I am not sure about any of this so feel free to correct me if i am wrong but i put together some logic of my own and am curious about a few things. Please dont flame me i really just want some information.


So the advantage of the FMIC is that it can cool better usually because of it's placement it's right there in the path of the flow of air like where the radiator is. And the disadvantage is it requires more tubing to reach the intake manifold so I PRESUME, not sure, that it increases turbo lag a bit. Please correct me if i am wrong on this.

Another assumtion:
All i see are front mounted intercoolers on cars that actually claim they are drifter cars. Now what i dont understand is that wouldnt you want a smoother delievery of power when drifting? so why would one want a FMIC?

Yes i realize the obvious reasons the TMIC is bad because it isn't placed as well, so it usually doesn't receive as much cool air (the reason for the hood scoop on most turbo'd cars), but it requires much less turbing less turbo lag (ASSUMTION) so isnt this desirable for drifting? also because of its placement near the exhaust manifold, it can have worse heat sink right? another obvious one. But really what is the deal with this?
I guess I am a >>> :newbie:
Sorry if this has already been covered but i check the faq's and it wasnt there.

what does this have to do with the 240. A lot if you want an sr20det. just covering my ass noticing a lot of flames lately.

The main reason I can see is that overheating can be a big problem on a car that is moving at a much slower rate than the engine is turning the rear wheels at. FMIC's fix cooling problems and cover your ass even if you don't think you need the extra cooling...plus a lot of people get them to show off the fact that they have a turbo and that there car is modded.

About the turbo lag issue, with the right setup I'm pretty sure you won't notice a huge difference...if that were the case then there wouldn't be so many sr20 cars with an aftermarket FMIC and the rest stock or near stock.

pretty much all your assumptions are correct,

The TMIC are less likely to suffer from heat soak..


I think a big reason lately real racers are prefering the FMIC is because of size... they are bigger, and TM can only get so big, but then again, some people are going with a larger than stock TM, and adding some sort of chemical coolant.. less time for the turbo to come online and be effective, not blocking air to the radiator...

There are some other issues involved.
"effective cooling area in Sq. inches is very important for an IC to be able to cool air" but this can be changed due to the chemical sprays used now...

Some cores are better than others be it bar and plate ot extrude-honed... The goal, i guess is to find the IC that Flows the most amount of air w/o too much pressure drop, while still cooling the air...

It could be graphed as a relation between air flow in CFM, and temp drop/per CFM, obviously it would be a parabolic shaped curve... and if you got really bored you could also graph the pressure drop in vs out, reletive to temp drop at a given input PSI/CFM...

Both FM and TM will, but the FM will only create it's own heat soak issues, where as the TMIC has the engine under it... and we all know heat rises...

If i keep the RX-7 T II I may goto a FMIC ala starion/conquest core IC... but only because you cannot buyor build a bigger tmic that would be as effecive...

And i haven't decided on the WRX yet... it is starting to lose effectiveness already, I'll prolly stick with the TMIC configuration, add a Co2 or NOS spray chiller and buy an APS or TXS massive top mount...(as mentioned above)

Then a bigger turbo... Mmmm VF 22

The TMIC are less likely to suffer from heat soak..

Wha? on top of the engine getting air from a 3'X12' hole i dont understand that.


i think those Co2 sprayers with the huge ass Carbon Fiber bottle are gay as hell considering you could getto rig one for about 50 bucks

When i get a 240/SR im gonna try a V-Mount intercooler set up.

TMIC are also known as inter-warmers..

no really, cause they get warm off the engines heat and sorta start creating vapours that can be ingested into the engine.
:icon16:

Originally posted by R.W.240
The TMIC are less likely to suffer from heat soak..

Wha? on top of the engine getting air from a 3'X12' hole i dont understand that.


i think those Co2 sprayers with the huge ass Carbon Fiber bottle are gay as hell considering you could getto rig one for about 50 bucks

When i get a 240/SR im gonna try a V-Mount intercooler set up.

First off, it works, have you ever studied fluid dynamics?

yeah the CO2 thing looks gay, but it works, with one installed you can actuate the spray for a second, and watch your intake temps drop 20-40 degrees... while you're still able to attain good boost, and no pressure drop..

V-mounts are a nice set up in a 240, but you already have tons of room up front...

Originally posted by dayna240sx


First off, it works, have you ever studied fluid dynamics?

yeah the CO2 thing looks gay, but it works, with one installed you can actuate the spray for a second, and watch your intake temps drop 20-40 degrees... while you're still able to attain good boost, and no pressure drop..

V-mounts are a nice set up in a 240, but you already have tons of room up front...

the Co2 may look gay, but it DOES work dammit. if you think it looks gay, just hide the system.

IF you think the bottle looks gay, you could always put a NOS (pronouced NAWS) sticker on it...

Unless you wasted all your stickers on the outside of your car

Originally posted by dayna240sx


First off, it works, have you ever studied fluid dynamics?

yeah the CO2 thing looks gay, but it works, with one installed you can actuate the spray for a second, and watch your intake temps drop 20-40 degrees... while you're still able to attain good boost, and no pressure drop..

V-mounts are a nice set up in a 240, but you already have tons of room up front...

not enough to argue with anyone about it

i dont doubt that it works but it just seems like a ripoff and having a huge ass carbon fiber bottle (those cost 150 just by them selfs) is just dumb unless you use it every time you rev over 4 grand