M2 Medium IC installation questions
 

Looking to install a M2 medium IC I picked up after talking with Rich and Heath from Sakebomb garage. This is to address high IATs (near 70C during dyno tuning!).

I have installed Sakebomb's AEM water meth kit (running only distilled water) but still noticed my IATs creeping up to just over 60C after some spirited driving and then stopping at a light. The car has the stock intake system and BNR Stage 3 turbos installed. I am afraid that on a track day, hard driving would heat soak the stock IC and IATs will come up to unsafe levels.

M2's no longer around but from pictures of other setups and forum searches, looks like I'll have to do the following for the installation of the medium IC:
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• Battery relocation
• Aftermarket intake
• AST delete or relocation

M2 Installation Questions:

• How exactly does the IC mount? There are no mounting tabs at all and no hardware.

• Same question for the fiberglass duct, how exactly does that stay in place?

• Can anyone think of a solution for installing the M2 piping with the Efini Y-pipe?
  • The M2 piping looks like it would utilize the rubber junction from stock Y-pipes but the Efini replaces this with a flanged output that bolts up directly to the crossover tube. I would just switch over to the stock Y-pipe but the Efini has been modified by BNR to be extended so I have to use the Efini. I can't think of anything other than having a shop weld together the crossover tube and the IC pipe (pictured below).

• Apparently, there were originally two versions of the IC piping (turbo to IC), one that that will fit the air pump. Is the one picture below the one that will fit the air pump? I've tried mocking it up and it seems to fit but again, I suppose it may depend on how I connect to the Y-pipe.

• Which intakes will allow fitment of the IC? I was considering the HKS RS since it faces both filter elements to the passenger side. I would prefer a boxed setup but the CXRacing (M2 clone?) just looks to be an aluminum box of dubious quality, it has holes in the side for intake which makes it seem like it's essentially the exact same as open element intakes such as Apexi or HKS. The Knightsports Air Groove for V-Mount looks to be a very cool option but I don't think the ducting works out at all with a stock radiator and the M2 IC setup. If anyone has experience with either of these intakes, feedback would be appreciated.

Here is the picture of the IC pipe I have currently.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...1dda2bc12.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...f054d2f61.jpeg

Did some more searching and found some answers:

• How exactly does the IC mount? There are no mounting tabs at all and no hardware.
  • Tension from the piping, looks like people just fab'd something themselves to prevent the IC from knocking against the crossbar underneath.

• Same question for the fiberglass duct, how exactly does that stay in place?
  • This is something I am still looking into, duct tape maybe?

• Can anyone think of a solution for installing the M2 piping with the Efini Y-pipe?
  • Found this thread: https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...rge-ic-888384/
  • Looks like you can use a compressor inlet flange and maybe drill out the mounting holes to fit the y-pipe outlet.

• Apparently, there were originally two versions of the IC piping (turbo to IC), one that that will fit the air pump. Is the one picture below the one that will fit the air pump? I've tried mocking it up and it seems to fit but again, I suppose it may depend on how I connect to the Y-pipe.
  • The bend I have in the hot side pipe looks to be correct, will mount it up tonight again and see.

I think you might want to just look for an M2 intake. They come up for sale now and then. Not personally familiar with the M2 but looking at the crossover section it doesn’t look like it’ll work around an air pump. To make it fit the efini Y why not cut the flange off the efini crossover and have it re-welded to your crossover...if/when it fits the air pump.
How much boost do you plan on running with the BNR’s?

I installed an M2 intake and medium IC last year. I will try and take more pictures for you of my install if needed.

I was not OK with just laying the IC on the crossmember. I bought a strip of 1"x1/8" 3003 Aluminum, mocked up & bent some tabs from the IC sides to the x-member and paid a fabricator friend to weld the mounting tabs on. You can see the DS tab in the image below. The IC bolts directly to the x-member with M6 screws/nuts.

I made a small bracket to hold the duct in place using the original IC mount holes. Used M6 hardware with O-rings so it didn't crack the FG duct when tightened.

I tried to make mine work with the air pump, but eventually ditched it. I am sure it can be done, but I was making/flaring my own pipes out of bends I bought online and ran out of patience/time/material.

The problem with the efini pipe is that the flange is too high. Once you bolt another flange/nipple onto it you have no room for a silicone elbow. If you cut off the y pipe flange and just welded the outlet nipple in place of the flange it could work. I don't think it's worth the trouble for "moar flow".

The M2 intake fits OK. The aluminum does heat soak from the radiator so I am having to add that gold thermal barrier to it over the winter.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...77f9b4258.jpeg

@Sgtblue

Thanks for the feedback. Regarding the intake, I ended up getting the HKS RS. It seems like it offers the best clearances in terms of space.

I just got tuned at Sakebomb and should be getting around 12 PSI (270 bhp). It's a safe number that my current setup can support (stock port, fuel pump, injectors).

I had considered cutting up the crossover tube as a last resort since it would be irreversible, I may not have another choice because looking at the Y-pipe outlet, the studs aren't evened up on either side and look to be a little bit offset.

@alexdimen

Thanks for the advice with the install.

If convenient, could you provide more pictures of your battery setup? What brand is the battery and how is the positive terminal with fuseblock mounted? Are you using a bracket?
I was resigned to having to relocate my battery to my storage bins in the rear but would love to keep it in the engine bay like you have.

• I think I see the bracket for the duct in the picture you provided, it's the black one mounted to the crash bar?
• Unfortunately, I am in CA and smog dictates that I'll have to run the air pump (or face a reinstall of that, IC, pulleys, etc. every two years). I would love to just get rid of the damn thing. Do you think there is enough room in the front to run the stock crossover tube and use a very compressed S tube and two couplers?
  • Does my hot side tubing look like yours? Or does it look like it look different? I noticed mine has a couple welds in the middle of it, so not sure if it was just an earlier version of it or maybe (wishful thinking) it had been modified previously to fit the airpump.
• I would use the stock Y pipe but the Efini one has been elongated a couple inches by BNR. I would have to send them my stock Y-pipe, and I guess even then, it's still a maybe whether or not everything would fit.

Thanks for the heads up on the IC mounting. I am also reluctant to just have the IC rest and possibly bob up and down so will look into getting mounting tabs welded. If it does reach the cross member below, I know there are plenty of screw holes there I can utilize.

Here is my setup using a custom mounted and ducted large SMIC setup. I did have to relocate my battery to my trunk. I'm running an optima redtop and I have found no issues with it there. The piping is 2.75" from outlet to elbow. I mocked it up a bit too exact and didn't leave enough room to assemble / dissemble as easy as I'd like. The mounting for the core seems VERY solid and I have noticed no movement or rubbing since I installed it. I fabricated a plate with angled brackets to push the bottom of the IC towards the engine, welded standoffs to the bottom of the IC and used rubber isolators between the two. The top section of the duct acts as a bracket itself, bolting just in front of the radiator where it draws fresh air. That setup, coupled with the M2 box rarely sees cruising intake temps 10° above ambient and rarely 20° above when driving hard.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...e136028792.jpg

congrats on a nice choice re your IC. it will be worth the fixturing needed. attempting to make power thru the stock IC is a path to getting to know an engine builder too well. you are lucky your motor is O K after making 140/158 F IATs. the medium ASP is an excellent choice for 300-400 power levels. a big thumbs up to alexdimen and DPeanut.

Not exactly. M2 medium is not quite an exact copy of Kevin Wyum's ASP medium intercooler. Kevin had a cast aluminum pipe made that worked with the air pump with no clearance issues. M2 has a regular pipe which "fits" with the factory air pump, and also contacts the strut tower bar and possibly part of the hood. I've fought with that thing for way too long.

TurboJeff made that pipe if memory serves, Kevin was all about removing emissions and going non-sequential.

Those pipes are probably hard to come by at this point.

Dale

His m2 crossbar was a short lived and awesome product as well...

M2 may be my favorite early aftermarket parts company. The hood they designed with their larger intercooler may be the best setup ever. Air came into and through the IC and was then forced up and out of the matching hood vents.