TMIC VS. FMIC for noobs like me?

[elderlycoffee]

Alright I have a very small knowledge base when it comes to how cars and their insides work.
What are the advantages of a FMIC vs. a TMIC?
Is it worth me buying a TMIC now?
Is the FMIC as easy to install uninstall when taking it to the dealer? and so on.

[210_ZOOM]

i see that youre in texas, look at *********************** for some parts and JDMSAM will be able to answer a lot of your questions. PM him or look on his site for contact info. GL and welcome to the boards.

Get the FMIC btw. Dunno bout your other questions.

[voiceKoil]

TMIC = usually cheaper.....easier to intall.....less boost loss/turbo lag because it is a shorter distance from your turbo to you intake manifold. CONS Gets heat soaked because its trapped on top of your engine.....usually smaller than a front mount.....

FMIC = Fresh cold air in the front of your car... Looks cool.. CONS. Usually more expensive due to custom piping.......Harder to install due to custom piping.....chance to lose boost because of long custom piping......More turbo lag because of long custom piping.....Usually have to mod your front bumper because of custom piping and or intercooler size.....

Solution, you cold have a Top mount with a NOS spray kit to cool down the intercooler when it matters.....But then you have to buy and hook up NOS....

Front mounts are usually the way to go... but for practicallity a top mount can be very efficeint aswell. and easier to swap for dealer trips... A front mount can take several hours vs less than an hour with a topmount........Personally I want a front mount...but I too am thinking if it is worth it......Usually its not the first thing people upgrade on a turbo car.......Usually Intake, Exhaust, Fuel work, Turbo work, More Fuel work then Intercooler.............On DSMs though, they have a $hitty little side mount so they do well with the front mount upgrade....our stock Tmic is restrictive, but there might be other things to be done first..........Hope this helps!

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/1/web/2497000-2497999/2497424_33_full.jpg

[FrolessWonder]

I would say stick with the top mount for now. Do you really need to upgrade your intercooler at the moment? Save your money for something else.

p.s. hello from pbn!

[speed3_813]

The heat shield under the top mount helps prevent some of the heat. Auto EXE makes a top mount upgrade if you want to do that. The air tunnel that goes to the intercooler on the hood is giving enough air for the stock intercooler. Upgrading to the front mount your really going to gain 5-7 hp with the stock setup. Take the advice above and start with the intake and exhaust upgrade first.

[clos561]

The heat shield under the top mount helps prevent some of the heat. Auto EXE makes a top mount upgrade if you want to do that. The air tunnel that goes to the intercooler on the hood is giving enough air for the stock intercooler. Upgrading to the front mount your really going to gain 5-7 hp with the stock setup. Take the advice above and start with the intake and exhaust upgrade first.
if you look in the grill there are two screw on plastic sheets that force air into the intercooler, i wil probably buy some plastic and mold some how to use the entire gril space to capture air, u can try and fuck up because u can remove the parts easily, proly use a torch and mold the plastic. not gonna mess witht he stocks oens so if i succed i can have them for replacement if i go in to reapir or w/e

[speed3_813]

Do you really think that is going to make that much of a difference? Sounds like a lot of work for little gain. Let me know how it turns out.

[quiet desperado]

Do you really think that is going to make that much of a difference? Sounds like a lot of work for little gain. Let me know how it turns out.

Hey, is that your MS3 drag strip time in the side bar? It's not bad. What was the 0-60, etc.? How did it go? C&D was whining about how hard it was to get a good time. I haven't seen anybody else where anybody else has posted about their times in the MS3 yet.

[clos561]

Hey, is that your MS3 drag strip time in the side bar? It's not bad. What was the 0-60, etc.? How did it go? C&D was whining about how hard it was to get a good time. I haven't seen anybody else where anybody else has posted about their times in the MS3 yet.
i have not took mine to the track but i can probably hit 13's, i got alot better at shifting and finding ways to get more power to the wheel. or not and i jsut run 16's

[speed3_813]

Yes that is the drag time. I will post the rest of the information. A friend of mine has a G-Tech Pro meter. We did these run on regulars streets. When he runs his car with the meter it is usally .02 seconds slower than the actual track time. The only thing it does not give is R/T. When you take off it starts to calculate.

[speed3_813]

(glare)

[Captain KRM P5]

not to knock AutoEXE, but i'll say with confidence that our TMIC upgrade is a better unit. We use a larger, thicker core with thicker bars and what we feel is more efficient fin design. It does not utilize the stock cover this is true, however it fits fine in the stock shroud and has a built in shield to deflect not only engine heat but shield the wires, etc. Ours is also a third of the cost.

there are alot of nagging issues that need to be worked out with the car before an FMIC is really a plausible solution. after our experience on the Mazdaspeed6, we'll be letting a few other companies tackle that.

[speed3_813]

14.49 @ 96.82 1/4

9.32 @ 77.03 1/8

2.41 60 foot time

5.91 0-60 time

The runs were smooth. Make sure to turn TCS off. It is very restrictive. The stock tires don't have the best grip. Best shift point I found is at 6500rpm.

[zoom-zoomhatch]

14.49 @ 96.82 1/4

9.32 @ 77.03 1/8

2.41 60 foot time

5.91 0-60 time

The runs were smooth. Make sure to turn TCS off. It is very restrictive. The stock tires don't have the best grip. Best shift point I found is at 6500rpm.

Why would you ride out to 6500rmps when you run out of power around 6k or so?

[clos561]

Why would you ride out to 6500rmps when you run out of power around 6k or so?
when u shift into next gear its at higher rpm, ive tried both ways and can realy only chirp 3rd lettn it hit 6.5

[zoom-zoomhatch]

I chirp 3rd everytime I'm getting it and shift and 6 grand every time, look at a dyno graph, these are actually semi-helpful in finding out strong points for where to change gears at and you won't fall out of your power band shifting at 6(which is where the car really runs out of steam) unless you shift like a 90 year old lady.

[speed3_813]

Why would you ride out to 6500rmps when you run out of power around 6k or so?

That is the same point were I used to shift in my Protege. Still learning the car. I will shift at 6k and see what the difference is. Thanks for the advice.