CustomMSP SMIC fitment sucks.

[spicynamja]

After returning from a 4 hour SMIC install...

I paid 400 bucks for the SMIC, I knew turbohoses would have been better quality, but I thought that saving 200 bucks would be cool. After removing the fan and hardpipes, I placed the intercooler in, and it DOES NOT SIT flush with the radiator. It doesn't really "fit" well. After struggling to get the intercooler in a place where I could bolt it in, the fan is only held on with ONE BOLT. The other bolt for the fan has no where to go. As a result, the fan sits at an angle.. So the fitment dissapoints me.

As for the performance however, it does its job well. The power gain is significant, car is smooth and feels great. But the fitment is not spot on.
*edited from original*

[low_psi]

maybe you should have talked to him if you weren't happy...

[spicynamja]

Yes, I plan to PM him. What I'm saying is, I'm not particularly happy that in all their threads they say "fits great" "30 min install"

I'm also saying that the performance is great. It is fantastic, nothing to complain about.

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

i believe it supposed to fit that way.

[byohndspeed]

i just went back through custom msps thread in the for sale section. it looks like on his he removed that fan. on another set of pictures of someone elses car his fits the same way as yours.

[noclue119]

notice how CustomMSP's SMIC has a bigger intercooler. It a trade off between preformance and form. Personally I like function better.

[SpeedBeaver]

You should read before buying your stuff. The pics of that fittement has been around since CustomMSP has been making these.

If you had read the infos correctly you would have noticed that the IC core is 3" tick instead of 2" like the OEM. So please don't give shit to someone that sells great product and gives an excellent consumer support because you didn't do your homework on the product before buying it.

[dominoy2k1]

just get one of those spal fans and place it in front of the IC. it also looks like custom IC is thicker than the turbohoses.

[Velocifero]

Yeah CustomMSP gives you all the information you want, he tells you the sizes and the gains from all the SMICs available and he even explains how you can even out the fan shroud, its not difficult of an install either. He is great and his product is great, if you don't like the looks or don't want to bother with adjusting the fans than I will buy it off you for $300. :) its the largest core SMIC available for our car. Write CustomMSP, he is really nice and will help you out however you want, you won't get that service from Turbohoses IMO.

[warrier04]

i say lay off the verbal abuse and bashing.

he's a very informative, dedicated contributer to this community, and i'm sure he'd be more than willing to offer you any help or information that you need.

[lamp3]

Ya, custom gave you all the information you needed to make an "edjucated decision". Yet here we have this un-edjucated thread ;)

[pb4ugoout]

You should read before buying your stuff....So please don't give shit to someone that sells great product and gives an excellent consumer support because you didn't do your homework on the product before buying it.

i say lay off the verbal abuse and bashing.
he's a VERY informative, dedicated contributer to this community, and i'm sure he'd be more than willing to offer you any help or information that you need.

I say (fu)!!

When i purchased mine i was FULLY aware of the fact that the fitment would not be perfect. I was made FULLY aware that it would not sit flush. I think you should research your products before you buy. The quality is top notch and the performance is excellent. As said before i'll take a good product that works over one that looks good any day of the week. next time talk to the person whose character you are going to defimate before you publically do so. you're making a good person out to look like an ass with that title.

[CustomMSP]

i just went back through custom msps thread in the for sale section. it looks like on his he removed that fan. on another set of pictures of someone elses car his fits the same way as yours.

I actually took that pic with the fan out to show the core. The fan has to be back in there with the car on the road.

[CustomMSP]

Most of the people on this forum will agree when I say function over form, not that there a major problem with the form :)

Thanks.

[mspdfreak]

Well, it sounds like he'll end up paying more than the Turbohoses kit if he has to buy a new fan.

[Demonic-Speed]

I am not raggin on Custom, but I want to defend Spicy....I don't understand why you all put Vendors of this forum on some high and mighty platform. If the vendor is not producing a high quality product and they are not happy then they should say something about it. Telling him he should have done his research and this is what he gets is just BS.

If I was a vendor and people were unhappy about my product I would want to know about it.

Also Custom, I would not be so quick to say people want Function over form. I think there is a happy medium that is expected, I would never put something in by engine bay that helped performance and looked like ass everytime I opened the hood. There is a perception that people have and that is if it looks like shit then it probably works like shit.

[noclue119]

I don't understand why you all put Vendors of this forum on some high and mighty platform. If the vendor is not producing a high quality product and they are not happy then they should say something about it.
Yes they gotta be put on a platform cuz there aren't many for us.



Telling him he should have done his research and this is what he gets is just BS.
No it is not. I bought the MSP knowing that it has problems and was ready to deal with it(FYI. 8 trips to the dealership for warrenty work in 1 year). Do your research before getting shit for you car.



If I was a vendor and people were unhappy about my product I would want to know about it.
Ya its called PM. Talk to him one on one and see if he can fix the problem for you instead of calling him out like this.



Also Custom, I would not be so quick to say people want Function over form. I think there is a happy medium that is expected, I would never put something in by engine bay that helped performance and looked like ass everytime I opened the hood. There is a perception that people have and that is if it looks like shit then it probably works like shit.
That is you, you are only 1 person. Besides, there are products designed for you like Turbohose SMIC.

Ok so i think the problem i have with this thread is this. The guy is happy with the preformance of the SMIC. He bought it knowing the fitting problem, he should of asked other people for pics before getting it.

Also his tone of voice is just so negitive it seems like he fucking hates this thing. But instead i think he is happy with the preformance just displeased with the fit. So sell you IC and get a new one.

[xtrememps]

It seems that custommsp's pretty up-front about the fitmet and everything. Form over function it seems, but then again...it looks like it fits well enough and who the hell's gonna notice?

Quit whining people.

[CustomMSP]

I am not raggin on Custom, but I want to defend Spicy....I don't understand why you all put Vendors of this forum on some high and mighty platform. If the vendor is not producing a high quality product and they are not happy then they should say something about it. Telling him he should have done his research and this is what he gets is just BS.

If I was a vendor and people were unhappy about my product I would want to know about it.

Also Custom, I would not be so quick to say people want Function over form. I think there is a happy medium that is expected, I would never put something in by engine bay that helped performance and looked like ass everytime I opened the hood. There is a perception that people have and that is if it looks like shit then it probably works like shit.

I respect that. He PMed me and we communicated. I have nothing against feedback.

But I have had this Fan issue outlined in the How To thread since day one.

Thanks.

[hazeXban]

I think there was no need to be so quick and aggressive against somebody having an opinion.

I also know the fitment issue is stated upfront, not hidden by any means.

And instead of getting a new fan, spend 2 dollars on some hardware and the fan will sit flush. There is no structural integrity lost by using only 1 bolt on top.

I love my SMIC and I will love it more in the warm weather. I personally didn't gain any extra PSI from the insall, maybe .5 PSI but I still notice a difference in power and the cold pipe is way cooler then it was before the install.

[jurgs01]

That bolt issue is why Turbohoses spent so much time making the core. Also, that's a big factor in the price difference. Different strokes for different folks. I personally like everything to fit well in my car. That's part of function for me. Form is the aesthetics. That spicy has every right to voice his opinion on the product. He said what he liked and what he didn't. Instead of everyone coming on here attacking him why don't you try coming on and disagreeing with his opinion tactfully?

[xtrememps]

Well of course he can dislike it, the silly thing is that the info that the fitment would be a little "off" due to the larger core was readily available and yet he came on here saying it "sucks" without even talking to custommsp or anything.

[TheJohnny]

for the price it's an awesome deal even with a little gap. I would personally go to Home Depot and get some weather strip or foam strips, then some new push through mounting tab things for aftermarket fans and then put that weather strip or foam under the fan and mount it as best as possible so It's drawing from the radiator and I/C efficiently as possible and in the process save myself $295 minus say $40 for supplies.

Just my opinoin.

[jersey_emt]

Yes, people have the right to express their opinion.

But the issue here has been well-documented. If you research fully before you buy, you would know about the fitment issue, because CustomMSP has been open about it.

You don't go making threads called 'this product sucks' just because you did not research the product before you bought it.

And how did it take you 4 hours to install it? It drops right in, should take an hour tops.

If you're not happy with the product, then talk to CustomMSP, and I'm sure something can be worked out.

[lamp3]

.....umm... ya I knew about the fitment issue but I still want to smear this guys rep with a "this product sux" thread.(upyours) And if you'd rather it look good with the hood open than go fast with it closed, why did you even bother buying a "performance" part?

[CustomMSP]

.....umm... ya I knew about the fitment issue but I still want to smear this guys rep with a "this product sux" thread.(upyours) And if you'd rather it look good with the hood open than go fast with it closed, why did you even bother buying a "performance" part?

I don't know man...Personally I think it looks good from any angle in any environment :)

It's all good.

[atticus1398]

i knew about the fan fitment when i read about this smic prior to ordering.
its a thicker core, its not gonna sit flush. does turbo hoses? if it does sit flush, then its no thicker than stock. definately best mod ive done besides my unichip.

[CustomMSP]

i knew about the fan fitment when i read about this smic prior to ordering.
its a thicker core, its not gonna sit flush. does turbo hoses? if it does sit flush, then its no thicker than stock. definately best mod ive done besides my unichip.

The TH is about 3" as well, but the core is shorter and the end tanks are smaller. That's why it can fit deeper into the front bumper cover and sit flush with the radiator.

[low_psi]

If the vendor is not producing a high quality product and they are not happy then they should say something about it. Telling him he should have done his research and this is what he gets is just BS.

The product fits exactly as described though. The fitment issue was addressed at the beginning of development. Now spicy sounds like a douche for not doing his homework and getting his panties in a wad because it wasn't what he expected.

[lamp3]

LOL he said Douche ^^

[II-Savy]

(uhm)

Wow, no slack given here....Everyone jumps on the purchaser because the thing he bought doesn't fit well.....and let me get this right....because it was documented and EVERYONE knew about it, it's fine to sell it like that. I think if I were the guy that built this, I would have fixed the problem before selling more. Just because a problem is noted and documented doesn't make it ok. Maybe the user should have done more research and even bought another kind, but that does not excuse the fact that it does not fit 100%.

Just my 2 cents.

Personally I would have made some brackets or whatever to make it fit better on my car.

[Demonic-Speed]

LOL he said Douche ^^

ah feels like 8th grade again:) Good times...

I don't know much about Custom's product because I have never looked at the stuff, but if his website says (There is a problem with the fit because the core is thicker then stock) Then fine, I agree spicy should have known about the problem. But to say that it has been addressed in some thread some months back is not a fair statement. There is a lot of crap that moves around of this board so to say he should have seen that one line in a thread from 2 months ago is not a fair statement <---Goes to search for a Custom thread about SMIC fit.

[Velocifero]

(uhm)

Wow, no slack given here....Everyone jumps on the purchaser because the thing he bought doesn't fit well.....and let me get this right....because it was documented and EVERYONE knew about it, it's fine to sell it like that. I think if I were the guy that built this, I would have fixed the problem before selling more. Just because a problem is noted and documented doesn't make it ok. Maybe the user should have done more research and even bought another kind, but that does not excuse the fact that it does not fit 100%.

Just my 2 cents.

Personally I would have made some brackets or whatever to make it fit better on my car.
There is no problem with the fitment, its the biggest SMIC available, it was made bigger and knowledge of fitment was known ahead of time, it was produced like that, not a problem that was never fixed, this product isn't for people who have a problem with improvising a little, still no reason to bad mouth a manufacturer for a great product that no one has complained about, and every person on here is right to do unto him as he has done to Custom and I expect it to come back onto me.

Spicy, I'll buy it from you if you can't make it fit or can't find happiness with it's fitment.

There is no need to replace any fans with this, sure if you want to, but it is not necessary at all.

[Demonic-Speed]

In vendor reviews I found.
"The fabrication is top notch and fitment is spot on. The car feels more powerful, revs smoother and heat soak is non-existant. I whoheartedly recommend this product to anyone who is looking to upgrade their intercooler and CustomMSP is as good a vendor as you'll find on this site IMO."

I searched on CustomMSP SMIC fitment and only got three results. None of which was a DIY...


In the DIY forum I found this statement
"5. Install the intake back on. It'll be a tight fit between the Injen lower pipe and the fan, because the new IC is much thicker and makes the fan stick out alittle more. As long as you have all the couplers on tight there shouldn't be a problem."

alittle more does not truely explain what someone should expect. Saying that the IC does not have a mount point for the Drivers side bolt is much clearer. I mean we are splitting hairs, but I am just trying to defend Spicy in his expectation and rant.

[hazeXban]

There is no problem with the fitment, its the biggest SMIC available, it was made bigger and knowledge of fitment was known ahead of time, it was produced like that, not a problem that was never fixed, this product isn't for people who have a problem with improvising a little, still no reason to bad mouth a manufacturer for a great product that no one has complained about, and every person on here is right to do unto him as he has done to Custom and I expect it to come back onto me.

Spicy, I'll buy it from you if you can't make it fit or can't find happiness with it's fitment.

There is no need to replace any fans with this, sure if you want to, but it is not necessary at all.

Werd...

It was made with MAX SIZE in mind, and to do so a minor sacrifice had to be made, and for one I am happy to have it. I mean its about the same size as the Wagner FMIC my friend has. So again, its not a PROBLEM that wasn't addressed.

I still agree that this guy is entitled to his opinion and we should respect it.

[mazdaowner123]

The thing is, it's not a fitment problem, it's just the way it fits. If you want to have it fit 100%, you buy turbohoses. If you want a bigger core, you go with CustomMSP's. Much like if you want a huge FMIC core, you're going to have to cut the bumper. If you don't wanna cut the bumper, you're gonna have to get a smaller fmic. Also, CustomMSP's is much cheaper than Turbohoses, with as much or more performance gain.. It's just a different product, not a product with a problem. I can't wait till I get the money to order my CustomMSP SMIC.

~brian


(uhm)

Wow, no slack given here....Everyone jumps on the purchaser because the thing he bought doesn't fit well.....and let me get this right....because it was documented and EVERYONE knew about it, it's fine to sell it like that. I think if I were the guy that built this, I would have fixed the problem before selling more. Just because a problem is noted and documented doesn't make it ok. Maybe the user should have done more research and even bought another kind, but that does not excuse the fact that it does not fit 100%.

Just my 2 cents.

Personally I would have made some brackets or whatever to make it fit better on my car.

[daedalus]

Lay off him. If you did your research you would know about the fitment. And if you have a problem with the product, contact him privately. There is no reason to come in here and slander someone reputation and product. This is why all of our vendors are leaving, and this is what t3ase is talking about. Our forum turns into a whiny bitch fest that no company wants to deal with and consequently no one does. There is a correct way to go about getting your issue resolved, and this isnt it.

[spicynamja]

Look, I did research this product. I did not read EVERY thread but I read the install thread, the GB thread, and the thread when Jersey got it put in his car. I worked with ArrestYellowMSP yesterday, ask him what he thinks. The pictures in the install thread DO NOT show the fitment issue. In his pictures it sits flush with the radiator. There is also no overhead view showing the gap. I think that I am losing cooling efficiency because the fan is so far away now. I know I should have contacted custommsp first, but you have to understand that after the long install for a product that was advertised as "fits great" I had a right to be disgruntled.

[spicynamja]

Let me apologize for posting this prior to letting Custom know, I just want the fitment issue to be more clear to everyone. I did a few searches and still did not find anything regarding that issue.

[RenzoMSP]

As long as everything works properly and doesn't affect the reliability of the car then I don't see what the major problem is. Im probably going to go with CustomMSPs smic, but im broke so im gonna have to wait.

[daedalus]

Let me apologize for posting this prior to letting Custom know, I just want the fitment issue to be more clear to everyone. I did a few searches and still did not find anything regarding that issue.


Thats cool man. i'm not trying to rag on you too much, i just felt a little more tact and professionalism couldve been done. Its just scary how easy threads like this can deystroy a persons reputation so I just think we need to keep everything in perspective.

Anyway... hope you are happy with it and you can go enjoy your car!

[byohndspeed]

Let me apologize for posting this prior to letting Custom know, I just want the fitment issue to be more clear to everyone. I did a few searches and still did not find anything regarding that issue.

after i saw this thread this morning, i found about about the issue in less than 2 minutes. i went to the for sale thread and looked at the pics. i understand what you are seeing in his car without the fan it looks kinda flush. but i went another couple pages and someone who bought one posted his pics and you can see the issue on those.
all i can say is try to do more digging, i'm sure we all have bought something without doing as much research as we should have. but hey, it gives you an excuse to by fans with more cfm's ;)

[jeffmsp]

just go get a fan that fits from a junkyard and be done with it. since it will be a little smaller add some redline water wetter.

[CustomMSP]

There will not be an issue with cooling with the way the fan sits. I really beat on my car for an hour and a half going to the dyno, then did 4 consecutive dyno runs about 15mins after I got there. The fan doesn't move at all the way it sits with my IC. There's really not a problem aside from personal preference.

Later.

[Tito1]

Just what we all want another opionion but...

1. The fitment of this SMIC may have been known on the board
2. A PM is a more tactful way of presenting a problem to a vendor...it gives them a chance to reconcile problems/issues

But knowhere do I see Spicy making a 'personal attack' on Custom MSP. Although the thread is titled quite harshly, the actual post is quite polite to Custom.

I just don't get why spicy deserves the middle finger ect. for making a post. Who is getting personal now? i also appreciate the vendors that make the phatty products for us, but that is no reason to lick their balls any time you get the chance.

Import turner market is huge...and this site...just marketing.

[CustomMSP]

It's all good. We worked the issues out. I appriciate everybody's opinions and support!

Thanks.

[dominoy2k1]

mazdaspeed owners...tisk,tisk. (stooges)

[FBI14]

Since when does improper form = the best function, Im not saying Customs product is no good I think it great but just because it doesn’t have the best form doesnt mean it has the best function..Turbohoses fits fine and has about if not the same performance as Customs

[jurgs01]

Vendor Fees = Why the moderators say be nice to vendors. The more vendors, the more fees. As consumers we should feel free to give our opinions to other consumers with TACT (tact being a keyword). The worst that they can do is ban you for giving your opinion, and a whole bunch of people you don't know and will never meet might be mad at you. Any business you talk about tries to keep the customers happy. There is no reason to turn that around. We as consumers only have an obligation to be respectful to the vendors. It irks me when people say you should put ALL vendors up on a pedestal.

BTW, this is not directed at CustomMSP. I think he is a good vendor. That doesn't mean people shouldn't be allowed to criticize him or his product though.

[byohndspeed]

no one is saying improper form= best performance.. what custommsp did was what everyone sorta wanted, a cheaper smic that works well. he did this, but the downside was fitment, doesnt fit best but good enough for most people.

[FBI14]

no one is saying improper form= best performance.. what custommsp did was what everyone sorta wanted, a cheaper smic that works well. he did this, but the downside was fitment, doesnt fit best but good enough for most people.

I didnt mean it that way and I did word it worng..all Im saying is that everyone seems to be saying (as far as SMIC's go) is that the best product on the market for function is not the best for form...when thats not true. Turbohoses is equally good in terms of function with form being the same as stock

[girth]

But knowhere do I see Spicy making a 'personal attack' on Custom MSP. Although the thread is titled quite harshly, the actual post is quite polite to Custom.

I just don't get why spicy deserves the middle finger ect. for making a post. Who is getting personal now? i also appreciate the vendors that make the phatty products for us, but that is no reason to lick their balls any time you get the chance.

Import turner market is huge...and this site...just marketing.

Exactly. The mods and Antoine I'm sure wouldn't agree but this is an excellent thread. I've dealt a little bit with CustomMSP before and he's a great guy - always very helpful. But at the same time I want to know the opinions of buyers of any of the vendors's products - and taking their opinions I will form my own. We're not all complete brainless idiots that will blow off a vendor simply because of 1 negative opinion.

Having seen this thread I'm smarter for knowing what to expect out of Custom's SMIC and it still would be my first choice in IC for me personally.

[jurgs01]

Well put.

[CustomMSP]

Attention!

I need every person that has my IC with stock pipes only to PM me with their shipping address please. I'm going to send you some silicone hose to replace the stock rubber bands between the IC tanks and the stock pipes.

Please reply ASAP.

I'm told that the stock rubber bands will rip or already have ripped while transferring them over to the new IC.

Thanks.

[jurgs01]

Definately an A for customer service.

[mazdaowner123]

(mswerd)

[jersey_emt]

Vendor Fees = Why the moderators say be nice to vendors. The more vendors, the more fees. As consumers we should feel free to give our opinions to other consumers with TACT (tact being a keyword). The worst that they can do is ban you for giving your opinion, and a whole bunch of people you don't know and will never meet might be mad at you. Any business you talk about tries to keep the customers happy. There is no reason to turn that around. We as consumers only have an obligation to be respectful to the vendors. It irks me when people say you should put ALL vendors up on a pedestal.

BTW, this is not directed at CustomMSP. I think he is a good vendor. That doesn't mean people shouldn't be allowed to criticize him or his product though.

Ummmm...no...moderators don't see any of those fees. And neither do the administrators....those fees are REQUIRED to PAY for the site to operate.

The problem with this thread is the fact that the issue was not attempted to be resolved privately first. That is all. Why can't some people understand that? If he made his complaint privately, and nothing was done, then yes, by all means, post away. But people just can't go around making threads called 'this product sucks' before doing so.

[ArrestYellowMSP]

Look, I did research this product. I did not read EVERY thread but I read the install thread, the GB thread, and the thread when Jersey got it put in his car. I worked with ArrestYellowMSP yesterday, ask him what he thinks. The pictures in the install thread DO NOT show the fitment issue. In his pictures it sits flush with the radiator. There is also no overhead view showing the gap. I think that I am losing cooling efficiency because the fan is so far away now. I know I should have contacted custommsp first, but you have to understand that after the long install for a product that was advertised as "fits great" I had a right to be disgruntled.


When we looked online at most the threads we could find about this product, the pictures indicated that it was flush with the radiator. If someone else posted their install and it was not in a main thread than that would be why we probably missed it, since it would be in a corner we did not look in. The performance works, we were just confused for a while since we did not have a clear picture like the ones we took between the two SMIC's. If we had found a picture like the one we took from above then it would have been easier to see the fitment. That's all. But the CustomMSP SMIC gets the job done, I drove the car and works fine and I have the Turbohoses SMIC. Works exactly the same.

[CustomMSP]

I've updated the How To thread with this information.

Thanks.

[byohndspeed]

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84443&page=7&pp=15

second set of pictures shows that it does not fit flush

[Velocifero]

for the most part the customMSP is a direct swap. and the modifications are so minor that i didn't cosider them modifications. you bend a piece of sheet metal with some plyers and you bolt a fan on crooked. thats it. otherwise it's fine. i love mine. makes great power. boost comes on sooner, stays longer, and pulls harder. my best mod yet!
there's a pretty good description from January

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=96028&page=6&pp=15
great thread

for the performance and price definetly get CustomMSP SMIC.
it's the cheapest, and i believe it will give the most gain.
plus it utilizes the space most effectively.
the piece that has to be bent will not be visible from any angle once the IC is in place.
with all the work it took to install customMSP SMIC it was still 10 times easier than installing a HiBoost FMIC kit......i'm not even talking about ION.
P.S. for the fans to sit more or less straight we used spacers on the right-side bolt. there's another, check the p.s. at the end

[girth]

Ummmm...no...moderators don't see any of those fees. And neither do the administrators....those fees are REQUIRED to PAY for the site to operate.

The problem with this thread is the fact that the issue was not attempted to be resolved privately first. That is all. Why can't some people understand that? If he made his complaint privately, and nothing was done, then yes, by all means, post away. But people just can't go around making threads called 'this product sucks' before doing so.

No, this thread is good because it gives POTENTIAL BUYERS a chance to see the vendor's customer service in action and allows those buyers to make their own judgement. CustomMSP came in here and handled this customer complaint beautfully IMO. So if anything this thread is a good thing for him, not a bad thing. The people that cry about vendor bashing need to realize this.

[jurgs01]

Absolutely. CustomMSP handled the situation beautifully. That's how a vendor earns respect and business. I have seen a few other vendors throw a fit when the same type of situation has happened. Shows class and character when situations are handled well.

[MSP#735]

i went with the circuit sport smic, fitment on mine is PERFCET!! just alittle FYI from a happy customer.

[Orlandoech]

i just wanna say....

CustomMSP......... I LOVE YOUR I/C!!!

Mine fits like that too, everyone's does. Its how they made them. It performs AWESOME who cares, it fits, it works and NO ONE sees the damn I/C so shut up.

Research before u buy...

[ricenudles]

hey this is a little off topic, but i keep reading this "awesome power gain with heatsoak being nonexistent." Honestly, I'm not really feeling this great gain, and i still feel heatsoak (just goes away faster). perhaps I'm just expecting too much?

Don't get me wrong, i love this upgraded IC and with hardpipes (get the hardpipes if you're planning to upgrade an IC). I think it was worth every penny i spent. great quality, awesome customer service. I mean, look how CustonMSP handled this thread.

But let me know how realistic this "great gain in power" really is. Heatsoak is very much there, but it goes away pretty quickly. my conception of heatsoak is that it is inevitable with any intercooler, regardless of whether it is a FMIC or a SMIC - it's just a matter of time. let me know!

[CustomMSP]

Heat soak is there while driving hard or while in traffic situation?

Thanks.

[spicynamja]

Of course the heatsoak is still "there" but I drive it like a madman on a hot day and with the stocker it took what felt like an hour before I had any power at all. With customs SMIC the heatsoak is there, but the power is not sucked away from the car completely, moreover, it only takes a bout 2 mins for the intercooler to cool down completely. Helps if you turn on the heat at full blast in the car.
"Great power gain" No, not GREAT, but there is a significant power gain. It runs smoother. The SMIC is what makes the MSP what it should have been off the factory line.

[ricenudles]

I have a 30-40 mile commute, mostly freeway, to school. heat soak isnt BAD but it is there, which i'm not complaining about. I just want to ask why some people claim that heatsoak was gone evern after driving really ridiculously hard.

spicy - thats very true. It takes so much less time cooling down the IC. All that 17whp stuff should be closer to 5-10 whp

[spacemonkey]

it doesnt sit flush I knew this fromt he begining. Vamp told me had to bang it in to get it to fit. But I think the gaines are better then turbohose. but Turbo hose is a better fit.

[mazdaowner123]

I have a 30-40 mile commute, mostly freeway, to school. heat soak isnt BAD but it is there, which i'm not complaining about. I just want to ask why some people claim that heatsoak was gone evern after driving really ridiculously hard.

spicy - thats very true. It takes so much less time cooling down the IC. All that 17whp stuff should be closer to 5-10 whp

What mods do you have? Thanks,

~brian

[spicynamja]

I do have to point out that Turbohoses posts a .5 pressure drop and Customs posts a 1.1 So everyone here who says the gains are the same are a little off base. People sat here and yelled at me to do the research but everyone here is saying that Turbhoses "might" be "just as good" when the pressure drop is actually better. Either way, its not a difference that you would notice if you drove both cars side to side, as ArrestYellowMSP says, its exactly the same as far as driver feel.

[CustomMSP]

I do have to point out that Turbohoses posts a .5 pressure drop and Customs posts a 1.1 So everyone here who says the gains are the same are a little off base. People sat here and yelled at me to do the research but everyone here is saying that Turbhoses "might" be "just as good" when the pressure drop is actually better. Either way, its not a difference that you would notice if you drove both cars side to side, as ArrestYellowMSP says, its exactly the same as far as driver feel.

Yeah it's 1.1psi at an airflow that would equal to about 260hp, so that's about 15psi on the stock t25 turbo. I don't think TH ever mentioned at how much airflow that .5psi drop is. Furthermore, those 17whp were actually dynoed my friend :)

However, that's your opinion and I respect that :) I have heatsoak even with my FMIC in 60 and above deg weather.

Keep those concerns/comments coming!

Thanks.

[Vampyre]

i didnt have to it in, i had to slightly modify a metal pieice of the body that comes out beside the stock ic. if that means hit the hell out of it with a hammer, exactly what i did, but it but only a little. i like houw big customs is. i really didnt want to do a fmic

[Vampyre]

oh and i dont care about the fan fitment. new about that b4 hand, but it did make one of the biggest differences in how my car drives

[CustomMSP]

it doesnt sit flush I knew this fromt he begining. Vamp told me had to bang it in to get it to fit. But I think the gaines are better then turbohose. but Turbo hose is a better fit.

Its better to bend that piece next to the headlight a little so it doesn't rub agains the IC causing any future problems.

[ricenudles]

What mods do you have? Thanks,

~brian

jus custom's smic and hardpipes.


Yeah it's 1.1psi at an airflow that would equal to about 260hp, so that's about 15psi on the stock t25 turbo. I don't think TH ever mentioned at how much airflow that .5psi drop is. Furthermore, those 17whp were actually dynoed my friend :)


BTW, I'm not talking about your dyno sheets. I'm talking about turbohoses dynosheet where they show 142whp to like 159whp or something for a stock MSP. But honestly, when was the last time you saw a STOCK msp, boosting 6.5psi, dynoing 142 to the wheels unless its already heatsoaked or something (im assuming dynojet)??? I'm not knocking on their products (i love their hardpipes) or their crediblity (they make quality pieces), but most of the dynosheets I've seen show 148~155 whp as stock.

As for your dyno sheet, it's very believable because of the mods listed on that dyno. either way, your smic is great and I'm happy with it. I just think some comments waayy hyped it up too much for me.

[CustomMSP]

I understand completely. You probably know that a good A/M DP will greatly reduce the temp. of the compressed air coming out of the turbo.

[spicynamja]

I've gotta admit, the Custom SMIC core is huge. That is definitely the largest possible core that could fit in its place. I'm going to go to a hardware store and buy some washers to make the fan sit more flush one of these days.

[jersey_emt]

No, this thread is good because it gives POTENTIAL BUYERS a chance to see the vendor's customer service in action and allows those buyers to make their own judgement. CustomMSP came in here and handled this customer complaint beautfully IMO. So if anything this thread is a good thing for him, not a bad thing. The people that cry about vendor bashing need to realize this.

Yes, this is why this thread is still here, unaltered. I just don't like the title of it, but I'm keeping it for exactly the reasons you mentioned.

[spicynamja]

Hey Jersey, if you want to change the title to "CustomMSP SMIC fitment Issues" I'd be more than happy. I do agree that the title is way too harsh.

[CustomMSP]

Update!

Because I want my product to appeal to every potential customer I have redesigned the SMIC.

1. The fan now will sit flush.
2. I've added the slot for the lower fan nipple.
3. I've added the lower side nipple on the IC.
4. Redesigned the upper bracket completely.

Unfortunately this will raise the current price about $60. I think it's a fair offset for a perfect fitting IC.

Pictures can be seen here (http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84443&page=1)

Now, current owners don't feel left out! You got a good product for an excellent price that will function exactly the same as the new one. However, I can offer you an option of sending the IC back to have it modified to be like the new design. I don't have a price set yet, but it should't be a lot.

Thanks.

PS. I'd like to thank Terbow for his time.

[jurgs01]

That's awesome! The guy who started this thread may have been a little bit harsh, but he voiced his opinion and opened up a topic that ended up being beneficial to the whole community. Good vendors like Custom aren't phased by criticism, it just makes their true color come out. Same for the other vendors who have handled complaints well. Bravo!

[spicynamja]

Wow. Thanks. Wow.
Custom, you surely are awesome. I think a large part of my problem was because I bought the IC second hand rather than buying from you.

[CustomMSP]

No problem.