Some useful info about HKS V-Mount
 

Just some useful info for those interested in the HKS V-Mount Kit. I just installed it in my car a few days back. Have no pics as my car is not with me now.

1) Fitment is excellent. HKS intercooler core is SUPER THICK!

2) I used the Fluidyne Radiator. As fans are mounted underside my fans are really LOW and in danger of scarpping the floor. Reason being the kit was designed for the stock radiator which is thinner. My fans are actually lower than my front bumper!

3) I have not installed my Microtech yet so I cannot check the intake temps. Anyway I am still running the stock twins and ECU so it has GOT to be better than the puny stock intercooler but it sure is LAGGY

4) Water Temps are excellent! My have constant temps on 80 Degrees in day drivning in traffic and 70 plus at night cruising. No racing track here in Singapore so can't tell you racing temps!

I'll update with pics when I get the car back

Re: Some useful info about HKS V-Mount
 

That sounds like a reliability mod;). Don't take this as a flame, it is just the honest truth.

The stock and Fluidyne rads aren't much different in thickness, with the rad that low it is too close to the ground to be considered reliable.

"The stock and Fluidyne rads aren't much different in thickness"

Thats what I thought too. But when I put the 2 together it was noticeably thicker. Not as thick as the Koyo unit but still thicker than stock. I think was more to do with the core. End tanks are about the same but the core is slightly thicker. I gonna raise my front suspension a few inches so hopefully they help. I haven't actually hit anything with the fans yet but it is a psychological thing.

you may want to talk to Cossie about the same deal, cause he has the HKS V mount, but has a Koyo rad.

The dammed thing sticks out no matter what V-Mount you get....

The fact that

<---- Direction of travel

\ O = Stock Mount Rad + Wheel

/ O = Vmount Rad + Wheel

The fact is when you reverse the radiator, without sliding it foreward or backward, you end up moving the lowest point of the radiator foreward of the axle, and therefore exposing it.
Stock the lowest point is protected by the wheel....

The end result is that you changed stuff on your car to gain performance, and had to trade something, and thank god it wasn't reliability but it was your margin of error on judgeing curbs, and dips in the road.

You made it a bit more of a Race Car, and Just like a suspension mod, and single turbo etc.... etc... you increased performance, but you also decreased the versatility of the vehicle, you're well on your way to creating a track monster that will most likely be uncomfortable driving cross country.... :rant: end...

Can't you buy thiner fans? Like that fan from summit. It's a single fan but its thiner.

I don't think by adding an upgraded IC is going to make the car less streetable at all. As long as he has a good rad. and fan, it should do fine.


eugenchoo- maybe there is a way you can raise the radiator on the mounts so its not as low(without messing with the performance), or you could get a new fan

I've never seen the HKS unit in person so forgive my ignorance but are you saying the assembly hangs below the subframe? I guess my question is if you went off track or something or hit a speedbump too fast would you hit the skidplate / subframe or would the radiator / fans hit first? My reason is an initial fear that it would jam the radiator up into the engine / turbos / pulleys and hood etc. which could be extremely dangerous. Could this be resolved by setting adjustable shocks up higher even if it looks a little dorky?

Kevin T. Wyum

"You made it a bit more of a Race Car, and Just like a suspension mod, and single turbo etc.... etc... you increased performance, but you also decreased the versatility of the vehicle, you're well on your way to creating a track monster that will most likely be uncomfortable driving cross country.... end..."

Thats true but I guess we all know once we walk down this road of modding the FD you are making it less streetable. I will try raising the suspension and see how it goes. Well thats the way the cookie crumbles! Just to let any interested parties in this kit the "drawbacks" but I believe there is a solution to most problems

"Can't you buy thiner fans? Like that fan from summit. It's a single fan but its thiner"

Actually that is what cossie advised me to do. But it is too much of hassle for me. We have only around 15 FD's here in Singapore so getting customized parts can be very costly as you are prob the first one to have done it! My car is a daily driver and doesn't see track action so I guess I will just drive with more caution.

Damn, I was going to buy a intercooler off ebay and have my friends shop do the plumbing and brackets for a Vmount. The roads here arent bad but are perfect either. This has helped alot with my intercooler decision. I might just stick with an upgraded stock mount intercooler

"I've never seen the HKS unit in person so forgive my ignorance but are you saying the assembly hangs below the subframe? I guess my question is if you went off track or something or hit a speedbump too fast would you hit the skidplate / subframe or would the radiator / fans hit first? My reason is an initial fear that it would jam the radiator up into the engine / turbos / pulleys and hood etc. which could be extremely dangerous. Could this be resolved by setting adjustable shocks up higher even if it looks a little dorky?"

Hi Kevin, I'll try to post pics once I get my car back. Some idiot slammed my door too hard and cracked my sideskirt! Basically the radiator is in the same position as the stock setup but as it is mounted in a more horizontal position the fans are hence closer to the floor. From my view if you were to hit a speedbump the only thing the radiator will do is hit the intercooler. The intercooler itself is mounted to the subframe so this may cause more potential damage. I have not really examined how the radiator is mounted to the chassis but just to give you a rough idea of how low the fans are, I have a C-west front bumper and if you look from the front of the car the fans are LOWER than my front lip. Theoratically if your front bumper can clear a bump it should not touch the fans but I am afraid of potholes or bumps in the roads. I will try raising the car but I think if you go racing that will be too much of a compromise. Like Cossie suggested you can get thinner fans. I think that will help.

Hey Kevin, here are some shots of the install on Cossies car with the V-Mount

http://public.fotki.com/fong/carsusa...7/hks_v_mount/

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ght=Cossie+HKS

here is a dual flex fan setup, for an example
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...=FLX-225&N=120 304508

"Damn, I was going to buy a intercooler off ebay and have my friends shop do the plumbing and brackets for a Vmount. The roads here arent bad but are perfect either. This has helped alot with my intercooler decision. I might just stick with an upgraded stock mount intercooler"

Don't get me wrong but I feel that the V-Mount is a fantastic setup. I have absolutely no complaints about the performance so far. But this is regards to the HKS kit which comes with all the mounting locations. If you are fabricating a setup you can mount the radiator at more of an angle so the fans will not be so low or you could even mount the radiator a bit higher. I was skeptical at first when I saw the amount of air that could hit the radiator but I was very surprised when my water temps dropped by about 10 degrees celsius! It is amazing!

I have the same issue with the RE vmount. The radiator fans and the PS lines are now lower, below the level of the front lip. This has radically changed by approaches to anything but smooth road.

this might be straying but....
 

can stockmount (upgraded ones) allow for more horse power cooler temps like the v-mount?

I won't touch the "which is better" topic with a 10' pole. As for if a stockmount can be used for high horsepower, of course they can. If you're asking which is better I'd suggest you do a search, the topic has been beaten to death many times here.

Kevin T. Wyum

"can stockmount (upgraded ones) allow for more horse power cooler temps like the v-mount?"

I used an upgraded stock mount from an Australian company a couple of years back. Main complaint I had was that because the radiator fans are mounted on top and at a different angle, they actually suck hot air and blow it at the intercooler. Maybe it was due to the hot weather here or the trafiic. My intercooler was always so damn hot when I popped open the bonnet. I think if you are constantly on the move it isn't really an issue but in traffic when you are stationary and the fans come on the air is blown on to the intercooler. If you fab a heat shield like the plastic piece in the stock setup it should be fine. I guess is really up to the individual. I personally like the look of a FMIC but I was afraid of overheating problems which some guys here experienced so I decided to try the V-Mount

On my custom design. Radiator are at same level as the lower tension bar and my AB Flug front bumper. Abflug bumper extens back more, which protects my radiator. I have modify my AC tank to a bigger one. Hot weather here in Taiwan is just no good for FD. http://www.evo-r.net/EVOR7/V_Mount/CIMG0885.JPG

Paraphrasing the mechanic who was part of the HKS team that designed the v-mount "We tried various designs, and looked at similar v-mounts on the market. We did a LOT if testing and found that this was the best positioning possible"

Now, HKS are a big company, with a lot to lose from issuing a bad product. They also are one of the few companies who have the resources/inclination to significantly R&D/track test a product.

Of course, that could be just marketing.

Still, food for thought.

I have no doubts about the quality of the product and the fitment. HKS is a big company and sells quality products. But there are trade offs for everything and one trade off with this setup is the potential danger of the fans hitting something. Then again this was designed for the "thinner" japanese aluminium radiators like ARC. Or at least that is what the HKS dealer here told me.

I wouldnt worry about the radiator, I would just get a thinner fan. Like Rhode_Dog posted before.
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...7D#largerimage

For some reason, I just love the design of the Vmount. It really looks awsome. The way its mounted and positioned. It's a really great design. I think I might have to bend over for the bank and get one. It seems to be worth it for the engeering.

That's true, we are kind of "lucky" in a way. Previously such V-Mount setups were only used in the JGTC and some rally cars. I think this is the first time I have seen such a kit for a road car. Anyone else know of any such kits for other cars? Don't count customized kits!

you live in singapore?

i went there 2 summers ago. i dont think you need to worry about scarping your car on anything, accept maybe going in and out of parking garages.

"i dont think you need to worry about scarping your car on anything, accept maybe going in and out of parking garages"

I am more worried about the uneven bumps on highways. I see scratches on my cat and the fans are at the same height so I just slow down on bumpy surfaces just to be safe

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Does the trust intak fit the V-mount set-up?