Front Mount Intercoolers
07-06-2003, 04:15 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 857
All these points are good. For those of you who are saying that your car doesn't overheat with a FMIC, that's good. It shouldn't overheat. What I think happend here was somebody installed a FMIC without attending to there car's needs in the way of cooling and then blamed it on the FMIC. This caused everybody to over-react and start saying that a FMIC will cause all cars to overheat no matter what. If you just make sure your coolant system is in good working ordeer things should be fine. You may not even have to upgrade your coolant system, but I would just for that extra piece of mind because of the age of our cars.
07-07-2003, 01:28 PM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 119
V mounts will heat soak... yes that is true, but once in motion it will let go of the heat quickly, espcially if you have a nice duct to direct air towards the VMIC. A fan should help, but is not really needed.
It comes down to whats important, an FMIC will definitely not have the heat soak issue, but at the expense of air flow to the radiator. And we all know how much our cars can use the cooling from the radiator. The VMIC meanwhile will have the heat soak issue, but the heat becomes an issue if you boost... you dont boost from a stop (which is when the heat soak will occur), once the car starts to move your intake temps will drop.
In addition to this you can get a water injection system (an added expense though) to cool the intake temps, but you cant put a similar device for your coolant temps for your engine.
The V-mount in my opinion is what I'd go with, it makes a lot of sense when done right. Anything increasing the overheating risk on the FD just kind of scares me a bit. If I dont have the money though I'd get an FMIC, I think they are good too (I dont mean to say they suck, I just think there is a superior product out there). The FMIC shouldnt give you problems though if you decide to go with that, just like the above post said, you need to have your car in good shape and have the reliability mods done.
It comes down to whats important, an FMIC will definitely not have the heat soak issue, but at the expense of air flow to the radiator. And we all know how much our cars can use the cooling from the radiator. The VMIC meanwhile will have the heat soak issue, but the heat becomes an issue if you boost... you dont boost from a stop (which is when the heat soak will occur), once the car starts to move your intake temps will drop.
In addition to this you can get a water injection system (an added expense though) to cool the intake temps, but you cant put a similar device for your coolant temps for your engine.
The V-mount in my opinion is what I'd go with, it makes a lot of sense when done right. Anything increasing the overheating risk on the FD just kind of scares me a bit. If I dont have the money though I'd get an FMIC, I think they are good too (I dont mean to say they suck, I just think there is a superior product out there). The FMIC shouldnt give you problems though if you decide to go with that, just like the above post said, you need to have your car in good shape and have the reliability mods done.
07-12-2003, 02:39 PM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 857
Potatochobit: I'm in no way speaking for Gotham Racing and am sorry you feel this way about thier shop. I don't work for them. My car sponsored by them, but anything I say is of my own opinion and of the facts that I know. I actually am in the Air Force and I don't speak for them either. I currently live in Abilene, Texas(West Texas). This is the hottest spot I've ever lived. Temps out here rutinely exceed 95 degrees F. in the summer. They sometimes reach 110-115 degrees F. I've had a FMIC on my 2nd gen TII for some time now and so has my friend who owns a 93 base. We both also have upgraded our cooling systems with fluidyne radiators and run a 50/50 mix of coolant and water. Niether of us have had any overheating problems. In my opinion a FMIC is a good upgrade, but I'm sure there is something better out there. As for your problems with overheating I don't know what to say. Maybe there is something wrong with your car or you're just running it too hard at the wrong times(possibly during the hottest times of the day). Please don't come in here bad mouthing me or Gotham Racing when you don't know us. If you would like to express you negative opinion of Gotham Racing please email Steve Kan and express your opinion to him. You can get his email address from the Gotham Racing website.
07-12-2003, 03:25 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 857
Sorry for accusing you of insulting me but the guys at Gotham Racing are good friends of mine and have never done me wrong. Anyways his fans stay on because he has done the fan mod. He has it set up so that when he leaves his parking lights on the fans will stay on. He also has a Power FC and I have never seen his temps go above 95 degrees c. his car runs 17psi and he pushes it pretty hard during the day when he gets in a street race. My car has a haltech e6k and I have never eceeded 210 degrees f. when doing tuning runs on the highway at around 5 pm, as you know is the hotest time of the day in Texas, at 15psi. Also both of our cars are daily driven. Where in Texas do you live? Maybe my friend and I can come down and see what you're talking about and help you fix the problem. Maybe you could even come to us if you live close enough. These are just some suggestions. Let me know and we can work something out.
07-12-2003, 03:37 PM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Dyess AFB/ Abilene, TX
Posts: 184
Originally Posted by potatochobit' date='Jul 7 2003, 02:49 PM
that pefromance shop does not know what they are talking about. i live in texas, and my car overheats with the stock mount IC just driving around. i have already installed a koyo. if you live anywhere other than the south you will not have an overheating problem, but if you live in arizona, texas, or florida you will have problems. even ray lochead says so, and im sure he knows more than alot of people. i dont believe pettit recomends it either.
07-12-2003, 11:35 PM
#19
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Indy
Posts: 27
GReddy Type 24 V-spec FMIC/Koyo Rad/Power FC fan mod
No problems on the street. I sealed of my Koyo with thick A/C weather stripping to force air THROUGH the rad car rather than around it. Worked wonders for my track-driving water temps, which would reach a peak of 115 C after 20 minutes of full-bore lapping @ Putnam Park Road Course. This is not overheating the engine, but it's probably a bit too warm (115 C is 239 F) for the motor to run @ extended time intervals. FWIW, I have silicone O-ring water seals and enlarged oil and coolant passages in the motor block. Motor was done by KDR Performance (www.kdrotary.com). Water/Antifreeze mix is 85/15 with Redline Water Wetter. I use Prestone Orange (aka Dexcool). You can leave this stuff in longer if you live in a climate like Tx, but I change my coolant twice per year--summer mix/wintermix.
You will like the FMIC if your car is a "street fighter". You'll always be ready for "combat", without worrying about heat soak--like you would with a large SMIC, or V-mount.
FWIW, V-mount is more suited to track driving in warm climates like the south and southwest. For those of us here int he midwest, FMIC is just fine for track street. Also V-mount and SMICs would benefit greatly from a vented hood like a Scoot. Of course those of us with FMICs could also use the extra ventillation the Scoot-type hood offers to allow the hot air to escape.
If you autocross or drag race, you know the ill-effects heat soak can have on your IC, and the front-mount is less prone to heat soak, thus your times on the cone and straight courses tend to reflect this...
Good luck!
No problems on the street. I sealed of my Koyo with thick A/C weather stripping to force air THROUGH the rad car rather than around it. Worked wonders for my track-driving water temps, which would reach a peak of 115 C after 20 minutes of full-bore lapping @ Putnam Park Road Course. This is not overheating the engine, but it's probably a bit too warm (115 C is 239 F) for the motor to run @ extended time intervals. FWIW, I have silicone O-ring water seals and enlarged oil and coolant passages in the motor block. Motor was done by KDR Performance (www.kdrotary.com). Water/Antifreeze mix is 85/15 with Redline Water Wetter. I use Prestone Orange (aka Dexcool). You can leave this stuff in longer if you live in a climate like Tx, but I change my coolant twice per year--summer mix/wintermix.
You will like the FMIC if your car is a "street fighter". You'll always be ready for "combat", without worrying about heat soak--like you would with a large SMIC, or V-mount.
FWIW, V-mount is more suited to track driving in warm climates like the south and southwest. For those of us here int he midwest, FMIC is just fine for track street. Also V-mount and SMICs would benefit greatly from a vented hood like a Scoot. Of course those of us with FMICs could also use the extra ventillation the Scoot-type hood offers to allow the hot air to escape.
If you autocross or drag race, you know the ill-effects heat soak can have on your IC, and the front-mount is less prone to heat soak, thus your times on the cone and straight courses tend to reflect this...
Good luck!
07-12-2003, 11:41 PM
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,342
A RX7 has a good chance of overheating STOCK/ORIGINAL/NOT MODDED
If you put in any IC make sure your not getting to far ahead of your cooling. Some people say BS to promote their set-up or products.
Like mentioned though, make sure your cooling is in order first, and then after make sure your still good to go, also check your fuel which it could make you run a little lean without some tunning BUT IT DEPENDS, which can also creat high temps.
Good luck... Front a guy with no OVERHEATS and a front mount for over 2 years hehe
SORRY GUYS I JUST NOTICED A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID THESE THINGS BEFORE ME, OOPS I ONLY READ LIKE 2-3 POSTS, BUT I MIGHT AS WELL ADD TO IT>>
If you put in any IC make sure your not getting to far ahead of your cooling. Some people say BS to promote their set-up or products.
Like mentioned though, make sure your cooling is in order first, and then after make sure your still good to go, also check your fuel which it could make you run a little lean without some tunning BUT IT DEPENDS, which can also creat high temps.
Good luck... Front a guy with no OVERHEATS and a front mount for over 2 years hehe
SORRY GUYS I JUST NOTICED A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID THESE THINGS BEFORE ME, OOPS I ONLY READ LIKE 2-3 POSTS, BUT I MIGHT AS WELL ADD TO IT>>