HALFWAY Pressure-resistant Silicone Hose and Titanium Pipe Kit for LA400 Copen.

HALFWAY Pressure-resistant Silicone Hose and Titanium Pipe Kit for LA400 Copen

This kit is a set of six items, including a turbine outlet hose, throttle inlet hose, intercooler outlet hose, suction hose, titanium pipe, and throttle joint hose. Individual items can also be sold and installed.

From Metal Pipes to Silicone Hoses

Few people have actually seen an engine in motion. While in motion, an engine moves back and forth, side to side, and up and down more than you might imagine. During intense driving, such as in a rally, hoses often come loose. Even during normal driving, it's extremely important to effectively dissipate engine vibrations.

Traditionally, to improve response, factory rubber hoses were replaced with metal pipes connected to factory hard plastic throttles and intercoolers. However, as the rubber and silicone components become thinner, they are unable to keep up with the engine's movement and vibrations, resulting in disconnected joints and cracks in the throttle and intercooler over time. Considering the damage caused by the inability to dissipate engine vibrations, we have now opted for silicone hoses.

Changing from factory rubber hoses to metal pipes will rarely result in a noticeable difference in response. In fact, switching to metal pipes has the disadvantage of reducing the pipe's thickness, which decreases the internal passage area, increases pressure loss, and places stress on the turbine.

In particular, the passage area from the air cleaner to the turbine significantly affects power and torque, so reducing this passage area can act like a restrictor that limits power.

Features of the Pressure-Resistant Intake Hose

This pressure-resistant intake hose uses a 5-layer silicone and 4-layer mesh hose. The 4-layer mesh structure was specifically selected for the boost line to withstand the boost pressure. It also provides resistance to oil, gasoline, coolant, and corrosion, and features a molybdenum coating on the inner wall to reduce friction.

During the design process, the factory hoses and pipes were scanned and digitised using a 3D camera. Based on the 3D CAD data, a unique design was created specifically for the Copen LA400K, maximising the internal volume. The joints are made slightly tighter than the factory rubber hoses to prevent them from coming loose.

To prevent the intake line from collapsing due to negative pressure, wires have been added to all sections, except for the air cleaner joint and turbine joint, thereby increasing strength.

In addition, the inner diameter has been made larger than the original hose, increasing the internal volume and removing intake restrictions. This results in increased power, torque and response. Even if you increase power further through tuning, there will be no intake restrictions.

Titanium is used to replace the stock pipe. By using a 1mm thick titanium pipe, the inlet and outlet diameters are increased by approximately 3mm compared to the stock pipe, and the weight has been reduced from 623.5g to 188.8g, approximately one-third of the stock pipe's weight.

Furthermore, although the stock pipe has a significant dent from the installation and removal of the O2 sensor, it is made without this dent. This maintains internal volume and allows intake air to flow more smoothly.

Because engines vibrate significantly in all directions, the hose connecting the intake pipe and throttle during competitions and sports driving has frequently come loose from the vibrations, causing boost leaks in the Copen. In some cases, the stay securing the intake pipe can even bend.

Reinforced engine mounts can help dampen engine movement, but modern bodies are made of ultra-high-tensile steel, which creates significant vibration and noise, making them unsuitable for use in road vehicles. In the worst-case scenario, the body can even crack.

So the approach was changed to absorbing force, leading to this hose. The key to this design is the bulge in the middle of the hose, which absorbs engine vibration and prevents the hose from coming loose. While generic hoses like this are available, their shape does not fit the Copen, so we designed one specifically for the LA400K Copen.

Even a loose or dislodged hose while driving can result in a loss of boost and make the car unusable. While this is a small and inconspicuous part, we recommend replacing it.

Purchase Process

After purchase, we will take your car in for the hose/pipe replacement. The listed price includes the kit, labour for fitting, and VAT. The price is subject to change due to foreign exchange rates.

Price list

Complete Kit £799