Honest opinions on the TMICs please
 

Hi, going for a turbo upgrade on my 03 WRX and need to uprate the intercooler.

Can anyone offer an informed opinion on these ebay items, thanks in advance

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Subaru-WRX-STI...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SUBARU-IMPREZA...QQcmdZViewItem

anyone please?

I have no personal experience with either, I have a STI8 top mount on my 02WRX which works fine.

Dont forget about the postage in the second one (up to £60) ;)

top mounts will never be as efficient as a charge cooler or fmic, if your upgrading the turbo and are looking for more power then id recommend a fmic. Tmic's can suffer from heat soak, on my last car i changed to a fmic and got a large increase in torqe. Just my 2 cents.

IMHO:

The FMIC will be better if you plan to hike the torque and bhp.
If not then the V8 is a great TMIC (been there...)
Harvey does a good FMIC.
Go to Projects section on here and search.

Neat kit and installation.

Graham.

The benefits of a FMIC over a TMIC are obvious, but considering my goals of about 300+ once turbo is changed to the VF24 from stock TD04, is the extra £300 on top of a aftermarket TMIC, + the fitting, really honestly worth it if I'm not going to track it???

thanks

yes, youll get a bigger increase in torque than you will with the tmic

If your only aiming for just the other side of 300BHP, then the standard TMIC would be fine. Most good mapper can get 300-320BHP from a VF24 with approx 300lbft torque still using the stadard TMIC.

If you want to go on from there, then the limit isn't just the TMIC but the VF24, injectors and pump.

And the gearbox !

Not always the case....just need to be aware that they 'may' fail above 320lbft. But then they also fail on standard cars (bearings went in mine at 26,000 and it was nothing to do with the mods, as I didn't have many at the time)
The 97/98 boxes are weak (not sure about the earlier ones). I think the later ones are a fair bit stronger. API david would be able to confirm this.

with frontmounts starting at 400~ now, it makes sense to look at them when you may already be paying 250+ for a TMIC...

got a 03 and uprated mine to 310bhp and 287 torque didnt need to uprate my tmic all done by scoobyclinic and goes gr8 guns if want more then yes will need to uprate or go fmic that 1st tmic is a good price tho m8

As a thought:
My Sti v3 with several mods including an Sti v8 TMIC ran 407 bhp x 360 lbft @ 1.4 bar.
It now has a Hybrid FMIC and after re-mapping has peak boost (1,5bar) about 1000 rpm LOWER down at 3800.
This gives a killer powerband due to a wider torque band.
Not nessacerily more torque, just feels like it, but will produce more power at the lower rev range (power is Torque x engine speed (ish))

Graham.

bit of fun: 400 bhp /FMIC/open 'road':
http://www.dropshots.com/day.php?use...2&ctime=203558

When you fitted the STi8 I/C I assume you also fitted the bigger scoop that goes with it?

Yes I did
Here it is:
http://i2.tinypic.com/vi39c7.jpg
Graham

for the £££ i dont think you can go wrong but the top link i'd be a bit unsure of as they picture their intercooler next to the sti one but all the other shots are of a totally different intercooler as you can see is a different dump valve design fitment !!!

No, it is just upside down.:)