What kind of FMIC should I get?

[Pastor_Protege]

I mentioned in the other thread that I'm getting tired of the hood scoop look so I'm getting serious about buying a FMIC. I want some advice on what kind to get. These are the ones I've been looking at:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RACIN...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FMIC-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FMIC-...QQcmdZViewItem
Any suggestions?

[neuspeedescort]

i can't veiw ebay at work but i recommend my old IC off the red car. it was a street imports 18x9x2.25 it was perfect for the vj-20.


NEUMAN

[Lex]

I have a street imports as well and Im very happy with it. its the 9inch tall by 3 inch thick one and it performs better than my starion one.

[Pastor_Protege]

How much do they set you back?

[FE3-323]

JohnnyRaceCar one here!

[elscotto80]

JohnnyRaceCar one here!

Ditto.

[Lex]

mine was about 150 shipped

[Denis]

I got mine from road race eng, but that was before egay racing parts.

[Pastor_Protege]

I looked online at both the JohnnyRaceCar and the street imports and they look about the same as the ebay one and the ebay one is cheaper. They're even about the same size. How can you compare them? Is the Compress Air Flow Rate what's important?

[RALLYBP_94]

I looked online at both the JohnnyRaceCar and the street imports and they look about the same as the ebay one and the ebay one is cheaper. They're even about the same size. How can you compare them? Is the Compress Air Flow Rate what's important?

If you're running a VJ-20 I'd say go with the one on the last link.

[ScOrTGtC]

lancer evo 8/9 here.. closest to oem heheheh

[Lex]

for the setup you're basically looking at a couple of considerations. You dont want it too large because you increase lag and not too small or it won't cool the air enough. Keep the piping diameter as close to the rest of your other piping as possible. Find something that mounts easily.

Also there are two designs- bar and plate and fin and tube. The first design is used in more aftermarket one and the latter are used more in oem ones. One flows less and one cools less. Do a bit of research as to which does which.

I moved from a tube and fin starion FMIC to a bar and place street imports. The second one was larger and both had 2.5 inch in and outs which is the same asa my piping. The larger intercooler has a bit more lag but pulls harder up top.

Also go with something that is more or less trusted and check quality of welds etc upon arrival.

Hope this helps and how are things going with the tuning of the NA ECU?

[Pastor_Protege]

for the setup you're basically looking at a couple of considerations. You dont want it too large because you increase lag and not too small or it won't cool the air enough. Keep the piping diameter as close to the rest of your other piping as possible. Find something that mounts easily.

Also there are two designs- bar and plate and fin and tube. The first design is used in more aftermarket one and the latter are used more in oem ones. One flows less and one cools less. Do a bit of research as to which does which.

I moved from a tube and fin starion FMIC to a bar and place street imports. The second one was larger and both had 2.5 inch in and outs which is the same asa my piping. The larger intercooler has a bit more lag but pulls harder up top.

Also go with something that is more or less trusted and check quality of welds etc upon arrival.

Hope this helps and how are things going with the tuning of the NA ECU?

Very helpful, thanks. I'm still running the GTX ECU right now. When I get it sold, then I'll buy something else.

lancer evo 8/9 here.. closest to oem heheheh

Those are expensive too but it probably makes the IC piping easier to run with the angled inlet and outlet.

If you're running a VJ-20 I'd say go with the one on the last link.

I'm leaning that way too.

[Lex]

From turbophile.com

Tube and fin intercoolers have curved-edged air galleries which makes the overall capacity less, but offer less resistance to air as it passes through the intercooler to cool the compressed air inside.

Bar and plate intercoolers have more rectangular air galleries which allows a higher volume of compressed air to pass through the intercooler, but because the edges are not as aerodynamic, there is more resistance to cooling airflow passing through the core.

I'm not sure that one design is better than the other, I think its more a case of getting one to suit the application.

Where the 'cooler is mounted in a position where there's very little obstruction to air flow in front of it, the bar and plate would probably be a better choice as it can flow more compressed air. But if the intercooler is in a position where the airflow is not as constant (ie. behind a bumper or number plate), a tube and fin one might be the more sensible option because though it flows less compressed air, it offers less resistance to the cooling airflow going through it.

I guess it's all a matter of finding a balance between the volume of compressed air flowing inside the intercooler and how much external cooling air can flow through it.

[Pastor_Protege]

From turbophile.com

Tube and fin intercoolers have curved-edged air galleries which makes the overall capacity less, but offer less resistance to air as it passes through the intercooler to cool the compressed air inside.

Bar and plate intercoolers have more rectangular air galleries which allows a higher volume of compressed air to pass through the intercooler, but because the edges are not as aerodynamic, there is more resistance to cooling airflow passing through the core.

I'm not sure that one design is better than the other, I think its more a case of getting one to suit the application.

Where the 'cooler is mounted in a position where there's very little obstruction to air flow in front of it, the bar and plate would probably be a better choice as it can flow more compressed air. But if the intercooler is in a position where the airflow is not as constant (ie. behind a bumper or number plate), a tube and fin one might be the more sensible option because though it flows less compressed air, it offers less resistance to the cooling airflow going through it.

I guess it's all a matter of finding a balance between the volume of compressed air flowing inside the intercooler and how much external cooling air can flow through it.

Thanks for looking that up Lex. Mine will be mounted where lots of air can get to it so I should probably be looking for a bar and plate design.