What excatly is pressure drop?

I've read that FMIC are bad for stock twins due to pressure drop. IS this the case for all FMICs?

 

Pressure drop is the amt of air pressure that is lost across the core of the intercooler. The longer the intercooler the greater the pressure loss. Long and twisty ic pipes also contribute to greater pressure loss. Thing of it this way: If your twins are putting out 10psi of boost (stock) and you have 2psi pressure drop across the ic, when the boost gets to the engine you only have around 8psi left. Not good.

The reason the FMIC doesn't work well for the twins, is the have to work exceptionally hard to make 14psi, which is about their efficiency limit. If all they can make is 14psi, you don't want to lose 2 of that in the ic. Hence the SMIC. Less cooling, but less pressure drop. When you are using a large single that can easily make 20psi, losing 2 across the ic is insignificant. If you want 14psi, just set the boost controller for 16psi.

Hope this helps some.

 

crap-o, Iw as so sure I wanted an FMIC but now I dont' know considering that issue. Just get my apex too..

 

You already got the Apexi FM? If you decide you don't want to keep it, hollar at me. I'm going single soon and I could use it. I'll even hook you up with a great SMIC for your car.

 

heh.... I wish, I eman I got an apex intake, and I've read most SMIC don't fit with that, but I don't have any plans to go single really so......tell u what though. I'm cleaning out my room tomorrow, if I ahppen to find one you ahve first dibs

 

Awesome. If you happen to stumble across a 20B in there too, I'll take it off your hands.

 

what is the average presure drop on most of these aftermarket IC's offered? does anyone have any figures?

 

so, will any stock mount intercooler fit with the apex intake?

 

The Blitz or Greddy SMIC fits with the stock ducting, so either one would probably work.

 

Yes, does anyone have some numbers?

Are the greddy and blitz SMIC the only ones that will fit with the apex? I don't like either one of those.

 

The Greddy 2-row FM is awesome...don't know what the pressure drop is, but my boost is great with it so I doubt that the pressure drop is of any concern at all.

My advice is get the FMIC..it's great!!! I wouldn't go for anything else.

 

Most aftermarket intercoolers are pretty efficent and will only have about 1psi pressure drop +/- 0.5psi (eg.M2 medium smic). I beleive the apexi one has about 1.5 psi pressure drop.

 

Damn! Pressure Drop with a FMIC?!?!?! I just took my stock mount in and installed my FEED FMIC and GAINED .2 kilo's boost. Before...1.00 Kilos....Now...1.2 Kilos?

I hope I didn't do anything wrong?

 

What SMIC were you using?

 

It looked like an Old style GREDDY, but I'm thinking it was a custom Fab job. VERY well done, and fit well with battery and HKS Intakes. My piping now is run VERY well. From turbine to IC Intake, I've got two total 90 degree bends. From IC Out to Throttle body, I've got 1 90 degree bend, a 15degree followed by another 15 degree followed by another 15 degree. All in all, I've got less Bends. I ran it that way because I knew that with a FMIC, you'd get pressure drop, and with a lot of bends in intercooler piping, it could add to that, so I ran it will as little bending as possible. But now I'm OVER boosting. I don't have enough fuel to boost 1.2 kilos with the stock injectors unless I get a rising fuel pressure regulator.

 

You might be seeing more boost because the SMIC you were running was a bottleneck. Now that you freed up the ic you're turbos aren't going to have to work nearly as hard. Remember that your boost gauge is reading manifold pressure not ic inlet pressure. You're turbos were working at 1.2 just so you could see 1.0.

 

...hmmmm....That's true. I think I'll go put my cat back on today. Should help on the boost.