bar and fin type the smaller intercoolers are, it will have less pressure drop. You have more pathways for the air to flow, and a decently designed end tank so there isn't any resistance added there. You will have an ever so slight increase in lag due to increased intake tract volume. It is proper overkill and a place that I approve of spending coin on. I use the Whoosh V3 FMIC and I still had noticeable temperature increase during pulls (10*F) with the stock turbski. Hopefully someone who has the product will chime in about fitment concerns.

Without an upgraded turbo I would say the manifold is a big waste of time. You want the exhaust manifold to match up nicely with the turbine housing. The big obstruction to exhaust flow and back pressure is the miniscule turbine.

 

[esp_martin]

What is your goals for this car? You didn't specify if you are changing turbos. I can tell you it is disappointing that they don't have a stated pressure drop. With that being said, assuming it is the bar and fin type the smaller intercoolers are, it will have less pressure drop. You have more pathways for the air to flow, and a decently designed end tank so there isn't any resistance added there. You will have an ever so slight increase in lag due to increased intake tract volume. It is proper overkill and a place that I approve of spending coin on. I use the Whoosh V3 FMIC and I still had noticeable temperature increase during pulls (10*F) with the stock turbski. Hopefully someone who has the product will chime in about fitment concerns.

Without an upgraded turbo I would say the manifold is a big waste of time. You want the exhaust manifold to match up nicely with the turbine housing. The big obstruction to exhaust flow and back pressure is the miniscule turbine.

I'm really of two minds with where I wanna go so I'm trying to thread the needle and live in two different worlds with how I go about my build. On one hand I might keep my drivetrain stock and live with my monster tuned 93/e30 ECU flashes. Right now the only change is 1 step colder plugs gap'd to tuner's specs. Everything else is just handling mods (currently just bracing and RMM).

On the other hand my end dream goal is e40 big turbo tune with the s280 and jaguar injectors paired with an LSD. But that would be one or two years down the road after my drivetrain warranty is up (I don't wanna touch my tranny until any repairs *have* to be paid by me). And we all know life gets in the way so this goal may never happen.

So I thought an overkill FMIC would be a nice happy median which would work in either setup but now I'm realizing maybe that's not the case. I've read on the forum that the whoosh V1 isn't enough in hotter climates if you go big turbo. FWIW yeah i live in SE PA but it gets HOT in the summer. Think Carolinas hot.

Yeah the mainfold would only be if I go big turbo. Until then it would just sit in the basement waiting...lurking...

 

[gtx3076]

I would have never considered pressure loss so thanks for pointing that out. The only reason I would get an intercooler would be to future proof myself to go big turbo so this gives me a lot of food for thought. Does the 7PSI wastegate you have now make up the pressure loss from the whoosh V3?

I’m sure it helps more on the top end. My car rarely hits 25psi whereas it used to hit 25psi easily on stock hardware. My tuner said some people lose some power when they start upgrading their piping on the stock turbo. I also upsized my crossover pipe.

I gather the V3 is great for upgraded turbos. But if you’re not serious about upgrading it, I would maybe steer away from such a large intercooler.

 

[thecman02]

I feel like swapping out intercoolers is easy enough that you could pick up a whoosh v1, or any other stockish sized upgrade intercooler, and then get something bigger when you eventually reach that point in your life. I'm feel like honestly the v3 is pretty darn good, but now having the s280 I feel like I could use even more intercooler. Just pulling through a couple gears will raise charge temp 20* over ambient. Its fine for street driving and quarter mile stuff right now. I'd be a little worried in HPDE session.

Everything is usually a compromise. GTX3076 you might get ~10hp from the extra psi or two in a single gear pull, but if you start heat soaking you can easily lose what you gained. I wouldn't feel bad about having the v3.

 

[the duke]

In retrospect I would have gone with Whoosh's V1 intercooler for the stock turbo. I looked at Vudu's website and they don't mention how much pressure loss they have across their intercooler. Lowering the temperature is great, but not if the turbo can't maintain boost pressure.

People forget you can go too large on an IC. It's a component of a system and shouldn't be taken in isolation.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I feel like swapping out intercoolers is easy enough that you could pick up a whoosh v1, or any other stockish sized upgrade intercooler, and then get something bigger when you eventually reach that point in your life.

Agreed and granted, given one has the space to work/facilities, and no HOA to worry about.
NOT so much when one has to PAY someone else at a shop to take apart that whole front clip to do this (or anything else that all of the "It takes me 15 minutes on and off" claimants do which requires this).

I do not know which category esp_martin is in.

 

[esp_martin]

Agreed and granted, given one has the space to work/facilities, and no HOA to worry about.
NOT so much when one has to PAY someone else at a shop to take apart that whole front clip to do this (or anything else that all of the "It takes me 15 minutes on and off" claimants do which requires this).

I do not know which category esp_martin is in.

You hit the nail on the head.

I don't even have a driveway. Live in Philly with on street parking only. I can use my wife's office to do work but that's hit or miss given the weather or if someone else needs that area to load materials. Any big projects wait until I go to my parents' house once or twice a year where my dad helps me out and I have use of their massive garage.

So the intercooler would go in at the same time i replace the front grills and add the splitter. So once I add the intercooler I want it to be set it and forget it. I have the tools and the will to do it myself. The things I lack are the space and the availability which is why I have to plan FAR ahead for anything I do and make sure whatever I start I *better* finish or be able to undo as it can't just sit in a garage taking up space as I troubleshoot.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Since that is the case, IF you ever plan on upgrading the radiator, that would also be the time to do it, as even the Mountune requires that you have the front end fairly high in the air to get the stocker out, and the Mountune back into the car (IF you do not take the whole front end/crash bar off to change it).

I am in an even worse spot now (in a Princeton area condo) as I do not even have a place (even once or twice a year!) to go to do so much as an oil change, or a winter wheel changeover in my current situation.