Been looking at front mount intercooler kits for my 2002 wrx, been looking at the ones on ebay for between £200 + £300, has anyone got experience of the cheaper kits or suggestions of where to get one from?
Thanks
Martin

 

harvey's Hybrid GT Spec or Spec2 - around £390 I think. They actually WORK (very well) i.e. minimal pressure drop and, most importantly, reduce those all-important intake charge temps big-style...

 

I have the Japspeed one which is good, it was on a GB for £200 but I'm not sure if that has finished - full price is £300

 

GT and GT2 are for the classics, the correct Hybrid one for your model is: Aztec Performance Online - Hybrid Front Mount Intercooler Kit - GDB

Ignore the title pic, all other details are correct

 

GT and GT2 are for the classics, the correct Hybrid one for your model is: Aztec Performance Online - Hybrid Front Mount Intercooler Kit - GDB

Ignore the title pic, all other details are correct

 

I've got the japspeed one as well, no complaints really. I paid the group buy price, and bang for buck it was very good IMO

My car is running a td05-20g and pushing mid 370's of both torque and bhp, with excellent driveability (JGM remap).

The only issue I have with a FMIC is that when feathering the throttle on a cruise in 5th, it becomes a bit jerky if i let go completely of the throttle and then immediately get back (slightly) on power again. This is not specific to the japspeed one, however, but more to do with the increased pipe length.

I was on track in the weekend, and even after a moderately hard session, the inlet pipe was still cold to the touch, so the intercooler is doing something right

I would personally go for one of the japspeed ones again if I had to refit a FMIC.

 

hybrid from harvey excellent quality and service

 

Oops of course - my bad.

 

Henrik, it could possibly be the actual 20g turbo itself to blame - see here (from post #8):-

https://www.scoobynet.com/general-te...ing-turbo.html

 

Erm, maybe it's been covered elsewhere but, Martin, do you know why you're looking at FMICs? Serious question, as if you're on the standard turbo and/or standard state of tune, the standard intercooler is more than up to the job, and under such circumstances an FMIC is likely to do more harm than good - especially without an immediate remap.

 

It's not surge as such (not bad enough to hear it at least), and it only happens on very small throttle openings whilst cruising (well, that's the only time I've noticed it at least)

Well, I hope that's what it is at least

 

Sure. Prob not the turbo to blame then (which is nice). Maybe post-turbo inlet tract length, as you say...

 

Think I've just realised that mate! Going to ring Alan Jeffery tomorrow and discuss options because after a brief discussion via email it seems as though you are right and an fmic isn't needed!
Kinda wanted one for the look and assumed it would be of some benefit but for the route I want to go with my car it doesn't seem necessary!

 

At the very least the FM will significantly lower your charge temps, for massive peace of mind - esp. now the weather's warmer and "summer" is coming. But may feel slightly laggier due to the added inlet tract length.

If you intend to mod further (e.g. at later dates with bigger turbo, etc.), then no problem with fitting/mapping a FMIC now, for the reasons sited (even if it's not necessarily needed, currently). It's up to you...

 

That's an oft-quoted truism, but it's also such a sweeping generalisation it's probably not correct Joz. If you were to take top mount and front mount IC cores of the same physical design, the number of scenarios in which a front mount provides a significant improvement is actually quite limited, and is compromised by a load of variables - inc. the construction of the underbonnet pipework.

The main reasons for Martin not to bother with one are that the newage WRX TMIC is more than able to handle anything his TD04 can push out without being a bottleneck, meanwhile the significant (eightfold or more) increase in inlet tract volume significantly compromises throttle response.

That's not so much an issue on a larger turbo which is inherently somewhat laggy anyway but moves a lot of air once it gets going. However, the TD04's stock-in trade is response. Kill that and you kill the best aspect of a lower powered car.

As you say if there are plans in the longer term for a bigger turbo, the time to think about an alternative intercooler is then. Compromising the car in the meantime is pretty much just cutting off the nose in the hope that the face will recover in future.

 

Sure.

But the ONE scenario that bothers me is hot/warm weather (or not) when coming to a standtstill in traffic for a while (e.g. at traffic lights) - after a significant bout of on-boost shenanigans. That TMIC really heatsoaks and, to play safe, one really needs to trickle away from the lights gently off boost for about 3/4 mile or so, so as to restabilse those ACTs. Don't get me wrong, I'm not into traffic light grand prix - just don't like being 'dictated to' by the hardware lol that, "I really shouldn't use the power right now, etc..."

Me? I'd personally fit/map one for THAT very reason (quite apart from in conjunction with any other supp mods etc).... Then one can hoon and 'forget' (frees the mind, so to speak).

But I agree that the above scenario (and trackday hooning) are the pretty much the only ones where a FMIC makes sense (when you don't have to otherwise run one...)