Intercooler question

I have read most of the threads on running a FMIC and I still have a question. I am still running the T-25 and the SMIC, I found a big FMIC for really cheap today and I was thinking about buying it. I was wondering if it will do me any good to be running a bigger intercooler with the stock turbo. Thanks for any help.

This is how I look at it, though it may seem strange to some people. An upgraded IC does two things. Flows better, and cools better. Now, flow should be an issue on the T25 (~20 lbs/min :D ). But the less efficient and hotter the turbo's outlet temps are, the more critical good cooling becomes, and the greater the gains. It wouldnt surpise me if you could max out a T25 on pump gas with a FMIC. Now, it will add some lag with all that extra volume the turbo has to pressurize, but on a T25 it should still be very quick to spool. Still better than a 14b/SMIC in this regard I would venture to guess.

Dont take my word for it though, try it and see if I'm way off, or near the mark. If its cheap, it cant hurt, and it will be there later on when/if you upgrade turbos. FMIC is a huge part of pump gas power regardless of the rest of the setup. :)

thanks for the input, the intercooler measures 36x15.5x2.25, it is almost new and I can get it for $150, do you think it would be worth it?

Holy shyte. There is no way you're going to get that to fit on the car. Well, there is always a way... Good price though! Its a little on the thin side, but the height is what worries me. Mine is 12" high and I cant use the upper bumper cover support, and can barely keep the hood latch. At this point the top is touching both headlights. So 15.5" would hang 3.5" lower than mine, or about 3" below the bumper cover. I dont think that will work on a street car.

I have a question and I don't want to make a new thread. I live in south florida where is always summer, I'll run a 16g and i was planning to put a fmic, but i was wondering what happend with the overhiting cause i will keep my A/C (is impossible to live in florida without it) and I it's going to be a daly drive during the week and once a month i will take it to the track, do you think I can overhit the engine puting the fmic? I will notice a big gain doing that change? Thanks

The FMIC will absolutely make more power, especially in warm weather. Overheating with AC is an issue though. Most poeple get a small enough FMIC that some air still gets to the radiator. The ECU will run both radiator fans, make sure they are both on with the AC. In really hot weather and my FMIC, I have to run both fans and I dont even have the AC stuff installed (And in the way of airflow). So be sure they are good. MAybe add one pusher to the middle front of the AC condenser. Theyre only ~70 bucks, and typical DSM FMIC kits come with one.

The ICs that come to mind are the Griffin/RRE setup, and one of those long cores that is short in height, maybe 8 inches or so tall. Shrouding with some sheetmetal helps a lot too, as does putting an extraction vent in the hood.

Its a pain in the ass to run a FMIC and AC, in hot weather. But it can be done if you monitor things and keep "upgrading" as necessary until temps are in control.

I was thinking on but a ford probe intercooler on ebay for 40 bucks is bigger that the smic and is smaller that the fmic I guess that is the half size that the radiator, I can mount it like a fmic and keep the half of the radiator free for some air flow

Probe intercooler
http://i22.ebayimg.com/01/i/02/7f/62/2b_1_b.JPG

VS

Eclipse 2g intercooler
http://i14.ebayimg.com/02/i/02/28/63/09_12_b.JPG

I'd rather have a supra sidemount than a half ass FMIC. Will it be better? probably, but it will look horrible and not even be close to as good as a fmic.

JoeWagon[/b] (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=71499)] but it will look horrible and not even be close to as good as a fmic.
Yeah thats true :uhoh:, but the thing is that the overhiting is a problem and if that intercooler helps without overhiting is still beeing a better choise that a fmic and overhit you engine, or the other option is take the A/C out and use the 2 fans to cool the radiator etc, but here in Florida is not an option (The A/C is necesary) 95 GSXracer[/b] (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=73020) ] Its a pain in the ass to run a FMIC and AC, in hot weather.

here you have a pic of how the probe intercooler can looks mounted as I said
http://www.roadraceengineering.com/instructions/1gfmic/mount1.jpg
May be a little shorter

Thats the griffin/RRE setup I mentioned above. I wouldnt bother with other stock sidemounts. Even teh supra which is the best of them all didnt do a whole lot on my car. I picked up a few mph on pump gas with the 14b, and nothing on race gas. I think a FMIC setup like the one you posted above is the best bang for the buck, and should still let you run AC. Josh W (shapegsk on tuners) has run 11s on a evo316g with that FMIC, and he still uses his AC. COme to think of it he was just telling me how a quarter inch hole in his thermostat drops his temps substantially.

yes, thats the griffin/rre setup you told me, I was thinkig on do that with a Ford Probe intercooler the one I put above or with this one (audi 5000) it's a little bigger.
http://i22.ebayimg.com/01/i/02/83/ca/7e_1.JPG
And may be keep it like a smic and don't fuck with the radiator

Other stock ICs are still POSs though. Hardly worth the effort. If you poke around on the www.dodgegarage.com website you might still be able to find Gus's old tests on stock ICs for a reference.

I check the page but I couldn't find the test you were talking about. But let me see if I understand what you are saying
what you are saying is that if i put a greddy (whatever brand) fmic of the same size that the Audi 500, the greddy is best?
What's the difference in the core or something?
I I put the audi fmic like griffin/RRE setup it's not the same as the regular fmic?

Sorry a was not trying to make anybody loose their time, I really apriciate all the help Kevin was giving to me, and JoeWagon, and you too, it just a consern I have, I thought that for 50 bucks (cause thats the most expencive one I found) it would help a lot without overhiting the engine at all.
joemathews[/b] (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=144780)]And don't be a sissy--I live in Tampa Bay and didn't use my AC but once or twice all summer ;)!
How do you do that? I had my AC broken for like 3 or 4 month and I hated to drive with the windows down all that time.
Off topic ?, how is everything there (hurricane)?

Stock stuff is always a compromise. They give up flow and cooling capacity for cost, every time. Well, except on the new cars where they are installing FMICs stock :) I upgraded to the supra IC, and I went to a FMIC later. Might as well just get it over and done with so you can focus on other mods.

but the intercooler i'm talking about (audi 5000) is a fmic stock
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/6/web/678000-678999/678087_10.jpg

May be in the right moment i will deside, but i still think that is a good upgrade for the buck :iceslolan. I have a lot of things to do to the car before it touch the floor :biggrin:, so i will try to focus in that first.
Thanks kevin for all your time :bigthumb:

dont forget about intercooler piping, unless you have the tools to bend your own piping..it can get spendy

yeah thats true, thats another expensive thing to take care of, i have to ask in an exhaust shop, may be they are not that expensive, cause on ebay a saw them at about 200

I Would agree to a stock FMIC being used before a stock SMIC I Suppose. Any exhaust shop that can madrel bend pipe should be able to help you. Another reason I like using the "typical" DSM FMIC cores is that piping is tits. A couple off the shelf bends, couplers, and clamps, and piping is done. Which ever IC you choose, good luck with it, and be sure to post the results :)

Thanks a lot for your help kevin, i will do the change as soon as I finish with the rest of the work I have to do to the GS-T (rear suspension, fuel tank, exhaust, paint, and engine swap "the first 3 are almost done:naughty:) and in that moment i will dicide wich one I choose, almost sure that the cheapest one will win:lol:.
Thanks again. :thumbsup:

I think you can find a real FMIC core on ebay for the same amount that you can buy a used crappier stock FMIC locally. It's worth a look.

joemathews[/b] (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=144780)]Lol drive fast with the windows down and the sunroof open bro! Very funny :rofl:, i did that for 3 month and i didn't enjoy it to much, I prefere the AC :iceslolan much more confortable.
About the intercooler, yeah the lancer evo FMIC have bad ass looking but they are expensive and almost the same size than a Greddy, what it means?... Overhiting for sure:disappoin, but hell yeah it could look cool on a eclipse :sunglasse but I stay with the Audi one, i don't think to run 11"s with any intercooler, i not trying to go that far, i'm not thinking making a major turbo Upgrade, injectors, I only think that I'm going to add to my old set up is a 255 fuel pump, but not the injector (I need to buy the logger and all that stuff, and my budget is not ready for that), some hard piping for the intercooler "I sell mine :disappoin" (Audi FMIC or OEM SMIC) 1g blow off valve, Greddy Exhaust, big 16g, and thats it, and in the future if I get some money, i will think about make some other upgrade.
This is the Evo FMIC (it's huge!!!:evillol:):
http://i6.ebayimg.com/01/i/02/84/b1/26_1_b.JPG
The intercooler measurements are
2 3/4 in. deep
19 3/4 in. long
11 1/2 in. wide
end to end is 24 1/2 in.
$86 (still in auction 4 days) + 25 s&h