SAMCO INTERCOOLER HOSES

I think these SAMCO silicone intercooler hoses are the best looking hose replacement solution. They are available in red, blue, and black. The black looks sleek. The hoses are easy to install and require only eight clamps (vs. hardpipe kits which double your fun).

HOWEVER -- until SAMCO can fix their cutting quality control procedure, you may have to endure a wait. I purchased these hoses from IMPORTRACING.com. There is not a problem with that in and of itself. They had the best price I could find, just over $160 vs. $190+ from most places. However, as they are not specialist with the Z (unlike many twinturbo.net sponsors), they do not understand a problem SAMCO has had. SAMCO hand-produces these hoses, and then they cut them to size by hand, too. Many a batch of SAMCO hoses have therefore come out short.

Click on Thumbnails for Larger Images (2nd from left shows SHORT SAMCO side Hoses vs. Stock)

I had my hoses laying around for two months before I finally had a project where I would be removing the originals and doing other work. When I went to put on the SAMCO's, the middle two hoses were perfect, but the side hoses were easily 1/2" - 3/4" too short. I bought T-Bolt clamps to install them and the clamps would slip off the ends because the hoses overlapped the "barbed" end of the hardpipes by only about 1/2" (when it should be about 1"). Not even the original worm hose clamps, which are thinner, would've done the job right.

So, I sent them back and waited for a replacement. And waited. And waited. And waited. It took 6 weeks to get the new hoses back. To defend OptionImports, however, they did all they could to get the issue resolved in a timely manner. They ended up sending back other sets to SAMCO, too. SAMCO also managed the first time to send another set that was too short (so I'm told), and had to send more a 2nd time.

To encourage buyings from a Z Sponsor, however, I might suggest that if you do buy elsewhere you might have this kind of problem yourself. Buy from a reputable Z32 dealer because they will know from the get-go if the hoses are going to be long enough. You can request from Z1Motorsports, for example, that they check the length before sending. Z1 posted while my complaints were flying on TT.net that they have not had the wrong length hoses for a long time, but have in the past. So, if you want to save some heartache, go with a sponsor on this custom item.

The whole ordeal would not have been so bad if I had not hastely removed one of my original intercooler hoses with a knife. The thing was stuck on good -- I normally didn't have a problem with these hoses, but it was about 15 degrees the day I needed to remove the hose. I should've warmed up the car so the hoses would be more pliable. If you have STOCK hoses, I suggest using RADIATOR HOSE GREASE so they won't get stuck on.

So, I was stuck, unless I wanted to duct tape the original hose until these came back in. Oh well, winter driving isn't my favorite thing to do in my Z anyway : ) SAMCO has told vendors many times that this problem has been solved. It is hard to tell if there are just remnants out there or if they continue to make cutting mistakes leading to this kind of problem. Despite this, I am still glad I waited it out -- these hoses are easy to work with and still the best looking hoses around.

STOCK IMAGE