Hey all.

Does anyone know if you put a front mount intercooler on a standard FD with the twins, do you get power gains? is it more reliable? or does the stock intercooler work best?

On another note...i have 2 apexi air pods on the car. But i think the heat from the engine idiling at the lights giving it heat stroke...so it either takes off slowly or stalls. Anyone else experiencing that...was thinking to put a shield of somesort to divided the heat away.

Cheers

 

I was under the impression a good front mount was a common performance upgrade for all front engine turbo cars - mostly if you want to push big power. I am not sure if it gives you power gains itself but what it does do is improve the cooling and therefore allow you to run more boost - which = more power. If you have not done so check out this website.

http://www.turborx7.com/recomend.htm

If you are using pod filters you should have a heat shield around them so they are not sucking hot engine bay air - however I notice that so many people don't do this. But I can't say if this is the cause of your problem or not.

Hope this is some help

 

Yeah, i put an ARC airbox on my car last month. Didn't go any harder, though it did sound better. However driving through the city on a hot day the car didn't like it at all. I would touch the metal on the ARC box...too hot to touch!! I have put the standard airbox back on and im a happy chappy again. Smoother power and at least it's getting cooler air from the front air intake .... though throttle response is a little worse.

Stu has a front mount. Seems to run pretty good. First turbo spools really hard! I dont like the fact that it completley covers the raidiator though! He has a Cat back and ARC box and its not hitting boost cut yet

I have instead chosen to grab an ARC factory mount intercooler. Noticed a difference too....not as much as the front mount though.

James

 

a larger intercooler allows u to run more boost by keeping optimal intake temperatures.

however if u just bolt a FMIC on most likely u will get slightly more lag than the stock without other modifications due to extra long piping and preassure drop.

i recommned u get a cold air intake as your first mod, or cut up the stock box to do the poor mans CAI mod.

 

Thanks guys for your thoughts.
I think a front mount is going to create a pressure drop..without doing anyhting else. I think I will try to seal off my Apxi pods somehow from the heat of the engine bay. and possibly putting some sort of cold air intake from the front.

 

Also need to think about the extra heat as your radiator will not receive as much (if any) airflow.

 

Started carving up my stock front bumper with an angle grinder today in an effort to fit my new front mount.

Not looking too shabby so far, still a lot of sanding to be done yet though..


The gaps on either side will be ducted to the radiator, and fins attached to the side of the IC to create a high pressure 'pocket' in front of it

 

Any pics on how you route the pipings

 

Plumbing isnt done yet as I only hacked the bumper apart this afternoon! That's tomorrows job... (along with the mesh so small children/road kill don't get stuck in the I/C).

Looks like I will bring it around beside the indicators on each side and along the reinforcement bar (which I also cut open as you can see in the pic) to the IC. Battery is being relocated so shouldnt be a problem.

 

I was thinking for an intercooler that fills up that front bar...so prob a 300 x 600 wide...along those lines..

I think i will try and source a second hand one from off a wreck and hopefull a bar with it so i don't have to start hacking at stuff.

can you post some results with the new IC! Cheers

 

My IC is 400x300x76 (or 600x300x76 with end tanks) to fill up the entire front, you'd need at least 700mm core, but then you run into problems with plumbing
Also you mentioned above its for standard twins... they dont warrent having such a big IC.
Just to give you an idea.. I'm running a T61 with 1.15A/R

Just finished meshing the front and respraying the reinforcement bar.

 

ahic...cool!

for the standard twins...the stock intercooler is enough? how do you maintain the stock intercooler ...clean the tanks out? once in a while?

does anyone know if its easy to clean the turbos? or rebuild them? Is it easy to take them out and reoil them or something? does that make them go better?

 

Stock intercooler is fine
Unless your turbos are on their last legs and blowing oil, your intercooler shouldnt really need 'cleaning' inside as such.

Stock twin turbos are a real c***! Don't touch them unless you really have to (read: they've crapped out)!

You could have them rebuilt with new seals and rebalanced etc, but for the $$$ and effort involved I don't think it would be worth it..

 

Dezigns,

Is that one of those Racepro i/c or is that a custom made one.bottom part looks like the Racepro ones but not sure,just curious as i've been thinking of using the Racepro i/c for a while now as they seem cheap and quality looks ok???

 

It's a Rodent Race Supplies I/C - excellent build quality and a good price (I think even better than ripco does the racepro's for)
Rohan assures me they've spent a fair bit on R&D recently - and a few of the D1NZ drift guys here are running their cooler, so can't be too shabby

rodentracingsupplies@xtra.co.nz tell him Dion referred you and he should sort you out

 

You need to move that number plate too.. you'll be amazed how much extra air you'll get through without it... mine sits above the opening.. looks uglier, but makes noticable difference to running temps.

 

Found some pix... This was before my single went on, but the I/C piping is still the same...

 

Looks good

Ive got a sticker being made up as a replacement for the plate... not very legal, but willing to see how long I can get away with it

 

Thanks for the info regarding the i/c.I've PMed you regarding another subject.Please check you PM and let me know if you don't mind.Thanks mate.

 

Nice

I wouldn't be game to try that I don't think.... I crap myself everytime a cop looks in my direction

 

Here, check this out. RX7customintake.
Its from a RX7 project car that a magazine is doing in the States. They built this custom air box, and it is probubly something that might suit. Its common knowledge that hot air does affect performance, and that the RX7 engine bay does get very hot...