CJAF7R

Afternoon folks!

Iv currently got the OE black intercooler on my recently purchased import MY95 WRX and alhough im not too clued up on these cars as of yet, it looks pretty poor to me with regards to both looks and most importantly performance!

Im thinking that an upgrade may be beneficial but am unsure what options are available!

Is there a straight swap I/C from a higher model available that will fit? How about a larger STI8 version as I have seen one or two of these for sale?

or is it worth going for front mount? is so any recommendations? is there a kit available that is a straight fit? or would the front bumper require cutting at all?

Iv had a good search, but not really found the exact info im looking for!

Cheers for any advice!

edit: any pics of yours would be good too

Myk

Hi mate

Your definately right about the slanty ones being inefficient.

You could try and get a silver slanty one from an early STI, that is the only straight swap top mount Ic I know off.

You can make the later STI IC's fit, some a little more difficult than others.

I've managed to fit an STI4 one to my 93 WRX, with a little help from a hammer, welder and samco's

Front Mount, some would say, is only necassary if your looking for big power, some kits are availabe so you can keep the spot lights, but most require you to amend the bumper

Mike

wah

If you have the slanty IC then your going to have to do some adjustments to the TMIC that you fit off a later model, I am just in the process of modding a 97/98 TMIC to fit my MY93 import WRX.

You could go down the FMIC route I think Lateral Performance do a one the reqs. no cutting of the bumper, however Harvey off here does a very good price on the Hybrid frontmount which does req. some bumper modification but has had good reviews from the people that have bought them.



Si

CJAF7R

cheers for the replies!

yeh it is the slanty one thats on it at the mo! im not looking at making big power as i use the car most days but the front mounts iv seen do look the dogs danglies!

iv just read that the sti8 one would require a newage master cylinder too for it to fit! What year is the STI4 from mate? and is it much bigger?

Also considering the current one is pretty crap, what sort of increase in performance would an uprated one give the car?

Cheers again!

wah

97/98 was the year for the STI4

This is the one I am fitting



With the DV pipe removed

CJAF7R

cheers for pics!

so am i right in thinking that the 97/98 models have a straight fitting I/C rather than the slanty one?

iv just read a thread on another forum about fitting a sti8 onto a 97 but are the 97 models different to the 95 ones?

thanks

wah

Yes I think as from MY96/97 (facelift ) they started to use straight IC's instead of the slanty ones, it is said that the STI ones have a better core and have an Alloy Y section rather than the hard plastic one. Sep 95 - Aug 96 were the end of the pre face lift models.

CJAF7R

ah ok! as you can probably tell im still learning! ask me about renaults and ill tell you absolutely anything lol

i might keep an eyeout for an sti one in the meantime but the front mount is very tempting! ill do a search for details of the one harvey does!

thanks

wah

Harveys FMIC's

http://www.geocities.com/harveysmith...ercoolers.html

http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthread.php?t=371513

STI8 TMIC

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...531030999&rd=1

CJAF7R

star mate! cheers

wah

No probs

Dark Blue Mark

CJ, adding a front mount may well be pointless as it depends what you want from the car. Simply adding a bigger intercooler wont improve performance, like decatting a car will unless you remap the car for it.

For example, your standard one is perfectly adequate as it stands if the car is standard. If you want over 350 bhp from it then the FMIC is really the only way. If you want 300 ish then an STi5 or similar may suit your needs.

Thing of it as something that allows more performance from the car, rather than something that gives more performance if you see what I mean

Tell us what you want from the car and we can advise accordingly.

MB

Dark Blue Mark

Wah, that looks like a UK spec I/C - the STi V4 had "tuned by STi" stamped on it and is silver.

MB

CJAF7R

ok cheers! like i say im still learning about forced induction motors, always been a n/a fan!

right i might keep my eyes peeled for a sti5 I/C then as im not really planning on going much over 300bhp. the car is currently 276bhp, its just i thought the standard i/c looked a bit poor! will the sti5 i/c go on ok with maybe just a few alterations?

oh and my mates evo looks better in that department with the FMIC as standard hehe!

wah

Dark blue which one you on about the one I'm modding ???

Dark Blue Mark

Yep the one in your pic. My old STi V4 below:

CJ - Yes the EVO is better designed in that department and useful if you want to mod it to near 400 bhp My STi V5 runs around 320 bhp through the standard top mount. Im at the limit of my standard turbo though. If I had a bigger turbo for example, my IC would be a limitation (as well as pump / injectors!)

MB

Normski

For your information CJAF7R, my car (Ver 2 STi Ra) made 308 BHP @ 1 bar boost with the standard IC (silver slanted one fitted to STi models).

Something to think about as it's a straight fit AFAIK.

wah

I never stated mine was an STI one though so ??????

CJAF7R

cheer for the input, its all good! and im learning

right iv found a sti3/4 top mount! mark im guessing that will be the same as in your pic above??

if so will this fit my car as the current one i have is slanted? if so are there any other bits i may need?

Cheers

p.s is it possible to change my username? the name relates to my old car!

Dark Blue Mark

Apologies Wah, misread the post.

Not sure on fitting but I know the dump valve location is different so you would need to make sure it comes with the DV and pipes for it. Not sure on the brackets either but someone may be able to help.

Make sure the fins on the one you are buying are nice and straight, given it will be 8 years old it wont be perfect but bent fins obviously restrict airflow and they are a bugger to straighten. The bottom ones are foten damaged where people have tried to remove the cooler from the car.

MB

CJAF7R

righto, so iv currently got the standard slanted wrx intercooler, and have been offered this one as shown below!

will it fit? mark mentioned i may need a different DV? and the brackets? as this is normally mounted straight not slanty!

if someone could explain exactly what id need to get and do to get this on that would be great!! thanks a lot!

wah

If you want to use the dumpvalve that you have in place now then you will need to remove the outlet pipe on the right of your picture then have a blacking plate wealded over it, you will then have to come up with a way of runing the original dumpvalve, be it by using the right Samco hose for the slanty IC ( making other alterations as you go ) or you could try something like this.

http://photos.fotango.com/p/eba00347408f00000043.jpg

Either way you do this the throttle body is going to have to be cut in some way.

CJAF7R

i see! well a new DV would probably be the best choice, but as you say the TB will need to be modified regardless for it to fit?

has anyone fitted one of these on a wrx at all?

cheers

wah

As I have said I am in the process of fitting mine to my 93 WRX import, even if you go for a new DV you will still have clearence issues with the OEM DV fitting on the front of the intercooler so that will have to be removed in order to clear the Idle speed control Valve

flat4

have a look at my thread, fitted an STi5 TMIC to phase 1 manifold (MY95) might be of interest to you, it's a tight fit BTW

Big Daz

I have also fitted an STI 5 TMIC to my MY95 Uk, As Flat 4 says, its a tight fit but I managed to get it in without cutting any material off the throttle body, only 8mm off the intercooler, I also managed to keep the dumpvalve in the STI5 position by "fitting" a samco hse between the throttle linkage and the idle control valve, this was the samco hose kit for the STI 5 intercooler. worth getting as it really is required!
It was held in place with the strut brace but since initial fitting I have added a custom bracket to take some of the strain.
Give it a go, the extra intake noise is worth it alone.
Daz

Neil_G

Alright there

Looks like it's time of the month for upgrading intercoolers.

I have a 94 WRX and have just brought a 98 IC to fit a.s.a.p

I believe the DV elbow has to be removed and blanked off and an new exit made up for it. Also may have to fabricate brackets but it's another project to keep me busy for a while.

You may have to replace the scoop ducting under the bonnet too as the slanted IC has a different arrangement there to the straight ones.