OK so a CBE is pointless so what about the TMIC

[whitey4311]

What sort of gains is there on that beefed up TMIC?

So basically it just cools more effectively then the stock one from what I understand. I know I read about fit issues with it but also what sort of warranty issues could it mess with?

I am not clear on how it works or what it actually cools fluid or air? I am not seeing what could be void on the warranty when upgrading to this because I dont understand how it works.

Any info or advice for this would be great.

[Kosh]

Cools the air and cooler air is always better. The cooler the air the more you can put into the cylinder. I hear upgrading to a larder TMIC will increase torque quite a bit and has some gains to hp. Mine is still stock so just getting information from other threads I have read.

[gsrtype1]

how do you know a cbe is piontless? , from that thread exhuast theory , not saying its wrong but others have other theories , how can you say for sure who is correct?

[whitey4311]

Makes perfect sense that a 2.5 DP that is stock with 2 cats going to a 3inch CBE isnt going to do much. The restriction is at the DP not so much the CBE so replacing one or the other wont do much from the way I see it.

[gsrtype1]

that does make sense, but one guy on this forum said he installed a downpipe and felt like he lost power, but that could have been just in his head, the only way to tell is with a dyno

[whitey4311]

Yeah I remember that thread.

Honestly I will likely leave it all alone since its costly to do and in 2-3yrs when I get rid of the car it will have been a waste of money. I dont race any where and just ocassionaly step on in for fun so the car is bitchin' enough with just the CAI I have on.

[gsrtype1]

on the cheap note , the car has 3 resinators and no mufflers , you can remove 1 or all and just have straight pipe , each one you remove the exhuast will be a little louder and meaner, ripley's in houston only charged me 40 bucks per, i removed 2 and , im thinking of removing th 3rd.

[Kosh]

that does make sense, but one guy on this forum said he installed a downpipe and felt like he lost power, but that could have been just in his head, the only way to tell is with a dyno

I do remember seeing that thread but I can't remember where it was posted. Can you post a link to it?

[gsrtype1]

kosh, i looked in the subscribed thread i cant find it, sorry its been a while back

[tru-boost]

my car was dyno proven at AMS that a CBE had ZERO GAIN !!
that was the case with everything behind the second cat remove and NO CBE on the car. just a cbe will make the car sound fast but will have no effect on performace until the engine puts out more via bolt ons and a tune.
the intercooler upgrade will 100% make more power. i have heard the ets adds to pounds of boost to the manifold that was otherwise lost to pressure loss on the stock unit !! not to mention the cooler air charge !!

[whitey4311]

So should I get a TMIC?

What could it do if anything to the warranty? I mean like a non MS CAI an oiled filter could damage a MAF and void the warranty on that part but what could a TMIC void based on its application?

This is the only one I know of but I know there are different sizes so what should I get?
http://mazda3online.web.aplus.net/product_info.php?cPath=281_22_160_257&products_id=653

There is an autoexe one on there for shit load of money so whats the difference from it? why is it double the cost?

http://mazda3online.web.aplus.net/product_info.php?cPath=281_22_160_257&products_id=1058

[CaSHMeRe]

AutoExe = Wasted money on something you can get cheaper and the same quality.

autoexe marks up all their shit for no reason. expensive, yet no better then other good engineering groups like cp-e, corksport, etc...

[whitey4311]

So what about that ETS TMIC?

Is it good quality and worth it?

[CaSHMeRe]

So what about that ETS TMIC?

Is it good quality and worth it?

there have been several excellent reviews on that tmic.

its a pretty good price (compared to the autoexe atleast) and i haven't really heard a complaint yet !

[meha11]

So what about that ETS TMIC?

Is it good quality and worth it?


the quailiy is piss poor but it is still worth it.

[CaSHMeRe]

the quailiy is piss poor but it is still worth it.

is the quality bad ? i have only read good things about it.

i myself prefer this !!!

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o148/xcashmerex/MS3/FMIC/IMG_0056.jpg

[Captain KRM P5]

for a hand made part i wouldn't say its piss poor in quality. it also uses about the best and most efficient intercooler core you can get.

we have some in stock in the 3.5 inch btw

[meha11]

for a hand made part i wouldn't say its piss poor in quality. it also uses about the best and most efficient intercooler core you can get.

we have some in stock in the 3.5 inch btw


Core is fine but the whole thing as a unit is assembled by nuckle dragging yard apes. Dont you remember the email i sent you after installing it?

[funkyman]

The best would be a large FMIC preferably 3.5"It will be much better and effecient than a top mount.

[redspeed]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercooler

If you gona replace the stock intercooler and mess with the warranty, might as well get a fmic and get rid of the heat soak.

[BLACKMS3]

See post #16!!!!

[redspeed]

See post #16!!!!

(uhm) (shrug)

[Kosh]

Heat soak shmeat shmoak. I haven't noticed any effects of heat soak all summer and it has been over 100 here a few times. For daily driving I wouldn't worry about it that much with a TMIC unless you spend an ungodly ammount of time sitting in traffic.

With a FMIC you need a higher volume of air to build boost between all your shifts since you have more piping to fill after blowoff or venting. The boost lag effects probablly aren't that noticable either but I don't know from experience with FMIC.

For ease of install (and reinstalling stock if you are worried about bringing it in for service with aftermarket IC, though I wouldn't even think that would be an issue) and keeping stock ducting in place which also vents the battery TMIC is the way I would go.

[BLACKMS3]

I hope you don't mind cash, but I think you made it too stealthy!!!!

For the finished look, see post #16.... geez guys...

BTW, this was all handbuilt by cashmere and his buddies!!!! AWSOME WORK!




http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o148/xcashmerex/MS3/FMIC/IMG_0042.jpg

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o148/xcashmerex/MS3/FMIC/IMG_0043.jpg

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o148/xcashmerex/MS3/FMIC/IMG_0044b.jpg

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o148/xcashmerex/MS3/FMIC/IMG_0045.jpg

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o148/xcashmerex/MS3/FMIC/IMG_0047.jpg

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o148/xcashmerex/MS3/FMIC/IMG_0048.jpg

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o148/xcashmerex/MS3/FMIC/IMG_0051.jpg

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o148/xcashmerex/MS3/FMIC/IMG_0059.jpg

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o148/xcashmerex/MS3/FMIC/IMG_0049.jpg

[redspeed]

Heat soak shmeat shmoak. I haven't noticed any effects of heat soak all summer and it has been over 100 here a few times. For daily driving I wouldn't worry about it that much with a TMIC unless you spend an ungodly ammount of time sitting in traffic.

With a FMIC you need a higher volume of air to build boost between all your shifts since you have more piping to fill after blowoff or venting. The boost lag effects probablly aren't that noticable either but I don't know from experience with FMIC.

For ease of install (and reinstalling stock if you are worried about bringing it in for service with aftermarket IC, though I wouldn't even think that would be an issue) and keeping stock ducting in place which also vents the battery TMIC is the way I would go.

True!, for normal driving the stock i/c is fine and it would get the air flow it needs. But if you go to the track and have to sit there for a couple of minutes before a race you get heat soak like crazy. Remember the stock i/c sit right on top of the engine, so all that heat goes up right to the i/c. FMIC was better cooling efficiency.

[Kosh]

Intercooler spray kit FTW :)

I'm doing my first auto-x this weekend and I'll see if I notice heat soak. Leaving the hood open or spraying it down before the run would probably do the trick.

I'm just starting to really understand the entire forced induction process and I know I have a ton to learn. Great discussion going here I hope we can keep it up :)

[Hikaru9]

Neat! Someone's got some skills! *^_^*

[redspeed]

It won't get heat soak if the car is moving.

[Kosh]

Plus it is a night event so I hope it cools down before it starts.

[whitey4311]

So basically the stock TMIC is just fine at normal speeds and wont differ much by adding that ETS TMIC?

If that is the case I think my only upgrade is going to be the MS CAI that I already have and thats it. Any extra money will go toward negative equity so I can trade it out in 2-3 yrs.

Sounds like unless you go crazy with spending that this car is pretty tunned out as it comes. That seems good for me and I really enjoy its stock power like it is so far. The warranty is big for me especially since I paid for the 100k extended so to void it would be stupid.

I do love the info and am learning though so keep it coming.

[gwood]

So basically the stock TMIC is just fine at normal speeds and wont differ much by adding that ETS TMIC?

If that is the case I think my only upgrade is going to be the MS CAI that I already have and thats it. Any extra money will go toward negative equity so I can trade it out in 2-3 yrs.

Sounds like unless you go crazy with spending that this car is pretty tunned out as it comes. That seems good for me and I really enjoy its stock power like it is so far. The warranty is big for me especially since I paid for the 100k extended so to void it would be stupid.

I do love the info and am learning though so keep it coming.

With everything that you are saying, it sounds like you are on the right track man. Swapping out an intercooler or doing exhaust doesn't sound like something you'll need to do at this point. I don't know where you are in terms of mods but don't discount a few things on this car in terms of easy mods with good gains:

Wheels and tires - if you can get a big reduction in terms of unsprung weight you'll have a big bonus, mostly in handling but accel as well. Some good gains there. The stock rims are portly to say the least.

Mount/shifter bushings combo - really changes the shifting character of the car...more of a personal preference thing though.

Suspension - after the gear box, this was the first thing that I wanted to tinker with on the car (I've yet to do so). Coilovers could be next up on my list, but it's an expensive mod. The car is well set up from the factory but there is definitely room for improvement.

[Kosh]

So basically the stock TMIC is just fine at normal speeds and wont differ much by adding that ETS TMIC?

If that is the case I think my only upgrade is going to be the MS CAI that I already have and thats it. Any extra money will go toward negative equity so I can trade it out in 2-3 yrs.

Sounds like unless you go crazy with spending that this car is pretty tunned out as it comes. That seems good for me and I really enjoy its stock power like it is so far. The warranty is big for me especially since I paid for the 100k extended so to void it would be stupid.

I do love the info and am learning though so keep it coming.

No, you will see torque and hp gains with a larger top mount or front mount in everyday driving. It does better to cool the air and can handle a larger volume of air. Worth the upgrade. Hear from people that have upgraded their IC it is one of the best hp/tq for the money.

And for exhaust just upgrading the cat back isn't going to show gains but going with high flow cat or test pipe is going to net some gains and improve spooling. Not all mods will show direct hp or tq gains but will give other added benifits like spooling speed, heat reduction etc that you will notice but are not quantative.

AWR rear motor mount was one of those 'who'd a thunk it' mods where I noticed great improvement between shifts. I was really suprised how much the engine settled down between shifts and while launching. For the money this is my absolute favorite mod I have installed to date.

[meha11]

So basically the stock TMIC is just fine at normal speeds and wont differ much by adding that ETS TMIC?

Adding the TMIC will make a difference and is worth it, for me the torque increase was most apparent. Just be prepared to work on it yourself before installation -depending on you own personal perspective of quality of course. I work in Quality Assurance and Design so at times i can be quite critical especially when spending my own money.

[whitey4311]

Yeah I dont like to hear that the quality it shity after spending $500+ on something.

Sounds like a worth while mod but then agian after I sleep on it I really start to think that putting money into mods isnt the best idea. I would rather pay the car down some more and catch up with the depreciation so I can trade it out when something new and improved comes out.

Since I think this is a very fast car just with the CAI I am going to likely just leave it all alone and be happy with what I got. I saw some pics of the new STI hatch back and that thing looks sick and it its 4.5sec 0-60. I would love to get something like that in the near future.

[Captain KRM P5]

a larger, better flowing and more efficient designed intercooler - regardless of TMIC or FMIC - is going to perform better than the stock intercooler on these cars, period.

every intercooler will heat soak, better ones will not heat soak as much or as quickly. the advantage to a TMIC lies in the lack of piping and reduced flow path that your air charge has to travel. on vehicles that run lower boost, it is better to go with a TMIC to cut down on lag, improve overall response, etc. an FMIC allows one to use a larger core with direct access to cool air flowing directly onto the intercooler but one must take great care in designing the piping going to it. length, number of bends, materials used and of course the core being used can on thier own or together make all the difference.

we've seen - at stock boost - 10 to 15 whp gains on mazdaspeed3s in warm climates with the addition of the ETS top mount. BEGi dynoed a 9 whp gain - again at stock boost - with thier front mount intercooler in a texas climate.

[whitey4311]

Good info man thanks.

When you say WHP what does that stand for?

So you are syaing that this ETS TMIC would be $500 well spent? Why are some saying the quality is poor? Is there a refund or warranty policy on it?

My biggest question is do you see any warranty concerns on the car with this TMIC or does it simply just cool air better and wont cause any damage to the engine/turbo?

[Kosh]

Good info man thanks.

When you say WHP what does that stand for?

So you are syaing that this ETS TMIC would be $500 well spent? Why are some saying the quality is poor? Is there a refund or warranty policy on it?

My biggest question is do you see any warranty concerns on the car with this TMIC or does it simply just cool air better and wont cause any damage to the engine/turbo?

WHP is wheel horse power
CHP is crank horse power
BHP is brake horse power

The numbers differ because power is lost through the drivetrain on the way to the wheels.

[Captain KRM P5]

Good info man thanks.

When you say WHP what does that stand for?

So you are syaing that this ETS TMIC would be $500 well spent? Why are some saying the quality is poor? Is there a refund or warranty policy on it?

My biggest question is do you see any warranty concerns on the car with this TMIC or does it simply just cool air better and wont cause any damage to the engine/turbo?

i believe a better intercooler is money well spent on this car, yes. i believe the complaint noted above (and i'd have to reference my emails to be sure) is due to a fitment issue in terms of mounting the intercooler itself. on my end, complaints on the unit are pretty rare.

there is no way that the turbo or engine are going to be damaged by a better intercooler. its probably 'safer' in practice than a cold air intake.

ETS guarantees the product and will stand behind it.

[tru-boost]

ets is a nice product and will show gains. the pressure loss is about 2 psi less than stock. in other words its almost like adding to 2 psi to the car. it doesnt actualy add the boost though, it just uses what is already there more effectively. so far all fmic's i have seen are very expensive, show less hp gain, and have more turbo lag !

[whitey4311]

Well I may just spend this money burning a hole in my pocket on that and make an order from you.

I dont know what size to choose or anything so can you help me out with the proper link to what I need?

Also as far as fit you will know best about this so does it require any mods to make it work or its a direct drop in fit?

Also have you felt first hand the gains from this TMIC in a MS3 and is it noticable? I am trying to understand where you will feel the WHP at a stop or at cruis speeds or across the full range.

I am glad to hear that it wotn cause damage to the engine or anything and that makes sense for something that does the same as stock but just more efficient and simply cools the air better.

Oh yeah one more question is will the stock boot seal up to the ETS TMIC like it does now? I notice there isnt that plastic stock cover over it so I assume the boot seals to the aluminum plate around the unit.
Thank you so much for helping me on this.

[Kosh]

gains will be through the entire RMP band. From the dyno sheets on (woot)protege garage (http://mazda3online.web.aplus.net/product_info.php?cPath=281_22_160_257&products_id=653) you can see HP and TQ gains. You don't want to look at max HP gains but the gains as a whole through rpm.

Low RPM improve a lot. That is when boost is just begining to build. Our cars drop power quick at around 5,500 rpm something to remember when shifting.

[whitey4311]

So i guess I should just buy one then since it sounds like the gains are for real and no BS. Anyone on here have one and able to notice the gains?

I still need some answers to my previous post like the link to what size ect.

[Kosh]

I linked to the TS Top Mount Intercooler Upgrade in my last post if you bothered to click it. protege garage has a couple IC you can choose from.

[whitey4311]

yeah I saw that so then the 3.25 thick is the one to get? Then there is one with end tanks but I dont know what that means.

As far as the other TMIC that auto exe is very expensive so I wont get that one.

Also what is that other guy talking about it lowering boost? To me if it makes more power with less boost that would make me think its better for the engine since its less stress on it. Is this correct thinking or am I a idiot?

I have been searching and see there were issues with the rear of it being too long and hitting so has this been taken care of or are there still issues with it?

[Hikaru9]

WHP is wheel horse power
CHP is crank horse power
BHP is base horse power

The numbers differ because power is lost through the drivetrain on the way to the wheels.

Good info Kosh, but I think you meant to say bhp = "brake" horsepower. *^_^*

[SwampAss]

BHP is the same as crank.

[funkyman]

Just wait for the Evo X next spring and forget the TMIC.(attn)

[Kosh]

BHP is the same as crank.

Yes but just providing acronyms in case he sees someone use bhp or chp somewhere down the lines (friday)

[controlo]

Just wait for the Evo X next spring and forget the TMIC.(attn)

the evo x looks really cool.
i love my mazda.
i don't have 40 g-units.
i know the comment wasn't directed toward me.
(band2)

[whitey4311]

Just wait for the Evo X next spring and forget the TMIC.(attn)


I figured I would get the evo IX if I can find one on the lot when the X's are out and score a deal on it. Should be able to low ball them pretty good on any left overs from the prior year.

Good point though and upon talking to my friend who has a MS3 as well we are sort of figuring with the milage we put on cars to not dump money into them and just get out of them sooner then later.

[Hatchd]

My CBE (Corksport) has really sharpened up throttle response,and added some lovely sound and personality to this car,I wouldnt dismiss it as doing nothing.

[CTGrey02]

My CBE (Corksport) has really sharpened up throttle response,and added some lovely sound and personality to this car,I wouldnt dismiss it as doing nothing.

Until I see dyno's on an otherwise stock car proving that it (as in any catback) does more than 10HP it's not worth 700 bucks in my opinion.

[funkyman]

You must get of a car withn 12 months that way you loose the least or even 9 motnhs and buy a new one every time .Same or other.

[crashkelly]

if youre getting rid of it in 2-3 years why the hell did you pay for a 100K warranty?? I think you should save your money....if in two years you arent going to have the car then whats the point? You WILL void your warranty and will be up shits creek with no paddle (and i really dont care what all the dummies out there think who say "well the dealership has to prove that your TMIC caused whatever broke!....umm no, they do not....they will say you messed with the stock engineering and you caused whatever it was to break) and you could use that money for something like a car payment.

Did you lease it? Is that why youll be getting rid of it? or do you just not like it enough to keep it past a couple years? either way what is the point of spending a bunch of money so that your car can be faster for two years and then you have to take all the go-fast parts off of it when you send it back or trade it in. You just end up trading the car in and have a bunch of useless parts sitting in the garage.

[whitey4311]

if youre getting rid of it in 2-3 years why the hell did you pay for a 100K warranty?? I think you should save your money....if in two years you arent going to have the car then whats the point? You WILL void your warranty and will be up shits creek with no paddle (and i really dont care what all the dummies out there think who say "well the dealership has to prove that your TMIC caused whatever broke!....umm no, they do not....they will say you messed with the stock engineering and you caused whatever it was to break) and you could use that money for something like a car payment.

Did you lease it? Is that why youll be getting rid of it? or do you just not like it enough to keep it past a couple years? either way what is the point of spending a bunch of money so that your car can be faster for two years and then you have to take all the go-fast parts off of it when you send it back or trade it in. You just end up trading the car in and have a bunch of useless parts sitting in the garage.


Yeah you are right on man and I have sleep on this and talked it over with my friend who also has a MS3. I drive about 25k-30k per year so getting rid of it before its devalued is sort of the idea. I did not lease it but having the 100k warranty is great since I can sell it private with having a tong of warranty left on it and get a better price.

I did this with a Tacoma I had at 75k and got a easy sell since it came with a warranty even though it was a private sell.

I did notice that the Evo comes with a 70k bumper to bumper and a 100k powertrain so I would likely not buy a warranty for that car due to it being included.

Any how I have decided to pay off some debt and keep paying it off so that when the time comes I can sell this car and afford to pay off the negative equity and move on. I love the car and would only sell it for change and to not put so many miles on it that its not worth much.

My buddy that has the Ms3 we each bougth one the same night and he traded a regular 3 and with 50k on it and was only 1k negative which isnt bad at all. They say that 50k is the best bang for your buck to get rid of it but since KBB doesnt have it listed yet who knows.

To sell it in 1 year would mean that I would have only paid about 6k on it in payments and would me much more negative on it so 2 years paymetns should be about right to level that out and factor in depreciation.

[knowledge007]

how do you know a cbe is piontless? , from that thread exhuast theory , not saying its wrong but others have other theories , how can you say for sure who is correct?


Im tired of you and your so called theory crap. That guy had put a test pipe hooked up to the stock cbe. Wtf do you think is going to happen with you put a 3" dp and hook it up to a less than 2.5" cbe. Or wait...that is only a theory that you will lose hp.

BTW, you do not have three RESONATORS. You have 2 cats and one RESONATOR.

[knowledge007]

Until I see dyno's on an otherwise stock car proving that it (as in any catback) does more than 10HP it's not worth 700 bucks in my opinion.

No opinion CT, its fact. Only fools spend that kind of money for something thats so ridiculous.

[Hikaru9]

No opinion CT, its fact. Only fools spend that kind of money for something thats so ridiculous.

I think people do it mostly for the sound. No thanks for me. *^_^*

[CTGrey02]

I think people do it mostly for the sound. No thanks for me. *^_^*

That sound does nothing but attract teenagers and cops. I'd prefer not to get bothered by either of those groups, lol.

[Hikaru9]

That sound does nothing but attract teenagers and cops. I'd prefer not to get bothered by either of those groups, lol.

Same here... funny what age does to you.

I mean... I hated minivans like a bad disease, but after driving my government minivan for 1.5 years, I actually kind like them. lol~ I'd definitely get one if I had a family. *^_^*

[SwampAss]

Let me buck the trend. I'm older than both of you and want the CBE (peep)

[Hikaru9]

Let me buck the trend. I'm older than both of you and want the CBE (peep)

I think CT and I were both born in the 70s, still.

Six months of knowing you, you'd probably get a TBE. *^_^*

[CTGrey02]

Let me buck the trend. I'm older than both of you and want the CBE (peep)

Seeing as though your also a fan of hello kitty, this comes as no surprise, lol. And yes, I was born in the 70's, albeit the tail end, lol.

[Hikaru9]

Seeing as though your also a fan of hello kitty, this comes as no surprise, lol. And yes, I was born in the 70's, albeit the tail end, lol.

Ooooo~!

http://www.autogiga.com/gigagift/kitty_car01.htm

That page is perfect for Swamp then. They even have Hello Kitty shift knob covers. ^_^v

[SwampAss]

Ooooo~!

http://www.autogiga.com/gigagift/kitty_car01.htm

That page is perfect for Swamp then. They even have Hello Kitty shift knob covers. ^_^v


That may be funnier than was intended.

[Hikaru9]

BTW, do we actually do any work? o_O
(I have a perfectly valid reason for viewing forums, watching movies, and playing Xbox360 at work).

Who makes a good TMIC anyway?

[SwampAss]

I think that the one with questionable workmanship is still good. It only appears to look somewhat hobbled together. I think the big complain is the heat shield and the gaps between that and the core itself. Otherwise, I've not read a complaint anywhere other than that issue. I think it was Meha and Rotus that had posted pictures in reference to the shielding. Both made their own fixes for it.

[Hikaru9]

I think that the one with questionable workmanship is still good. It only appears to look somewhat hobbled together. I think the big complain is the heat shield and the gaps between that and the core itself. Otherwise, I've not read a complaint anywhere other than that issue. I think it was Meha and Rotus that had posted pictures in reference to the shielding. Both made their own fixes for it.

Is it this one by ETS?

http://mazda3online.web.aplus.net/images/tmic.jpg

[SwampAss]

it appears to be

[CTGrey02]

if you look at the welds around the IC itself you can pretty much see why they just tac welded the shield in place. The sides of the IC aren't completely flat. While it isn't pretty, it should get the job done.

[meha11]

I think that is the old bigger one, heres mine.

Notice that they used hardware instead of tack welds. I filled the gap with clear silicone which seams to work great and is hardly visible when clean.

i didnt recognise myself as "Meha" it took a while for it to click, currently recovering from drowning my sorrows over historic events remembered yesterday. (just to make you smile(boobs2) )

[SwampAss]

what's the core thickness on yours Meha11?

[meha11]

i think it is 3.25

[Kosh]

Is there a product you can get to put under the TMIC to shield more heat from the engine? Or would that hold too much hot air against the engine?

http://www.autogiga.com/gigagift/hellokitty/004.jpg

[Ryz]

sub-ing

[Rotus8]

ETS stopped welding the plate on a while back. The current units all have brackets welded to the core and the plate bolts on. It is much easier to mount/dismount the core with the plate removed. I added captive nuts to the brackets to make it really easy. I had to trim the back of the plate to keep it from hitting the firewall, in spite of the fact that I have a stiff rear engine mount. I also worked at filling the gaps between the core and the plate with some high-temp rubber strips.

[Hikaru9]

Is there a product you can get to put under the TMIC to shield more heat from the engine? Or would that hold too much hot air against the engine?


http://www.autogiga.com/gigagift/hellokitty/004.jpg

Hmm... Hello Kitty riding the emergency brake lever... is that your next mod, Kosh? ^_^;;

Does the TMIC also work as a heatsink for the engine in some way? Would it benefit the cooling in anyway if the bottom plate were larger? -_-a

[Captain KRM P5]

the ETS TMIC does not trap heat like the factory POS. we've done several back to back 1/4 mile runs and dyno runs and found the ETS cool to the touch. we use the stock one to cook burgers between runs.

ok i kid, but its definetely noticable

ETS stopped welding the plates because people complained about the welds looking poor, ease of install, and fitment issues going to the CX7.


Same here... funny what age does to you.

I mean... I hated minivans like a bad disease, but after driving my government minivan for 1.5 years, I actually kind like them. lol~ I'd definitely get one if I had a family. *^_^*

i swore i would never buy a minivan or an SUV. i keep telling myself my mazda5 does not count as either :D

[Kosh]

http://www.autogiga.com/gigagift/hellokitty/004.jpg

Hmm... Hello Kitty riding the emergency brake lever... is that your next mod, Kosh? ^_^;;

Does the TMIC also work as a heatsink for the engine in some way? Would it benefit the cooling in anyway if the bottom plate were larger? -_-a

I'm going badtz maru for my ride. I have a badtz maru and a hello kitty mazdaspeed badge. Ordered the badtz maru one and they sent hello kitty by mistake and sent me the right one 2 months later :)

Hello kitty is on my laptop which added 45MHz starts up a lot faster!

Badtz will go on soon as my car gets back from the body shop. Can't wait to see performance gains from that!

111382

[Ryz]

I just installed the MS CBE and a TXS pipe and there is a definite difference. I can spin through third and chirp fourth hard.

[chriscecc914]

everyone is afraid of voiding there warranties. the TMIC is like 2 bolts and 2 clamps. If anything breaks on the car it is so dam easy to just replace it back to stock and bring it in for warranty.

As far as hp, how much can the 3.5 inch ETC TMIC support?

[funkyman]

Steve photos are nice but it takes too long to load,i guess the photos are at least 1600x1200 very clean shots.

[funkyman]

Nice notebook too that is an Alienware correct?SO it must have a nice GPU in it.Few photos here.

[Hikaru9]

Nice notebook too that is an Alienware correct?SO it must have a nice GPU in it.Few photos here.

Nice pics, Funkyman. Got any tint on yours?

[Hikaru9]

I'm going badtz maru for my ride. I have a badtz maru and a hello kitty mazdaspeed badge. Ordered the badtz maru one and they sent hello kitty by mistake and sent me the right one 2 months later :)

Hello kitty is on my laptop which added 45MHz starts up a lot faster!

Badtz will go on soon as my car gets back from the body shop. Can't wait to see performance gains from that!

111382

lol~ you weren't kidding! I wasn't sure what badtz was, so I had to look it up.

http://www.badtzmaru.com/badtz_maru_email_2.gif

I used to have a Mashimaro stuffed animal my sister gave me, but now I just have Digi Charat Dejiko and Rock Lee from Naruto as theft deterrent(?) in my MS3. *^_^*

Nice notebook!

[Kosh]

Nice notebook too that is an Alienware correct?SO it must have a nice GPU in it.Few photos here.

Yep. Got it as "the last laptop I will need for 5 years" and 3 weeks later they released the dual 512Mb SLI enabled gpu and new colors :(

Mine still has dual 256Mb SLI gpu which is more than enough since I pretty much quit playing games on it and use it for work only now :)

[iwannagofast]

Get that tmic and the kickass hood scoop like kosh has on his signature pic and you're set!

[Kosh]

Get that tmic and the kickass hood scoop like kosh has on his signature pic and you're set!

It is custom made out of some AC vents. You can pick them up from any home depot. Cutting the hood was the hardest part. Need to put in some chicken wire so I stop sucking in birds.

[CTGrey02]

And small children, don't forget the small children.

[funkyman]

A few tinted

[funkyman]

A few tinted
more photos

[funkyman]

more photos

[whitey4311]

Nice girl friend shot! I have some more you want to buy them?

I asked about the TMIC and my dealer rep said that it will void alot of shit on the car that is important like the engine and turbo. If either failed they have you by the balls on this one so if you do it take it off every time its at the dealer so they never see it, even for oil changes.

As for the MS CBE they didnt even try to sell it to me and said it was a POS and didnt add anything over stock and for the price it was money poorly spent. Pretty funny they didnt even try and sell it to me with some lines of bull shit they just flat out were honest.

[Kosh]

Nice girl friend shot! I have some more you want to buy them?

I asked about the TMIC and my dealer rep said that it will void alot of shit on the car that is important like the engine and turbo. If either failed they have you by the balls on this one so if you do it take it off every time its at the dealer so they never see it, even for oil changes.

As for the MS CBE they didnt even try to sell it to me and said it was a POS and didnt add anything over stock and for the price it was money poorly spent. Pretty funny they didnt even try and sell it to me with some lines of bull shit they just flat out were honest.

Not that I don't believe your sales rep told you that but how the hell is upgrading the TMIC going to hurt your turbo or engine? I think the sales rep is talking out of his ass. Modding your car does not automatically void your warrenty. If the mod causes problems then you run into warrenty issues but there is no such thing as 'I added xyz so now I have no warrenty'

[CaSHMeRe]

i kind of wish i got navigation now ...

at first i didn't, now i wish i did... o well

those pics are great of the red ms3

[whitey4311]

Not that I don't believe your sales rep told you that but how the hell is upgrading the TMIC going to hurt your turbo or engine? I think the sales rep is talking out of his ass. Modding your car does not automatically void your warrenty. If the mod causes problems then you run into warrenty issues but there is no such thing as 'I added xyz so now I have no warrenty'


They didnt say that it would hurt anything. I asked if I had it on the car and had say a turbo issue would they throw that back on the TMIC mod. They said yes they would and it would void all warranty for that part.

It doesnt have to "cause" the issue but if a turbo issue did come up and they knew I had this TMIC it woulf screw me big time.

I suppose I could go to Jiffy Lube and any time its at a dealer switch it out but I am not sure I want to go through all that. I am still up in there air if I will do this or not but I damn sure wont have it near the dealer with it installed.

[Hikaru9]

i kind of wish i got navigation now ...

at first i didn't, now i wish i did... o well

those pics are great of the red ms3

(iagree) Red is very nice indeed. I'm just too afraid of owning one since I get into enough trouble even without being spotted a mile away in red. If I ever get a Ferrari (probably never), getting anything other than red will be like a cardinal sin. Until then... no reds for me. *^_^*

I like the idea of getting an aftermarket TMIC for all the benefits it has to offer; however, I just don't like how they look. To me, they look like some cheap scrap metal thrown together. Hopefully someone will develop one with excellent fit and finish to rival that of the OEM products.

[funkyman]

(iagree) Red is very nice indeed. I'm just too afraid of owning one since I get into enough trouble even without being spotted a mile away in red. If I ever get a Ferrari (probably never), getting anything other than red will be like a cardinal sin. Until then... no reds for me. *^_^*

I like the idea of getting an aftermarket TMIC for all the benefits it has to offer; however, I just don't like how they look. To me, they look like some cheap scrap metal thrown together. Hopefully someone will develop one with excellent fit and finish to rival that of the OEM products.

Well said about the TMIC it does look a bit cheap and they normally cost 100-150usd anyway on EBAY,no name that is,If it were a Greddy or AEM TMIC or something 300-350usd would be the most one should pay,its only a peace of cheap metal.

[Kosh]

They didnt say that it would hurt anything. I asked if I had it on the car and had say a turbo issue would they throw that back on the TMIC mod. They said yes they would and it would void all warranty for that part.

It doesnt have to "cause" the issue but if a turbo issue did come up and they knew I had this TMIC it woulf screw me big time.

I suppose I could go to Jiffy Lube and any time its at a dealer switch it out but I am not sure I want to go through all that. I am still up in there air if I will do this or not but I damn sure wont have it near the dealer with it installed.

Having a TMIC upgrade and then having something wrong with the turbo does not always mean the TMIC is the cause of the problem. It would be something they would look into as the cause of the problem but they can't just automatially say you are screwed big time because you modded your car.

[Kosh]

(iagree) Red is very nice indeed. I'm just too afraid of owning one since I get into enough trouble even without being spotted a mile away in red. If I ever get a Ferrari (probably never), getting anything other than red will be like a cardinal sin. Until then... no reds for me. *^_^*

I like the idea of getting an aftermarket TMIC for all the benefits it has to offer; however, I just don't like how they look. To me, they look like some cheap scrap metal thrown together. Hopefully someone will develop one with excellent fit and finish to rival that of the OEM products.

You don't drive with your hood open so who cares what it looks like?

I don't think it looks any worse than any other TMIC on the market for any other car. And it doesn't look any worse than the stock TMIC.

Appearance = Boo!
Performance = Yay!

[whitey4311]

You cant tell me it doesnt make sense that something which alters the PSI to the turbo and function of the engine over all wont void all that shit.

I am with you and want one to but I realize that the risk of it voiding the warranty is truth and no Monsoon act is going to help you on this one.

I love how some will say that something has to be proven to void a warranty and in this situation it seems so cut and dry that there is nothing to prove to anyone they will void that shit in a second.

My point is to not stand there and tell me its ok to run it and they cant do anything because we all know that is BS. If you run it take that thing off before its near the dealer and play the stupid game when something fails, or just dont do it. If this were a MS part I would go for it all the way but I really dont want to mess with something this serious.

[Hikaru9]

Well said about the TMIC it does look a bit cheap and they normally cost 100-150usd anyway on EBAY,no name that is,If it were a Greddy or AEM TMIC or something 300-350usd would be the most one should pay,its only a peace of cheap metal.

I think the Autoexe TMIC costs like $1,000 >_<


You don't drive with your hood open so who cares what it looks like?

I don't think it looks any worse than any other TMIC on the market for any other car. And it doesn't look any worse than the stock TMIC.

Appearance = Boo!
Performance = Yay!

I still don't like the idea of something cheap looking. If my car were a human being, it'd be like giving her a patched up fruit of the loom instead of some new Victoria's Secret. Okay... that was a bad example. keke~ *^_^*

[94jedi]

actually both the ETS and AutoEXE units look pretty good. They're both bar/plate. As long as they hold pressure and there isn't a significant pressure drop across the core, it's a no-brainer.

[Kosh]

You cant tell me it doesnt make sense that something which alters the PSI to the turbo and function of the engine over all wont void all that shit.

I am with you and want one to but I realize that the risk of it voiding the warranty is truth and no Monsoon act is going to help you on this one.

I love how some will say that something has to be proven to void a warranty and in this situation it seems so cut and dry that there is nothing to prove to anyone they will void that shit in a second.

My point is to not stand there and tell me its ok to run it and they cant do anything because we all know that is BS. If you run it take that thing off before its near the dealer and play the stupid game when something fails, or just dont do it. If this were a MS part I would go for it all the way but I really dont want to mess with something this serious.

I don't think it will be enough to hurt anything. The turbo isn't running at break point now and a volume increase of that level won't be enough to damage it. As far as the engine goes our internals are all forged and I don't think having more air molecules is going to hurt it either. If you are scared then leave it stock.

If you do upgrade and something breaks and you switch back to stock for warrenty work then you are a liar and are stealing from the service shop. You mod it you take responsibility for your actions and not try to cheat the industry.

[whitey4311]

My point exactly that is why I am saying those who pull this lame ass act out for ammo on the forum have been the same to start unbolting shit before it goes to the shop.

If the act is so fool proof and solid keep your mods and your Monsoon act and march down there.

For me I am too paranoid that they will in some way find out and I am SOL so I doubt I will do it.

[redspeed]

If you do upgrade and something breaks and you switch back to stock for warrenty work then you are a liar and are stealing from the service shop. You mod it you take responsibility for your actions and not try to cheat the industry.

(jerkit) PLEASE!! Like the dealers are the most trustworthy people.

[SSMS3]

I have the ETS 3.5". Definite seat of the pants improvement for most of the rpm range

My car was at the dealer today for a ruptured hose and the motor mount recall. I didn't ask, but they never said anything about the IC or rear motor mount.

I agree with whitey though, if my turbocharger blew up tomorrow, Mazda would point the finger at the aftermarket IC and deny a warranty claim and rightly so. For me, it's worth the risk because I feel it's pretty safe but won't go any further down the mod path until I can get it tuned with a wideband

[Ryz]

I don't know why a Mazda dealership would be any different than other mfg's in my area. Most don't figure in the mods, as long as it's not something stupid or truely directly related, because they want to make the service money. They make a lot more with warranty and extended warranty work than on the sale of the car. A GM dealer fairly close to me allows high end car buyers that the likes to use a private track a few miles from the dealership. They've got supercharged vettes and caddies running around, they don't care. They make the $$$$$$$$$$$$.

[whitey4311]

I have the ETS 3.5". Definite seat of the pants improvement for most of the rpm range

My car was at the dealer today for a ruptured hose and the motor mount recall. I didn't ask, but they never said anything about the IC or rear motor mount.

I agree with whitey though, if my turbocharger blew up tomorrow, Mazda would point the finger at the aftermarket IC and deny a warranty claim and rightly so. For me, it's worth the risk because I feel it's pretty safe but won't go any further down the mod path until I can get it tuned with a wideband


But if they made note of it and you come in later on with a blown turbo guess what, lol.

I really want to do the ETS upgrade but would take it off for dealer trips I suppose.

Did it make a noticable difference?

[Kosh]

the ETS TMIC does not trap heat like the factory POS. we've done several back to back 1/4 mile runs and dyno runs and found the ETS cool to the touch. we use the stock one to cook burgers between runs.

Stock really does get hot after each auto-x run. Used a water spray bottle between runs and left the hood open to try to cool it down. Next time I'll bring a bag of ice and a cooler.

I would love to get the ETS 3" but I think it would put me into DSP and I am already well under modded for STU as it is :(

[whitey4311]

Well then again I have been in the feather peddle mod to try and get my MPG avg up and keep my tires alive for longer then 10k miles so a TMIC would just make me mash that peddle more, lol.

Man it has me thinking I want one but I will have to talk to my service advisor guy some more and see whats up. I like going to the dealer for oil changes but it is a much further drive then other places I could go to that wont ding me for mods on the car.

[Ryz]

I would also really like to see them explain how something post turbo that does nothing more than smooth and cool airflow can cause a problem. The only reason they don't do it themselves is it would slowly raise the price to where it wasn't as amazing. Do you think they sat the second cat after all computer checks accidently? The guys kicking ideas about this around know what's going on.

[Kosh]

Well then again I have been in the feather peddle mod to try and get my MPG avg up and keep my tires alive for longer then 10k miles so a TMIC would just make me mash that peddle more, lol.

Man it has me thinking I want one but I will have to talk to my service advisor guy some more and see whats up. I like going to the dealer for oil changes but it is a much further drive then other places I could go to that wont ding me for mods on the car.

I'm like you, after 3 months of full throttle driving I have started watching my mpg. I get passed on all sides when the light turns green and I enjoy cruise control at 40 mph on 35 mph roads :) If I need the power I know it is there and I like to keep it a secret.

[chaos4]

WHP is wheel horse power
CHP is crank horse power
BHP is base horse power

The numbers differ because power is lost through the drivetrain on the way to the wheels.

BHP is BRAKE HP, not used that commonly in this day and age. It is the same as crank horspower.
Brake / net / crankshaft horsepower (power delivered directly to and measured at the engine's crankshaft)
minus frictional losses in the transmission (bearings, gears, oil drag, windage, etc.),

[Kosh]

I would also really like to see them explain how something post turbo that does nothing more than smooth and cool airflow can cause a problem. The only reason they don't do it themselves is it would slowly raise the price to where it wasn't as amazing. Do you think they sat the second cat after all computer checks accidently? The guys kicking ideas about this around know what's going on.

The way you are going to hurt your turbo or your engine is by driving like a prick. Upgrading the intercooler is going to make it more efficent and as long as you don't change your driving habbits you shouldn't be putting your car in any danger.

[Kosh]

BHP is BRAKE HP, not used that commonly in this day and age.

Whatever it is called it is still HP measured at the output shaft.

[Captain KRM P5]

I would also really like to see them explain how something post turbo that does nothing more than smooth and cool airflow can cause a problem.

a dealer could try to argue that the intercooler made the air so cool and so dense that if causes detonation and lean conditions leading to engine damage.

which, under this circumstance, would be wrong (hippy)

[whitey4311]

Well so you are telling me that I should buy it then go local for oil changes and save the 30min drive to the dealer each time. I think I just might have to do this upgrade since I am tired of the drive to them for oil changes and realize that its just some donkey that changes it for them anyway.

So whats the word can the difference of the ETS TMIC be felt?

Basically there is no way that a new TMIC can hurt the car in any way? I realize it cools air and that wont hurt nothing but what if there is a flaw in the TMIC would that cause damage to anything?

[Kosh]

He is saying if the dealer tried to use the argument about too much air hurting the engine that the dealer would be a dumb ass for trying to pass off something so inane. All this warrenty talk and make believe engine killer crap is making me sick.

If you have a technical explanation as to which part of the turbo or engine could fail as a direct result of an intercooler installation then please post that but don't just assume an intercooler is bad for your car without any real explination or anything to back up your claim. And more air molecules is going to hurt your engine is a pretty weak argument.

[Hikaru9]

BHP is BRAKE HP, not used that commonly in this day and age.

I spend much time reading auto magazines from all over the world, and I'd say its usage is pretty common actually. *^_^*

[whitey4311]

I am not saying that it would hurt the engine or turbo at all I am asking if it does or could. I realize the ETS wont due to its simple job of cooling air but what if it were deffective or failed could it in some way damage shit?

I still would like to know if anyone one feels a big difference at all?

[Kosh]

I am not saying that it would hurt the engine or turbo at all I am asking if it does or could. I realize the ETS wont due to its simple job of cooling air but what if it were deffective or failed could it in some way damage shit?

I still would like to know if anyone one feels a big difference at all?

Short answer, no it won't hurt your engine or turbo. If the dealer tells you it is the cause of the problem and won't explain how it happened then you deserve to have your money taken. Dealers like that are depending on the customer being ignorant and believing whatever they tell them. You can always go to a different dealer or independent garage and see if they give you the same answer.

If you get a product that is defective then it won't be covered by mazda. I'm not sure how accountable the aftermarket product manufacturer or vendor would be in this case. Maybe Ken or someone can answer that question but I don't have a clue. I'm trying to see what defect could be present in an intercooler that would cause it to damage your engine or turbo. It would maybe cause it to not work at its full potential but as far as damaging something I don't see it happening. Maybe if there was metal shavings or packaging materials in the IC when you install it that could damage it but I doubt that would happen.

In the case of the Mazdaspeed CAI I know there is a warrenty on the product by Mazda so if it is defective they will service it as long as it was installed correctly and as long as you didn't cause the damage to the product.

There are Dyno sheets posted on vendor sites that show pretty nice low end torque gains. Other people have posted all over this forum they notice acceleration is much quicker and turbo response is enhanced by the TMIC upgrade. They say the difference is pretty much night and day with this product.

[SSMS3]

But if they made note of it and you come in later on with a blown turbo guess what, lol.

I really want to do the ETS upgrade but would take it off for dealer trips I suppose.

Did it make a noticable difference?

I meant it's worth the risk of modifying because IMO the ETS is not going to hurt anything. I'm willing to accept responsibility and pay out of pocket to fix something that breaks as a result of me modifying the car. You gotta pay to play

Yes, the ETS unit made a noticable difference. Immediately noticed the car lights the tires easier at any rpm and pulls harder, no question

[whitey4311]

Damn it now I want to buy one, lol.

I suppose a deffect would mean that there is lost boost or something and the car would run like shit but then that would mean I just get a new TMIC since Ken said they stand behind their product.

Well looks like I have my money set on this bad ass so when I do it I will take pics and let you guys know what I think of it.

From the pics or from those who have it do you think the boot to the hood will seal up to the TMIC plate or do I need to add weather strips to seal it up better?

I liked going to the dealer but I dont know that I will now if I have this thing on there. I suppose if I am going for oil and tire rotation the grease donkey isnt a mechanic and wont know what he is looking at. I doubt he would report it but if I had warranty work to be done then yeah I would just remove it to save headache.

[Kosh]

Damn it now I want to buy one, lol.

I suppose a deffect would mean that there is lost boost or something and the car would run like shit but then that would mean I just get a new TMIC since Ken said they stand behind their product.

Well looks like I have my money set on this bad ass so when I do it I will take pics and let you guys know what I think of it.

From the pics or from those who have it do you think the boot to the hood will seal up to the TMIC plate or do I need to add weather strips to seal it up better?

I liked going to the dealer but I dont know that I will now if I have this thing on there. I suppose if I am going for oil and tire rotation the grease donkey isnt a mechanic and wont know what he is looking at. I doubt he would report it but if I had warranty work to be done then yeah I would just remove it to save headache.

Here is what I see happening. You go on protege garage and order the 3" or 3.5" tmic. Wait for delivery. Install TMIC. Take your car out for a drive. Come back on the forum and say "Holy shit this is the best fucking mod you can do to your car everyone go get one right now" Fast forward you die an old man without seeing a single blown engine or turbo in your life.

[whitey4311]

LOL, good one man.

Ken said that they onyl will sell the 3" now since there is no gain for the 3.5 and it just had fit issues and rubs.

Pssst he has one on ebay with a "make an offer"

will see if I can get a few bucks off.

[Kosh]

LOL, good one man.

Ken said that they onyl will sell the 3" now since there is no gain for the 3.5 and it just had fit issues and rubs.

Pssst he has one on ebay with a "make an offer"

will see if I can get a few bucks off.

Did you ask about manufacturer warrenty of the IC?

[Captain KRM P5]

LOL, good one man.

Ken said that they onyl will sell the 3" now since there is no gain for the 3.5 and it just had fit issues and rubs.



thats old news - they are selling three core sizes; the 3inch, the 3.25inch and the 3.5inch. originally it was only going to be 3.5 inch but we had rubbing issues on the ms6. then it was going to be no more 3.5 and just the 3.25 exclusively. we found that the 3.5 inch models do not have the same issues on the ms3 that they do on the ms6, with the exception of the shroud on the intercooler being too long initially for the ms3 (would tap the firewall). those issues have all since been worked through and now all three options are still available to people.

[whitey4311]

Ugh help me get this straight so I know what to order.

I am not sure what size to get and I dont plan on changing any mounts to accomodate the 3.5 because I think you need based on your web site. It also talks about end tanks and such so I really dont know what to choose or what the differences are for performance.

Is there any difference to the sizes and which one should I get? I basically plan on the CAI that I have and this TMIC to be my only upgrades since they are simple bolt ons that make great gains per the dyno charts and word of mouth.

Also is the ETS TMIC warranted against deffects?

Also on your web site it says free hose upgrade, what is that? Will the stock hoses not work?

Oops just realized you are updating the hoses but I plan on buying in about a month so hopefully they will be ready by then if I actually do need them.

[funkyman]

What he basically wants to know is,what the difference in lbs torque is,between your 3.25" and 3.5".
By the way did our cars have oil coolers or not?

[Ryz]

Exactly, is there any real benefit.

[whitey4311]

Well he Pm'ed me and said he suggests the 3.5 core as the best for least heat soak and best flow but I thought you have to upgrade the tranny mount to use it.

He also said there is a lifetime warranty as I figured since nothing should break on this.

Will the 3.5 inch TMIC fit on our cars with out the upgraded mount?

I also want to know about the hoses if I need the upgraded ones that arent ready yet or if the stock ones will work?

My guess is that the 3.25 should be pretty darn close to what I need and cant differ much from another 1/4 inch. I have read the 3.5 is a close fit with some rubbing at the corners so I likely will get that 3.25. I dont know what the added "end tanks" upgrade is either but I really want to understand this before I place an order.

Whats even more odd is at the ETS web site they dont give an option you onyl get the 3inch TMIC black or plain and thats it. No speak of end tanks or different sizes so I just dont get it.
http://www.extremeturbosystems.com/product_info.php?cPath=4_42_50_51&products_id=119

I am going to call ETS tomorrow and get this all answered since I am tired of getting different info that doesnt match. I am not sure if Protegegarage is doing their own fabs and add ons to it or what but there is a reason ETS doesnt list anything other then the 3inch core as an option.

[funkyman]

Black would look boring and would heat up much more.

[94jedi]

Black would look boring and would heat up much more.

depends, if it's anodized, then retaining heat wouldn't be a problem. painting or powder-coating would cause heat retention.

[whitey4311]

depends, if it's anodized, then retaining heat wouldn't be a problem. painting or powder-coating would cause heat retention.

Thats what I figured.

Well Ken PM'ed again and says that they all fit with no issues even on stock motor mounts. The hoses are fine that are stock and the upgrade was just a plus for the deal I guess.

I am still going to call ETS today and be sure but if they tell me there isnt much difference then I will go with the 3inch core to be sure there are no fit issues.

[94jedi]

you have to consider how far you're going to mod the car. if you ever plan on swapping out the turbo, I'd go for the 3.5. if you plan to retain the stock turbo, go for the 3.25.

[whitey4311]

This will be my last upgrade from what I can tell. I may be talked into a turbo back one day but doubt it.

I dont want any rubbing of the 3.5 and Nutari said that there was rub marks in the hood housing from the 3.5 and that he would go smaller.

What are end tanks? There is an option for the 3inch with end tanks but I dont know what that is. WHy doesnt ETS offer any of this stuff? I am thinking there were fit issues and they went back to the 3inch and left it there.

[94jedi]

This will be my last upgrade from what I can tell. I may be talked into a turbo back one day but doubt it.

I dont want any rubbing of the 3.5 and Nutari said that there was rub marks in the hood housing from the 3.5 and that he would go smaller.

What are end tanks? There is an option for the 3inch with end tanks but I dont know what that is. WHy doesnt ETS offer any of this stuff? I am thinking there were fit issues and they went back to the 3inch and left it there.

Sounds like you should be fine with the 3.25 provided there aren't any fitment issues. The endtanks are the portion of the IC where the air comes in and goes out. the "core" is the center part that the air passes through and the fins "pull" the heat out of the air. So basically, you have heated air coming into one end and the cooled air coming out the other. That's a simple explanation, no need for much else. ETS is the manufacturer, the other place is the dealer/re-seller. ETS makes everything, and sells stuff directly but they probably do more business through their re-sellers so there isn't much need to be too detailed on their site.

[whitey4311]

So would I want the end tanks for the extra $30? Is there any gain over jus the 3.25 core that is normal?

[whitey4311]

OK here is what I learned today:

1) Called ETS and they have a much better deal direct then anywhere on the net with a difference of $50 savings. They ran out of 12x14 cores and have 12x12 which they say will still be same performance on this car. he told me that vendors have been begging for more supply but they are working on it since they are down on parts. This means that unless there is hold over I am not sure how some vendors are offering these TMIC's. They suggest the 3.5 inch deep core with the Corksport tranny mount to limit engine movement which combined with the TMIC is a great improvement all around.

2) went to a pro custom muffler shop where they said to leave stock alone after looking at in. They said that they could sell me something to make more noise but from the looks of the stock set up there is no room for gain "legally". He said that he would be basically selling me something to make more cabin noise and a certain "tunner" sound but suggests that it would be stupid and worthless unless thats what I wanted, lol.

3) Muffler guy had a very good point about the TMIC gains. He said that he worked at a service dept for a dealership and knows about people modding shit and changing it back to come in for warranty work. He said what those people didnt realize is that bolting that TMIC on will register to the ECU and keep track of it so that when you bring it in stock they can look back and see something was done to the car at some point and you are Fucked!

4) I really wanted to do something cool to my car but now I am sort of back to my old way of thinking that maybe its not the best idea to mess with shit thats under warranty.

Any way guys its all FYI and I still am undecided on what to do until I learn more about this.

[Ryz]

Amazing how the people you talk to are suddenly the most knowledgeable around. Plenty of "pro" muffler shows that I know have guys working there that couldn't bend 3.5 if their life depended on it. Unless you hear the sound and don't like it, comments by somebody else who hasn't, means just about nothing. Please explain what the ECU is going to keep track of? There is nothing keeping track of intake temp post TMIC so what exactly is gonna show.

[redspeed]

(iagree)

[whitey4311]

He said it was something to think about and that the ECU can keep memory of these sort of things but obviously he isnt a speed tech or anything and we got to talking about things other then mufflers at a muffler shop, lol.

I would have to strongly consider the point of the TMIC altering psi and both HP/torque as being something that the ECU is would and should pick up on. The issue is that he has a point about finding out if it retains the memory in the system some how. I had not thought about this but it makes perfect sense unless someone can tell me other wise. I thought when you unplug the battyer the ECU resets but am not sure if other parameters are stored.

These guys have been at the same shop for atleat 30yrs so yes I would call them pros. He didnt even try to sell me anything since he said it would do nothing for performance and possibly even decrease performance. All he could tell me is that what was under this car is very clean and as free flowing as he could make it just minus some cabin droan which he could add if thats what I wanted.

[Koenig]

Heat soak shmeat shmoak. I haven't noticed any effects of heat soak all summer and it has been over 100 here a few times. For daily driving I wouldn't worry about it that much with a TMIC unless you spend an ungodly ammount of time sitting in traffic.

With a FMIC you need a higher volume of air to build boost between all your shifts since you have more piping to fill after blowoff or venting.


Why would you use VTA with a blow off valve on your MS3? That would mess with your A/F reading from the MAF and put more fuel than there is air in the engine, and most likely result in poor performance...... everyone has pretty much stated that these cars (MS6 and MS3) should be run in recirc .....not VTA....

Yes the VTA sounds nice, but serves no purpose with these cars where the MAF is right there with the Intake...... Just a thought........

I personally plan to go the FMIC route with my MS6 in the future.......and black anodized for that "stealth" look too (silly) so I'd rather save up for the FMIC when it comes out then spend the money on the ETS TMIC, even though it's a great IC according to those who have it, I'd still much rather go the FMIC route. CPE's FMIC seems to have almost no lag according to their statement release.

[Koenig]

Amazing how the people you talk to are suddenly the most knowledgeable around. Plenty of "pro" muffler shows that I know have guys working there that couldn't bend 3.5 if their life depended on it. Unless you hear the sound and don't like it, comments by somebody else who hasn't, means just about nothing. Please explain what the ECU is going to keep track of? There is nothing keeping track of intake temp post TMIC so what exactly is gonna show.


I agree with Ryz..... unless you mount a TMIC and it throws a CEL, there isn't going to be anything in the ECU that screams out to the dealership technicians "hey my owner changed my intercooler to a better performing one!!!"

Meh, not really, I fail to see how it's going to do that........ unless the TMIC threw a CEL, which you can have cleared if you have scanner, the dealer isn't really going to know any better......... I'm sorry but sounds like that muffler guy was talking BS(blah) , that's like asking a CHEMIST about Quantum Physics and believing whatever he explains to you. Tell him to stick to mufflers (chair)

[Kosh]

Why would you use VTA with a blow off valve on your MS3? That would mess with your A/F reading from the MAF and put more fuel than there is air in the engine, and most likely result in poor performance...... everyone has pretty much stated that these cars (MS6 and MS3) should be run in recirc .....not VTA....

Yes the VTA sounds nice, but serves no purpose with these cars where the MAF is right there with the Intake...... Just a thought........

I personally plan to go the FMIC route with my MS6 in the future.......and black anodized for that "stealth" look too (silly) so I'd rather save up for the FMIC when it comes out then spend the money on the ETS TMIC, even though it's a great IC according to those who have it, I'd still much rather go the FMIC route. CPE's FMIC seems to have almost no lag according to their statement release.

I meant to say venting or compressor bypass. I wouldn't ever waste my money on any aftermarket bov in the first place. VTA isn't as bad as everyone thinks it is. You won't run that rich for very long at all. People get too worked up after hearing something and blow this stuff out of proportion. I don't know anyone who has fouled their plugs or destroyed their cat running vta and some people on here have been doing it for a while. It isn't the best thing in the world but not as terrible as some people make it out to be.

[whitey4311]

I agree with Ryz..... unless you mount a TMIC and it throws a CEL, there isn't going to be anything in the ECU that screams out to the dealership technicians "hey my owner changed my intercooler to a better performing one!!!"

Meh, not really, I fail to see how it's going to do that........ unless the TMIC threw a CEL, which you can have cleared if you have scanner, the dealer isn't really going to know any better......... I'm sorry but sounds like that muffler guy was talking BS(blah) , that's like asking a CHEMIST about Quantum Physics and believing whatever he explains to you. Tell him to stick to mufflers (chair)

Well I have no scanner or anything so I am still not so sure I want to risk this. I would like to see what it can do for the car to be faster but then again I dont race it or drive it hard much.

Like I said the guy was throwing out ideas and his point was that basically he has heard about these cars and simply said for what it is stock its pretty bad ass. Sure there are things to make it faster and I want to but then again I like going to the dealer to have oil changes and tire rotations. If I do this shit it means no more dealer trips with it bolted on.

I will think about it longer and just not run out and buy it ASAP and see what happens. It could be another $500 payment on the car too which means I will owe less and can get out of it easier when the time comes. Just some things to think about but I am with you on the ECU thing I am pretty sure when you throw a code just unplugging the battery erases it unless it gets tripped again.

[Koenig]

Well I have no scanner or anything so I am still not so sure I want to risk this. I would like to see what it can do for the car to be faster but then again I dont race it or drive it hard much.

Like I said the guy was throwing out ideas and his point was that basically he has heard about these cars and simply said for what it is stock its pretty bad ass. Sure there are things to make it faster and I want to but then again I like going to the dealer to have oil changes and tire rotations. If I do this shit it means no more dealer trips with it bolted on.

I will think about it longer and just not run out and buy it ASAP and see what happens. It could be another $500 payment on the car too which means I will owe less and can get out of it easier when the time comes. Just some things to think about but I am with you on the ECU thing I am pretty sure when you throw a code just unplugging the battery erases it unless it gets tripped again.

do a search for members who have had the ETS put on their cars or go to another forum like ********** and look around........ the TMIC is GARBAGE from factory, mine gets hot after 15 minutes of "daily commute" driving, and I'm not getting on the engine, that's horse pucky......... the ETS has been shown to give better performance and cooling.... I would just rather go the FMIC route than another TMIC, I never liked the TMIC on Subarus so I definitely don't like it on this car.


and Kosh I'm sure you have some valid points, but it's been told by professional builders that doing a VTA is pointless for the car, and in most cases (maybe not all) can hurt performance......... You might not damage your car having more fuel than air in the engine chamber but prolonged effect of that can't be good for anyone......... plus you're wasting all that unburnt fuel when it could be used to give you more gains............ just my point of view.

But Yeah, you should at least consider a better BOV than the stock one if you plan to mod the car.......... it's been shown/proven by other members and the tuner companies for the MS6 and MS3 that when you start modding and getting more power from your car, the factory BOV starts to leak and doesn't hold the boost pressure well. Just something to think about I guess........

[funkyman]

If you are going for a turbo upgrade in the future and if you need more power its the only way,then you need a FMIC without a doubt.Stick an ATP turbo kit with downpipe,tial blow off valve ,with EXEDE management and 3.5" FMIC,you will get 400-420whp,however you will need 245/40/18 in the front and back for sure with 45-48mm offset.This should not be more than 6k,i mean the engine makeover only.:p (blah)PS Tial make the best quality blow off valves in the world not Greddy,HKS bla bla bla.