I took my FD down the highway today and drove it for about 30 minutes. When i got there, I shut off the car and opened up the hood to let out some heat. To my surprise, as soon as the hood popped open, smoke started to come out. It wasn't A LOT, but there was still quite a bit. I traced it back to the source, and i noticed the pipe going into the intercooler was RED hot. I mean it was just RED and smoke was coming from there. So i quickly got some water and sprayed it a little bit trying to cool it down. Now... I haven't owned my FD for long and this is pretty much the first time I really drove her past 100.. so i was wondering what you experienced owners have to say about this. Should I look into new piping or possibly a new IC? It's a daily driver, so I dont want to go overboard. Thanks a lot in advanced.

 

are you 100 percent positive it was your I/C pipe? I have never heard of a I/C pipe turning red hot. the downpipe however, well thats another story.

 

well im not 100% sure.. but you cant see the downpipe from above can you? Where the smoke was coming from was beside the UIM. It is the pipe that comes up from the turbos, just beside the UIM, and it goes into the right side of the IC (Passenger side in LHD vehicle)

 

I highly doubt that your IC pipes would do that. More then likely, it's your downpipe. And yes, you should be able to see your downpipe from the top.

 

y-pipe? i think no way that should get that hot.

 

I shall investigate.. Any suggestions as to what would reduce the heat in the engine bay? I should be getting a vented hood soon (hopefully) But other than that, what else could I do to get it cooler in there?

On another note, how long have you guys driven at once? and has there been any similar problems with heat?

 

^ ive driven over 1500 miles in a few days.

i really dont see how your intercooler piping could be hot enough to glow red. if it were possible,it seems like the intake charge would be so hot,the engine would be damaged. And wait, the intercooler piping is all plastic tubes with soft couplers, except for the y-pipe. only the y-pipe could therotically glow red.
Im guessing your downpipe.

 

After a "sporting" stretch of highway, my manifold would glow red. But if your ic piping was glowing red...

You won't solve that with an intercooler, do you have the stock downpipe?

 

Well I have a JDM fd3s, and I was told there was a downpipe instead of a precat in these cars, yes, its stock.. Also, I thought it shouldn't be the IC piping cuz if its getting that hot, it'd be horrible for the engine.. What's underneath the IC pipe on the right side of the UIM?

 

LOL

The turbos are under the Y pipe which I think you are improperly referring to as IC piping on the right side of the UIM (right side perspective when sitting inside the car - left side of the UIM if you are standing in front of the car looking at the engine)

Why don't you just take a pic and circle the part in question.


FYI a "downpipe" refers to the exhaust part that goes from the turbos to the cat (which is the middle part of the exhaust and sometimes contains a straight or mufflered/resonated mid-pipe instead of a cat). A cat-back exhaust refers to the part of the exhaust that is after the cat to the back of the car where it ends in a muffler and exhaust tip at the bumper.

Have you read the FAQ thread stickied in this forum yet? You really should give it another read.

 

^ Yeah sorry, I meant Precat...

 

I've seen some clogged cats and/or pre-cats get pretty hot. A def. possibility.

 

Took it down the highway? You mean hard driving? I usually let my car cool down a little bit before I turn the car off.

 

Hmmm well that really depends on what is "hard" the fastest I went was about 140-150km/h (to pass) and the revs were always kept at give or take 3.5k umm... I did red line just a bit in third then went to 5th to get the revs down faster. Yeah. About 30 minutes give or take.

 

Take a pic