I think it's funny that everyone always bashes Chuck for selling a v-mount for $2300 and then jumps on the HKS bandwagon, which sells for the same price and DOESN'T COME WITH A RADIATOR.

All of the JDM v-mounts are very nice (I actually really like the HKS design), but they cost over $3k and all have to be retrofitted to US p/s and a/c lines. IMO, a v-mount design IS the best solution for engine and intake air cooling, but it is overkill for street driving.

Since this thread originally asked about the HKS v-mount, I'll give my 2 cents -- for me, it is the best v-mount design. Not only is the IC huge, it places a divider panel between the IC and rad to adjust airflow hitting each. The kit uses a 51R-size battery (HUGE plus for me), and moves the battery farther from the front of the car (this is meaningless for those who've relocated, but I don't WANT a battery in my cabin!).

 

Which is why you relocate it to the trunk...

 

I love mine, went from regular to large....

 

so no numbers on how it performs. So we just have to asume I guess that the perform about the same. So it's all about what is included for you 2,300.00 I can dig that. Best bang for your buck always sounds good to me.

 

Can you provide me w/ #s comparing all the FMICs on the market? Or the SMICs?

 

I wonder what IC the HKS one uses. Also, when doing a remount, don't you usually have to relocate your air intake?

 

Dont fit the splitter between the radiator and the I/C. I had this, and thought the temps were a little higher than they should be, so removed it and dropped the air temps by about 5c and water was down aswell.

I am not using either the HKS or RE v-mount, but my own.

Fish

 

It's hard to get good information about v-mounts. I'm looking to get a intake that fits with a vmount, but amoung the closed air intake boxes, only the SR motorsports seems to fit. The open air intakes seem to be able to be relocated by using different tubing but I'm not sure if this holds true with all intakes. What intakes do people use or what ducting/cold air boxes?

Thanks,
Josh

 

The higher temps you saw were surely attributable to something else besides the splitter (as long as the design is sound). The cores of a radiator and IC are different in size and design, with differing airflow characteristics. Properly designed, a splitter will keep one core (radiator) from stealing from another (IC).

 

Kento, in theory I agree, but in practice it was cooler with the splitter removed.

I have a Feed Type 2 front bumper on at present, but this is going to be replaced with a bumper with about 30-40% larger holes where it counts.

The other thing I need to try is removing the stock hood and putting a vented hood on.

Fish

 

If you search, cossie had an HKS V-mount. I believe that he posted about the install, including pics.

 

Can you elaborate on what "properly designed" would entail?

 

Not making the angles between the heat exchangers and splitter so severe that you're forcing the airflow to make a near-90-degree turn into the cores, which of course depends on the overall angle of the IC and radiator. The more acute of an angle you force the airflow to make, the more you slow it down and cause turbulence and stagnation that drops the heat exchanger's efficiency.

 

Lemme see if I understood this. In an ideal situation, if the V-mount is a perfect V (90 degrees), the splitter would be in the middle, making 45 degree angles w/ each heat exchanger, correct? But say, if it's not a perfect V, you'd want to angle the splitter in such a way that it's dividing the angle of the V in the middle, rather than just placing it in the middle of the fascia. Doing the later would leave one heat exchanger w/o much angle to it, and the other at a very acute, correct? (Which I'm guessing is prob what most ppl do, by putting a splitter smack dab in the middle of the front fascia, between both cores, w/o measuring the initial angle they form). Do I understand it right, or am I of in wonderland?

 

Well, not necessarily. The problem is that an IC core is more restrictive to airflow than a coolant radiator core, mostly because of its relative thickness. This is why you see cars like the Panspeed and such using hoods with vents, to create more of a negative pressure area behind the IC to help speed airflow through it. The airflow through the IC is already going to be much slower than the radiator, and forcing it to change direction at an even greater angle only slows the airflow even further.

Point being, you can't simply plop a splitter in the middle of a V-mount setup and proclaim success, nor can you say that based simply on Fish's experience that a splitter for a V-mount is useless. Due to whatever reasons, a splitter didn't work for his setup, but I think that you could create better IC airflow and efficiency in a V-mount setup by splitting up the airflow properly. This would entail a lot of testing however, which is beyond most owner's patience-- and probably resources as well.

 

Here are a couple of pics of my setup. The air box is seperated from the engine bay, so getting nice cold air there.

Still needs a little bit of tidying up, but getting there.

Fish

 

Makes sense. And as usual, thanks

I figured that was the answer (actual testing of airflow etc).