From reading the board, I'm pretty familiar with most of the basic upgrades.

I'm not to sure about the intercooler however. After doing the basic mods (downpipe, catback, intake, ecu, etc). Would upgrading the intercooler, but staying with the same boost and stock twins have any benefit?

I know cooler is better, and usually means more horsepower, but I'm wondering if upgrading the intercooler alone is going to help much, or if it is really meant for preparation of increasing boost.

Thanks

 

Not necessarily for increased boost, but you have to remember that the end tanks are plastic and will crack/break under heavy WOT usage.

The stock IC is also not effecient and can cause high intake temps leading to detonation...

IC's are cheaper than rebuilds.

 

Couldn't say it better myself

 

i myself have no plans on upgrading the ic until i start running higher than stock boost level of 10psi

 

If you plan to increase later on, you're going to need to get an intercooler anyways, so might as well get it now!!

 

unless you don't have the money It is all up to you. Make your plans for the car and what you want it to do. If you want to go single then wait till you have the money for a single and the intercooler that matches. This will help save some money, time, and energy in installing parts and 2 weeks later taking them out (what are you looking at me for )

 

BUY ONE... for your motor's sake...


see ya,

car 53

 

Let me rephrase this: Wouldn't you rather have a larger P*nis? Get the biggest one possible. M2 Large all the way.

 

it just looks sooooooooooooooo cool!!!!! get an aftermarket intercooler. youll love yourself later. haha. just make sure you stick to your plans and get the one you really want.

 

There is no circumstance whatsoever (other than needing to pass a visual smog inspection) where you shouldn't trash your stock intercooler and replace it with something better right away. I don't care if you're running 5 psi. That thing should be a prize in a family-size box of japanese "Cracker-Jacks"

Too many folks try to chintz out and buy all the horsepower and appearance mods first, and overlook an IC, Rad., tye-wrap, and boost/water temp guages.

 

I'd replace the stock intercooler even if the rest of my car was stock. it's SOOO TINY. I think it's the smallest intercooler to come on a factory car i've thus seen.

and if you are the type of guy to do canyon runs or go to track days, the stock IC will heatsoak in a one good run through the gears.

I'm the type of guy that doest' care too much for horsepower, but i hate losing HP because of heat. And with all those mods you have, i can say you can lose as much as 30rwhp just from heatsoak.

 

I have a Blitz FMIC, my ? is I now am starting to think I wanna go single. Will I have to buy a new IC or just piping?

Mike

 

an intercooler is a must....bottom line. when you "buy a DP to reduce underhood temps", why wouldn't buy an intercooler to reduce intake AND underhood temps?

and yes.....the car will be stronger, more reliable/last longer.....and preform better due to the lack of heat soak, reduced underhood temps....etc....etc....

 

With a bone stock FD like mine. I am way more concerned w/ reliabilty. What mods should I do before new i/c? Like dp, new rad., then can I go w/ a new i/c? Would that be ok? Btw, I plan on getting the apex i/c

 

for starters look at the top of this forum at the newbie section. THis will guide you in the direction you want as far as mods go. You should go with:
downpipe
aluminum ast or eliminate the ast
radiator
hose job
ic
ecu
cat back
intake
hi flow cat (or port your wastegate and go with a midpipe)
etc.
etc.
etc.

 

Newbie section, gotcha. Thanks for the mod list.

 

Just the piping going to the turbine...

 

Yup, just change the turbo piping, your Blitz FMIC is good for at least 650hp no problem.

Timmy

 

i hated opening my hood with the stock i/c.....it looked so cheap and puny.....now with the m2 large, which is now polished to a shine, i can open the hood with confidence......bling, bling....

 

So if I stay with just reliability mods a aftermarket IC is going to perhaps provide just a little more power, but is going to help even more with reliability.

With that said, it would appear that the large IC's requiring the battery relocation, is only worth it if I'm going to be doing some track racing or large boost plans?

Otherwise, it seems like an awful pain in the *** for an install.
Any recommended brands (M2 vs Pettit)?

Thanks again
Ken

 

I wasn't expecting much power change when I installed my IC (M2 Medium) but it seemed to add as much power as a cat-back, intake, or downpipe (10-15 HP or so). It does reduce throttle response a little as there is a larger volume of air to compress (I noticed this when I switched back to the stock IC for some, uh, government testing ).

An IC is a good upgrade for any car. Go for it. The M2 Medium is my favorite SMIC, and you can keep the battery. You do need an aftermarket intake, however.

-Max