Well I finally got my FD. Sold the T2 and now the fun starts all over again! My question is who thinks i should go with a V-mount setup or a Front Mount setup? One thing that i want everyone to consider is this is my daily driver. Well we i can walk i will but for the most part my daily driver. When summer time rolls around i did notice tempertaure increases with my T2 with a FMIC. Now this is a FD but i dont want the FMIC to interfere in any way. Which one would you guys go with, which one have you guys went with and why. Thanks Fellas. And no i dont want a STMIC upgrade.

 

As long as your ducting is efficient, FMIC is fine. I have streeted and tracked with no bad temps on 115,000 mile stock radiator. Drag strip and roadcourse. Ducting is the key.

 

Seeing that the v mount set up is more expensive than the front mount and, if you're not going to track the car (autocross), I would go with a front mount.

 

With a "V" mount, you should have a seperator between the rad and IC to help prevent heat soak at low speeds and parking when the rad fans are not on.

 

like they said...its about money your willing to spend..what kind of look you want...
and what your doing with the car...
i bought my v-mount and luv it...talk to chuck and he made me one...
i also needed to upgrade the rad. etc...and i usually do upgrades in big groups...it just worked out better for me....i thought about a large stock mount though...
this one is all on you...

 

can i ask why you are ruling out a smic?

 

Amazing after several years of availability that there does not seem to be enough data to make a truly objective choice to go with a v-mount. I'm tending towards the M2 large as my next IC purely because there are a lot of data out there on it (e.g., http://www.fd3s.net/intercoolers.html).

The v-mount design seems really attractive though - particularly the idea that the air intakes are getting air directly from the front airflow. The typical lack of ducting in most v-mount setups seems odd however.

Are there any decent comparison tests that I missed?

 

v mount, if money is plentyful. looks a hell of a lot better. and its different. open your hood and watch the jaws drop.

 

Theres nothing wrong with the STMIC. I just want something a little flashy. Of course the FMIC gets the attention as well as the STMIC but i think its a tad bit to close to the Rad. I think i might lead toward the V-mount because i dont want anything interfering with the path of the RAd. I know you have to reposition the Rad but it wont be blocked the way a FMIC will block it. The STMIC would probably be best suited but i just think its gonna heat soak from the RAd. I could be wrong and that why i started this poll. I really want to know what you guys think.

 

V-mount is the way to go. Unfortunatly, Chuck will not make you one if/once things get settled at Rotary Extreme. Many people have done tests, and the result is the same every time. V-mount > Everything else. I've done many informal tests and my v-mount always tends to cool down quicker compared to the front mounts. Also, there is less piping when you compare the two. My v-mount also has very sufficient ducting with it from chuck's kit/my own making. There isn't really any need for ducting with a v-mount anyways.

 

I don't understand the need for a seperator? All the air is trapped inside the V and is forced through the intercooler/radiator by means of forced induction even at low speeds.

 

Links to these tests?

 

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/v-mount-track-report-245422/
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/my-experience-rotaryextreme-v-mount-254036/
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/v-mount-impressions-185329/
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/v-mount-inter-radiator-combo-r-extreme-203407/
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/who-has-v-mount-intercooler-radiator-266218/
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...hreadid=185761
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/front-mount-vs-stock-upgread-vs-v-mount-intercoolers-348357/
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/front-mount-v-mount-513788/
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/intercooler-choices-f-mount-v-mount-409662/
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/v-mount-intercooler-vs-front-mount-546588/

 

yes V-mounts own
go for it

 

I've read most of these threads over the past few years. To say that even one of these 'tests' proves (or even suggests) the superiority of v-mounts is to go well beyond the evidence. Apart from one poorly controlled track test, they are primarily highway cruise tests.

There really is not enough evidence yet to indicate that v-mounts are as good as (let alone superior) to a good stock mount setup.

 

For that to be done would take a really controlled environment and access to different intercooler setups. However, I do know a few people who have had a SMIC or FMIC that have zero complaints once they go VMIC.

 

Furthermore, I have not heard of anyone who has gone from SMIC/FMIC to VMIC that would want to go back to their old setup.

 

^hes right, I know people with large SMIC's and have higher temps and a lot more heat soak. Also chuck is moving out of the country in ~2weeks so good luck getting any from him

 

I was going to go HKS v-mount with a HKS T04Z but only because it came with everything and would be easy to mate the two and retain the air pump. I had allready done fabrication to modify my Apexi, so I opted to keep it. I have no prroblems with air temps without any ducting or the bottom tray put back on. You can keep temps consistantly low with lower fan settings on the PFC. They look nice, they are a new concept but without a vented hood they are just as bad as a SMIC. Where is the hot air going? ...in the engine bay. At least with the HKS unit it comes with ducting but i'm not convinced that alot of air won't go through the gap where the V closes. You can manipulate what percentage of air the radiator or intercooler gets with the splitter but again i've only seen HKS come with a splitter and ducting.

 

I made a duct for the gap where the V closes. It isn't much, but it really does help a lot. Plus, I pushed the v-mount towards the right (drivers side) as to let air go freely towards my intakes. Mine is the regular sized vmount. Everything in my vmount is pretty much ducted, except for the exit of the air. I am also running a KS hood. I did not notice much difference when changing from the stock hood to the KS hood through. I am guessing the vmount was at near 100% efficiency even before the vented hood was put on.

 

When I first installed it, I noticed a dramatic difference. Once I got a bumper with a larger mouth opening the difference was more noticeable. Then, when I completely ducted the vmount it was running even cooler. When I added the hood, it was not much of a difference.

 

HKS V-mount?? When did HKS make a V-mount?? Where can i see pictures at? Where can I get it at? Any links? This is a first i've heard of that.

 

^Awhile ago, try searching theres pictures somewhere on here. Not many people have it b/c of the insane cost of JUST getting a IC, opposed to Rotary Extremes that also came with a koyo radiator.

 

HKS has had a V-mount for the FD for YEARS. Here are some pics along w/ the testing they did.

FYI, Knightsports, RE Amemiya, and a few other companies in Japan also have V-mounts. They're pricey, but they're VERY nice. I can get any of 'em for ya if you're interested.

Lastly, (shameless plug), I'm actually in the process of making an FDNewbie Imports V-mount kit, which should be very high quality, include the IC and radiator, work w/ the A/C, AND include ducting

~Ramy
FDNewbie Imports

 

Ramy, I'd like to see a GB for the FDNewbie V-mount rad/ic kit!

I plan on doing a vmount setup by next winter at the latest, so if it won't be ready for a while...