3rd gen racers ... intercooler setup?
 

I've been talking about doing the ASP setup for a while and I think I've finally built up the nerve to do it. (My wallet is going to hate me, but f**k it.) I am stuck on which intercooler is the best for my setup. This car will be driven a lot; daily driving (sorta), auto-x, and the occasional road racing event.

I'm looking at a few intercoolers:

Greddy SMIC
PFS SMIC
M2 Medium SMIC
M2 Large SMIC

The Greddy just looks terribly small. Is it just the pictures or is it really that tiny? Fortunately, the Greddy has almost zero fitment issues. I've seen the PFS SMIC in person and it's about the same size as the M2 Medium SMIC. Both look fairly sufficient; but I'm worried about the stock R-1 strut tower brace. Is the clearance ok or will I need to change to a different brace? And the M2 Large SMIC, is it worth relocating the battery for the increased cooling capacity? Furthermore, is the increased cooling capacity necessary for my application?

Any other SMIC suggestions are welcome. I'm really stuck on whether or not to go with the bigger intercooler or not ...

i would go with either the greddy unit or the m2 medium. when i got my m2 medium i did increase a little increase of lag on the autocross course on really slow corners but i don't notice it anymore. the problem with autocrossing and intercoolers is that the damn thing is super hot already after one run and then your car just sits. even spraying water on the core doesn't have that great of an effect. i definitely feel like my car is progressively less powerful on the straights as the runs go on. not that the extra power is going to help me that much on the course.

i would suggest getting a used greddy smic (~$500) and seeing how that goes. if you don't like it then sell it and step up to the m2 medium or large. it is quite a bit of money though. but probably worth it in the end. i have zero experience with the pfs but it just seems if you're going to go bigger just skip the pfs.

i would really suggest thinking about getting some ccw wheels and race tires before getting the ic if you are really serious. they'll make 10x more impact.

i was thinking about switching to an m2 large just because i had already relocated the battery and want the ultimate in smics. that wouldn't happen till next year though. good luck!

Thanks for the suggestions! I have my eyes on a set of 17" CCW's off a local club member's RX-7. Man, those things look sweet. And I'm debating whether or not to cough up for the Hoosiers or try and make some Kumhos last an entire season. (how much do I get for a kidney? :) ) My old Kumhos are almost corded. (got 'em used)

Alan, how hard was the battery relocation? I've heard that it's a PITA and then when you need to replace the battery, then that becomes a PITA.

PFS and M2 med IC are not the same size. PM me for pics of both side by side. The M2 is much bigger.


Jeff

R R R1,

I am also running the M2 medium with a fan mounted on the back for cooling while not moving. I would also recommend the M2. Due to the fan, I don't experience the loss of power as the engine bay temps increase. Regarding your question about the strut tower brace, I have Cusco bar and no clearance problems. However, you will need to trim the silicone coupling (between the Y-pipe and the first IC pipe coupling) to create clearance for your tower brace.

Tom

I've been drag racing awhile now. I used to have the M2 med and large. They both suck for drag racing. You'll need to get a FMIC. I now have the Apexi and it performs great with no heat soak at 20lbs of boost. The stock mounts all heat soak way too fast for drag racing.
For any other type of racing, however, the SMIC will be your better choice.