Anyone tested the PWR U-type SMIC (from Australia)
 

Hi :)
With all the feedback i got im other thread about the best way from stock car to 400RWHP, i am trying to do as much research i can on the different "unknowns" i still have.
One of them is "the best SMIC that fits the stock location". I can either buy one, or have one made locally, but i would probably come out at the same price either way.

As i want everything to fit an OEM-ish car, the SMIC market is limited to a few brands. Greddy/Trust, Knighsport, Mazdaspeed, RE, and PWR/Marcus.

From those, i have always favored the "U-type" Marcus Read, now PWR one. It looks nice (only competition on looks is RE) and it comes with a very good kit. And for me looks are important, also in the enginebay.
Being made by PWR, i don't doubt the quality, and judging from the pictures it should be very good.

The complete PWR kit is priced at $1500 for the intercooler, hoses, AST stand and carbon fiber duct. The duct is plain weave, which for me is a huge +. It looks killer together with the AutoExe intake.
The competition, KnightSport, is $1440, with a FRP duct and some blue hoses, and not the same attention to details as the PWR version.
Looking at the for sale sections, used RE intercoolers with not hardware or ducts are in the $600-1000 range iirc used. No duct and with bent fins.
So in terms of buying a new one, for me the PWR one wins easy over KnightSport on looks.

But does anyone here have any experience with the performance?

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...9986e16841.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...33eb494c03.jpg

I think that should be an excellent option, that's probably going to get you the best cooling possible with an airbox and full size battery. PWR does make good stuff and the pictures look like a top notch product. I didn't even know they had a kit like that!

I would probably couple that with a water injection setup and you'd have a great solid platform with low air temps.

Dale

It looks really good, a rounded copy of the Knight Sports Super U, adds that under hood stock bling. Perfect for a street legal set up if you are required to have that.

At that price point you are very close to V mount costs

I think its something they make for Marcus Read, the guy with the SP turbos. He is somewhat active here, but more active on Facebook. And yes, as you say, the PWR brand suggest it is a good option.

Street legal is required for minimum trouble with the police.
I know its closing on V-mount, but if i am going the V-mount route, that would have to be fully custom made and im not going there unless im going single.
I have looked at the available V-mounts, and even the best ones i have found would require a lot of custom work for me to be happy. And those cost quite a lot :)

Wow, that is a nice kit! It's the little details like proper mounts with vibration isolators that make it so nice.

Great option for plug and play with minimal down time. These days my time is limited and I consider difficult installation and modifications to unrelated parts to make something fit part of the cost.

How do your order that kit? I didn't get far on the webpage haha

As i replied to Dale, i think its something they make exclusively for Marcus Read. He got a Facebok page called RX7 FD Specialist.
I think this type of design was something as guy called Sasha made, and Marcus sold. Their partnership went sour and Marcus took the production to PWR, while Sasha continued to sell his stuff at FDmotorsports. I think his user here is THE DOCTOR.

Sasha is also making a redesigned version of his original design and was just posting some pics on facebook, but it seems they blocked any facebook links on here... BUt if you paste this after facebook.com you will find it /sasha.apostolov.9/posts/2303907546502569

hi im the one selling it just message me in face book https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=527820134

ucan read this matey
Craig Csongrady
Ok, many of you have been asking how the car went after fitting a few extras. The PWR Intercooler and Radiator, AutoExe with the SP spec mods to the twins from Marcus Read, the car went from around 170 kw to 259 kw @ 14 lb boost on 98 Pump

in australia im making very good boost and power with them u have been doing u type now over 20 years on fd been doing fd now over 25 years u can message me in face book my link see all the parts i sell all from japan and pwr https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=527820134 i have in stock
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Anybody have one of these for less than 1k. I dont feel these are Vmount money worthy but i want to keep my current intake and like this setup from a cosmetic stand point lol.

It looks like a great option IF you're convinced you want to stock with a stock style intake and battery box, otherwise you're compromising frontal area, and like pressure drop with how twisted the pathway is, but for what its mean to do it looks great.

^Agreed, pressure drop, given the design, intuitively looks like it could be an issue. Though the PWR does look like it might be a little improved design over Knight Sport.

U type
 

HI YES IM THE ONE MAKING THE U TYPE U I AM MAKING 550HP ON THE TWIN TURBOS WITH IT AND SINGLE BOYS MAKING WELL OVER 650HP ON MY SET UP U CAN GET ME ON MY FB PAGE

Yes u can get me on fb marcus read pic white fd

There is/was a lengthy thread on the Aussie forum started by a moderator entitled “why you shouldn’t buy anything from Marcus Read”. I tried to link to it but it requires a login to view.

And Im sorry but I think 550 hp on twins is bullshit. Especially on a SMIC of any design.

Care to fill in any details? This is the kit I've been looking at for a while and looks to be a good replacement for the SMIC. I'm looking to stay with stock twins, 350hp max so this is mainly for reliability over the stock intercooler. I'm always worried about sending my money over seas and not receiving a product though, especially if it is just a personal sale and not though a store front where you can contest the purchase. What are the horror stories on that other forum?

https://www.fdrx7.com/forum/showthre...ht=Marcus+Read

He was banned from that forum for a host of shady dealings.. Documents posted showed that he was rolling back odometers on cars, trying to sell VIN stickers and other sketchy stuff and PM’ing new members soliciting and telling them not to deal with others. I’m not going to refresh my memory completely by going thru all the posts but I think you can still register and read thru it yourself.

If PWR is offering these and I wanted one, personally I’d look for another vendor, but it’s your call.

Thanks for the heads up, kind of a bummer because this looks like a great product for those that want to stay stock ++. Especially since it works and looks so good with the Autoexe intake. I guess I need to start looking to see if PWR will sell them direct.

Maybe the OP will chime in on his experience both on the IC and if he ended up dealing with him.

I am waiting for the carbon fiber ducts to be finished, then i will order a set. Of course, as with everything i buy its only paypal with buyer protection, and pictures beforehand.

I have purchased items from Marcus previously without issues, and also spoken to people who have the PWR IC. I think its one of the bri’ish guys on here who got one.

That's good to hear. The original post was over 2 years ago. Have you been waiting on the ducting since then or did he not offer carbon with the one you purchased? If it is that long of a wait I should have ordered 2 years ago.

It took a while before i got the cash. Then it was out of stock and i had to wait for that, and now the carbon guy was not doing that anymore. But i havent used the car since 2019 så im not in a hurry…

So I have this setup. I bought it for the same reasons as some of the others looking at it. It seems to be one of the best smic intercoolers and looks great paired with the autoexe intake. I also put a koyo rad around the same time in 2020 and combined, my temps are pretty well controlled on the street. Even canyon driving it seems to hold up very well. I haven't tracked the car though so I have no experience really pushing the set up but I've been happy with it overall to retain that stockish look. I also purchased it from Marcus. I've seen him beefing with some other guy online quite a bit but he was always pretty helpful and informative to me whenever I reached out. I bought a few items from him and they all came within a decent time frame (This was before the pandemic). I'm in LA so it took a little while coming from Australia. I bought the PWR SMIC, autoexe intake, strut bar, oil cap and a bunch of small parts off him and have no complaints so far.

What is it about this kit that makes it so you can’t use the Stock air box and crossover? Is it the duct?

I'd assume. Not like you'd want to use the stock S6 crossover anyway.

where did you get that info from? I was not aware of the compatability issues.

I don't know about the airbox, but 99 Y-pipe definitely fits.

I forget where I read it but someone mentioned it didn’t fit with the stock air box and crossover.
Is Facebook still the only place to get these?

The “efini Y pipe looks to be in the earlier pic. I was thinking he meant the “stock Y pipe and crossover” we got in our S6 NADM’s that used the fail-prone coupler. FWIW I don’t recall any difference in how the efini mated up on my stock IC when I switched. Or how it later mated to my PFS.

The earlier Y-pipe should sit at the same spot as the later one, technically should be call 96+ Y-pipe. So if one fit the other one should too.

HI EVERY ONE YES I STILL SELLING THE U TYPE COOLER IM MAKING ON THE TWIN TURBO 550HP AT WHEELS IF ANY ONE WANT THE BEST COOLER ON THE MARKET U CAN MESSAGE ME IN FB MY LINK

making 550 w that tiny intercooler???

there is no free lunch. w intercoolers it is about cubic inches and just like you hear the piston crowd say there isn't a substitute for cubic inches.

the IC looks nicely fixtured and it is probably an upgrade and O K for those running the OE turbo system. if you are running a single turbo, forget it.

i have significant experience with PWR.

in 2022 i had their subsidiary (C&R Racing, Indianapolis) make me a clone of my Spearco/M2 large/now Pettit IC. i also had Bell make the same. actually i had two ICs made by PWR. one was a tube and fin (highly recommended to me by a C&R guy who was subsequently fired). the other C&R was the bar and plate.

the tube and fin failed for my power output. the bar and plate which was the second C&R atttempt was O K and placed just behind the Bell. neither was as good as my Spearco which i have had since 2005 and was made by George Spears, the father of intercoolers IMO.

all were tested for heat rejection (w a thermocouple) and pressure drop just before and after the core.

charge air coming out of the typical single turbo at 15 psi is normally just over 300 F. at 20 psi 400 is not uncommon. if you are running your tiny undersized OE turbos at over the factory boost setting you will see at least as much temp if not more.

our FDs are handicapped by the small nose area... no place to put a proper sized IC. all of our intercoolers are undersized.

build quality on anything PWR/C&R Racing is first class.

the primary reason for my post is the 550 rwhp comment from this guy. anyone w half a brain would never try to push 73 pounds per minute through such an intercooler. he must think we have lots of dopes on this site.

if you are running the stock turbos and want to go w this setup find another vendor who doesn't think you are stoopid..

Yeah, I raised the bullshit flag earlier on this. Goes with SPII’s (Markus Read) reputation on the Aussie forum and probably related to why he was banned there.

There are no other vendors as this is his design and made to order by PWR. Dont really plan on going very far on this, i just want a nice upgrade for twins (oem or bnr). If singel is an option it will be with a v-mount.

This thread made me wonder how hard it would be to find someone to "recreate" my Blitz SMIC. They're getting tough to find too.

I made 551HP AT THE WHEELS with mine. :wave:

4 years is a good effort in the procrastination stakes I must say, hehe.:D

Probably the main reason for these solutions, is nothing screams an illegal car in these particular parts like a prominent intercooler....although normally you have to be a youngin who fails the attitude test when pulled over after doing something stupid, or stumble on an EPA testing station leaving a hoon event.

Like most things automotive, probably most breakthrough discoveries, were made in the first few decades of the 20th century and intercoolers were already well developed by the 40s....any fathers in that field are long gone I'd suggest.

I have a knightsports if interested

@ Howard

The HKS V Mount is the largest I have seen rated to 800HP. Ever seen one in person installed? I have a new one in the box but going to buy another threw a friend in Japan for how low the yen is as a backup.

Where does it say the HKS is rated for 800hp? Is that at the engine or wheels, and piston or rotary application?

Thanks for the offer, but im pretty set on the aesthetics of the PWR one. :)
Performance wise they are probably mostly the same.

HKS says 500hp, https://www.hks-power.co.jp/en/produ...ler/index.html
so 50 less than that U type...

HKS did have a GT core which would have been for higher hp cars, but not in a V mount kit for an FD

I'm in the same boat. I also like that the PWR one will come with a carbon fiber duct which will hopefully go well with my AutoEXE intake.

Your right, on RHD Japan it says up to 700PS but HKS says 500PS. I have never seen a bigger V mount then this with such a really big core and thought from the size it would support 800 crank HP.

Looking at a similar core size from others like Garret, it shows 800HP which means very little lol until temperature log after cooled can prove what any cooler will do HP wise on the specific application.

Well here is the right way to test this. You need to see the temps coming out after the cooler. The U type is certainly smaller then the HKS and you have the double core so the heat from the first goes threw the second.

Usual problem with HKS cores (and the bigger ones here), limited options for air intakes.....and most piss away any advantage sucking discharged hot air from the heat exchangers. You might be able to plumb something with a shorty manifold and a lot of mandrel bends.

True that is a problem. I'm going to do the new BNR Stage 2 Sequential and run that very nice HKS RS Suction intake. It's very nice OEM quality and turns away from the core into the fender liner. I'm a while away from installing my HKS R V mount and intake but I think it would be possible to shield the intake and maybe bring cool air to it. One thing that will help is motion. If your moving the hot air will be less of an issue but without temp data. We don't know. One thing I do see is the same size R core do make 800WHP on GTR and Supras. It really is an amazing kit and I just bought another for a backup. It will not be long until HKS will not have the R V mount or the RS intake.

Against with a U core I believe it is worse because of the heating from the front core passing threw the second core.

This is nowhere near as big an issue as most people think it is, especially at the boost levels most rotary guys are running at.

My thoughts exactly. A single core that's twice as thick seems like a better idea than two stock cores connected by a pipe, for both flow and heat exchange.

If you like 70 degree C air temps this is a great option. Had one in my car. If the car idles for a few minutes it heat soaks extremely quickly. It comes down once you're moving to like 45-50 degrees C but quickly heat soaks.

Better than factory sure... Should you use it? Hell no. Get a proper cooling system and do it properly.

My opinion of course.

There’s plenty of other things that are also wrong with the HKS v mount kit.