The component that joins your intercooler to your engine is the charge pipe. Its purpose is to deliver charge air to the car’s engine. Under constant strain, the factory-made plastic charge pipe gradually breaks, leading to boost leaks and breakdowns.
A charge pipe upgrade receives high marks for this reason. In addition to enhancing throttle response and reducing turbo lag, it serves as a maintenance item for upcoming modifications. Fortunately, Masata can take care of these issues for you. The Masata charge pipe is unquestionably one of the best choices you can make for your Bimmer thanks to Masata’s considerable investments in research and technology.
Masata Charge Pipe Benefits
- Long-term effectiveness
- Lightweight
- broad diameter
- excellent insulator
- Continual guarantee
The long-lasting aircraft grade aluminum body, OEM mounting system, 1/8″ NPT meth bung, and CNC machined flange are among Masata’s best features. Aluminum is a good conductor of heat and thus cools itself, protecting the pipe from corrosion. It is also lightweight and far more durable than plastic. Finally, the charge pipe’s large diameter creates space for more and cleaner airflow.
In This Article...
How Do Charge Pipes Work?
Do you know what a charge pipe is? If not, relax; you’re not the only one. This element is somewhat unknown to many people. What then is it? An engine’s power and performance can be improved with the help of a charge pipe.
An excellent improvement is a charge pipe, which routes engine exhaust through a turbocharger. More air may enter the engine as a result, increasing power and torque.
Charge pipes can also be made of various materials like polymers or composites, though they are often made of metals like steel or aluminum. Upgrade to a charge pipe if you wish to increase your engine’s performance. This article will explain what a charge pipe is, how it functions, and why your car might need one.
What Is a Charge Pipe and Why Would I Use One? ]
The main adversary of a turbocharged engine is heat. The intercooler piping from the factory limits the engine’s ability to operate at its most effective level. You can utilize a charge pipe to combat this.
An internal combustion engine’s charge pipe substitutes the factory-installed intercooler piping with a mandrel-bent tube made of rubber, stainless steel, or aluminum. It is attached to the intake manifold and intercooler pipes.
The diverter valve (DV) or blow-off valve are attached to the pipe. Because they are constructed from sturdier materials, aftermarket charge pipes are superior to those that come from the factory.
Charge pipes help engines run more efficiently. It is designed to reduce the loss of turbocharged air pressure. The airflow from the turbo to the intercooler is also greatly increased.
Should you replace the OEM charge pipe that came with your vehicle? Stock charge pipes made of plastic frequently shatter or blow out over time. Some car owners swap out the factory charge pipes for aftermarket charge pipes of higher quality that are less prone to cracking or breaking.
Some people prefer to wait until it blows up before upgrading, while others would rather upgrade right away. If your charge pipe blows out, you can still drive but you can’t boost.
Continue reading to discover more about the charge pipe, including its definition, uses, significance, and several varieties.
Charge pipes and intercoolers
The first line of defense against heat for a turbocharged BMW is a BMW intercooler. The hot turbo gasses from your BMW must be cooled by the intercooler before being returned to the intake system of your BMW. The intercooler and intake are connected by a charge pipe. Unfortunately, especially on N54, N55, N20, and N26 engines, the original intercooler is barely adequate. Use our SEARCH BY MODEL function to filter these items for your BMW. An improved front mount intercooler (FMIC) may keep those temps down (and the boost up!)
Do you require a tune-up for a BMW charge pipe?
In my opinion, a chargepipe is useless without music. For stock boost, the stock one should work perfectly. This is not required, not even for a Stage 1 tune. More power and noise will be produced by adding an exhaust downpipe.
What function does a turbocar’s charge pipe serve?
Downpipes and charge pipes are two different things. A turbocharger, which boosts power and torque, is used to carry exhaust from an engine through a charge pipe. Downpipes direct engine exhaust into a muffler or tailpipe depending on the type of vehicle.
Like downpipes, charge pipes are not utilized to reduce backpressure on an exhaust system. A piston engine’s top exhaust port sends exhaust gases down and around to the turbocharger, which is positioned to the intake manifold. These gases exit the cylinders and enter a space known as the plenum chamber. It’s a chamber that the exhaust manifold has created. Depending on what the engine needs, it directs the exhaust gases to downpipes or charge pipes in the desired area.
What does a Subaru WRX charge pipe do?
Because it has a California Air Resources Board (CARB) Executive Order (EO) number, this part is acceptable for sale and use on Emissions Controlled Vehicles in all 50 states when used in accordance with the manufacturer’s application guide:
The Subaru WRX’s COBB Charge Pipe for 2015–2021 is made of 6061 aluminum tube. To boost flow while keeping room for larger aftermarket radiators, an integrated billet transition seamlessly increases diameter from 2″ to 2.5″. Under the hood, a wrinkle-black powder coat finish creates an upscale yet understated appearance. Installation is simple and leak-free thanks to the accompanying billet turbo adapter and 5-ply silicone, which work with both the OEM bypass valve and the COBB LF BPV.
The COBB Charge Pipe replaces the restrictive original plastic charge pipe to improve airflow and give the vehicle an improved OEM-like appearance.
To produce an intake tract without restrictions, combine with the TMIC Coupler and Big SF Intake System.
Is the downpipe the same as the charge pipe?
Charge pipes are just stronger than stock ones; they are not for performance. Downpipe will increase horsepower by 15 to 25 depending on your modifications, and it will also make your exhaust sound louder (which you will enjoy).
A charge pipe—does it increase horsepower?
Other than being stronger than its plastic version and being advised for people running songs, it offers no performance advantages. Other than being stronger than its plastic version and being advised for people running songs, it offers no performance advantages.
A b58 charge pipe: what is it?
The N54 and N55, the B58’s two predecessors, were infamous for busting chargepipes left and right. The chargepipe would almost always fail when these engines were running a tune and above-stock boost levels. These chargepipes’ failure was primarily caused by their plastic construction. The chargepipe is in charge of supplying the engine with highly compressed air, and under such high pressure, the plastic chargepipe components would quickly crack.
Upgrading the chargepipes on the N54 and N55 to aluminum pipes was the straightforward solution to the problem. But BMW followed suit and equipped the B58 with a plastic chargepipe as well.
What is a charge pipe for an intercooler?
AEM charge pipes replace the constrictive OEM intercooler piping in your car with free-flowing, mandrel-bent aluminum tubes. AEM charge pipes have been designed to significantly enhance air flow from the turbo to the intercooler while also reducing turbocharged air pressure loss. With the help of the specific aerodynamic tubes, your engine will gain noticeable horsepower, and the enhanced airflow will help your turbocharger spool up more quickly, improving acceleration and drivability.
Car noise increased by charge pipes?
When the improved charge pipe is larger than stock, it is typical to hear more turbo noise, but it may also be the result of a boost leak. A boost leak test is the only way to make sure. To do an accurate boost leak test, you must pressurize your intake post-Turbo (s).
Is the charge pipe the same as the turbo inlet?
Between the air filter and the turbocharger inlet, on the intake’s fresh air side, is the intake tube. Between the turbocharger and the throttle body/intake, on the pressure side, is the charge air pipe.
How would it be if your charge pipe broke?
The charge pipe on the intake side breaking is a frequent issue with BMW models that have turbochargers. Drivetrain problem, “service engine soon,” or “check engine” warnings will then be issued as a result. Sometimes a loud “pop!” sound, caused by the pipe failing under pressure, precedes this failure.
If this pipe fails, the turbocharger’s pressure will be able to leak to the atmosphere rather than the engine. This causes the engine to suck in unfiltered air and produce relatively little power.
If your BMW experiences this kind of failure, a damaged charge pipe may be to blame; as a result, it needs to be inspected right away.
Do downpipes cancel the warranty on a BMW?
Is the BMW warranty voided if an aftermarket downpipe is added? Do you need to tune your vehicle after installing the downpipe?
If you get caught, your warranty may be voided; however, they must show that the item was broken by you. Although a tune is not necessary, doing so will result in a CEL and insufficient use of the DP. However, it is typical practice for BMW to void the warranty for both the attached item and the original item if it is an aftermarket component. Therefore, if your turbo fails, they can simply claim that the DP damaged it.
You can find a ton of information by using the “search” option, which has been discussed a ton.
Although aftermarket equipment does not “invalidate” a car’s full warranty, BMW will reject a warranty claim if they believe the aftermarket part or parts were to blame for the failure or damage.
Due to the increased amount of unburned gasoline in the exhaust caused by the absence of the primary catalytic converter or one with a less dense catalyst, a tune or other add-on may occasionally be necessary to turn off the Check-Engine light (CEL). A catless downpipe can be used more effectively by tunes than by stock software.
My neighborhood dealer offered me absolute sh*t for the downpipe. claimed that my car was “tagged,” and they won’t fix it even if the issue is unrelated.
Believe it or not, some personnel at BMW dealerships don’t properly comprehend warranty.
They can refuse a work if they think (and can prove) it is due to a specific change you made, but they can’t unilaterally void the entire warranty because of a mod.
I will be really glad if BMWNA does ANYTHING to help postpone the costs of repair if my powertrain fails and they do it. Never expect them to pay for anything; if your downpipe has a tune/flash, there’s no need to install a catless pipe somewhere.
The reason for this is that your car provided data to BMWNA via FASTA, and BMWNA flagged your vehicle. The flag cannot be overridden by another dealer, and they will not be compensated for the repair.