F&I-EVO

Well guys, i put my evo in the ditch 2 nights ago (brambos couldn't stop fast enough). So its in the shop getting fixed by my insurance. My question is should i upgrade my intercooler and pipes? My car has TBE and FLASH thats it. Is it worth it or should stay with stockers? Would i need a REFLASH?

Warrtalon

iTrader: (6)

This is a case where I support going with an aftermarket FMIC. There's no reason to get a stock replacement when you can get a very nice aftermarket unit for the same or less. I'd look at getting a Nisei, AMS, or Buschur kit. I don't think you'll need a reflash, but you should probably just ask the company who flashed you previously. What I think is more important is that you get an MBC, since the boost will probably change after the FMIC install, so you will need a device to reset the boost where you want it...

WrX Kila

iTrader: (18)

Thats what I did. Brought an Upragde. The price you are going to pay for a stocker, you might as well upgrade.

BYBYSTI

iTrader: (1)

upgrade upgrade upgrade, why not? i am in the same situation as you and i am putting AMSs fmic and licp on the car. i only have tbe flash mbc and flter, should see some performance gains, plus you ll have it when you need it. upgrade!

Warrtalon

iTrader: (6)

If you didn't know, the "why not" is because it's not advisable to use a larger FMIC on the stock turbo, especially without enough mods to make use of it. You don't really see any performance gains, and in some cases, you can see performance losses due to an FMIC that is too large.

F&I-EVO

or should i go with stock IC and bigger IC pipes?

F&I-EVO

My flash is from Dynoflash with the boost controling flash! So i need a MBC if i still want to stay around 20 psi? Will the FMIC raise my boost?

Does the FMIC and pipes fit on all stock parts (stock air box, battery...)?

x838nwy

Humm... I'm not too sure that Warrtalon is advising, but I think, F&I Evo, your car is roughly as little modded as mine. What I decided was to keep the stocker 'cos from the physics of it all, a larger i/c won't necessary give you any gain if you don't as warrtalon put it, you do not have 'enough mods to make use of it'.

A larger i/c would prolly hurt your spool as there will be more mass of air for your turbo to accelerate, and might also cause a greater pressure drop. A freer flowing i/c would probably cause less of a pressure drop than stock, but if its volume is smaller than or similar to stock, then the air would flow through it too quickly and not be sufficiently cooled. What you are looking for would be an i/c that has lower pressure drop than stock and is better at exchanging heat. I haven't seen any figures so I can't really choose, so as I said, I am keeping the stock.

Is the repair being paid by your insurance company? (Don't really know how it works in the US). If it is, just let them replace it with the stock. If not, the only reason for going aftermarket for you is that the stock is well over-priced.

p.s. my knowledge of intercoolers is very limited. If anyone has some indepth information, I'd appreciate it if you'd share them with me.

F&I-EVO

Thanks guys, what about just getting diff pipes and stay with the stock FMIC?

Nad1370

iTrader: (1)

Actually,

Buschur and AMS intercoolers had less than 1 psi drop across their cores compared to 2+ psi on a stock core.

This is a no brainer. Get the upgraded front mount just not the race versions.

fsugatorbait

iTrader: (16)

In most cases I agree with you, but Buschur has shown gains in excess of 14hp on a relatively stock car (no cams) by adding their race FMIC.

x838nwy

That's pretty good. Thanks for the numbers. Do you happen to know their internal air volume? If it's more then you'll run into the inertia problems. Also, anything about their efficiency? I think there's a characteristic number for heat exchangers...

SR20DE-T

iTrader: (10)

Upgrade+1

Nad1370

iTrader: (1)

Stock core flows 600 CFM

AMS is around 1250 CFM

Buschur is around 1175 CFM

.

Warrtalon

iTrader: (6)

Unfortunately, everyone points back to this each time, but it is not consistent across other cars in other areas with different setups and different FMICs. Generally, there is no measurable gain.