Version 8 STI top mount versus HDI Hybrid front mount intercooler
 

Should i or shouldn't i change from a v.8 sti top mount to the front mount?the car is a MY03 JDM sti, the car will be mapped straight after if i decide on the front mount. Car is running 353bhp so turbo is on it's limits.I may want to go for 400bhp eventually, but am getting tired of waiting for Litchfield to release their twinscroll turbo(it seems to be mentioned on blogs, websites n forums, it's in magazines, it even on their cars!!, - everywhere bar on the shelf to buy!)

Stick to the top mount IMO if 400 is your goal. Andy F has proved it to be good @ that power level, the type 25 still uses the top mount and it's over 400!

Thankyou. The topic is a bit of a hot potato, I've done plenty of reading on past 'heated' threads concerning the issue. It would be nice for someone to do a test really. I'm sure that the fmic would give cooler charge temps which is safer! but i'm sure the tmic is 'adequate' especially if the car in question was only going to do short 20 minute bursts on a track.

I'm not convinced it's worth going FMIC at that power level, I know heat soak with the TMIC is an issue but the added lag of a FMIC is more of an issue for me. In an ideal world I'd go for a reverse inlet FMIC!

Yes me too - but as you say 'in an ideal world'

I've gone from a sti top to a Hybrid, with a 18g and to be honest the lag seems the same, but when yr doing a decent run the with hybrid on it seems to pull much more better.
I was in two minds whether to change but I'm glad I did now.

Hi there,
Could i ask what model/year car, what version top mount you had , and what mods other than the fmic you have got.

thanks
Andrew

It's a 2003 Sti UK,
Full 3" decat, TD05/06 18g Turbo, Hybrid Front mount, Walbro fuel pump, Sard fuel press reg @ 2.5bar, K@N Typhoon.
I had original top mount fitted prior to the Hybrid.
Dean.

I have a Hybrid FMIC with the CAI fitted to my MY03 JDM Sti.

Powerwise it has made no difference imo. As stated above the TMIC is more than adequate below 400bhp.

However, I have a temp gauge monitoring temp into the throttle body. On one trackday with my TMIC the temps got so high the probe melted!!! I have never had this issue with the FMIC.

If you are going to track the car it will help keep temps down.

HTH.

Any good mapper will get rid of any extra lag from a fmic to be as fast on spool up as a tmic

Reverse inlet isnt worth the effort as a friend did it and the tubo came in exactly at the same time as before

STi8 TMIC is very capable - pros are that the pipework is very short, resulting in the least amount of lag - cons are that it sits ontop of the engine/turbo (heatsoak) and high speed running can fail to cool the IC adequately.

A decent FMIC will give you more scope for future mods and will have no issues with high speed runs or track running. Longer pipework will mean an increase in lag/response (whether people notice it or not).

I currently have a STi8 TMIC fitted to mine at 340/340, but the next stage of mods will include a Hybrid FMIC.