official show off your FMIC thread

[billspreston]

Originally Posted by Dan135i

Damn fmic you all use are TINYYYYY! on my current car I run a large FMIC 3 times that size, granted I had to remove the crash bar, but still, thats small.

Yes, its a 2005 SRT-4, with 450whp on street tune

What is your point? I would never cut a structural crash bar out of a BMW. Would you? We aren't running 20+ psi here - an intercooler that size in a 135i would be an exercise in diminishing returns, nothing more.

That black HPF intercooler is sweet!

[mineo77]

Originally Posted by billspreston

That black HPF intercooler is sweet!

thanks! I love it...freaking pulls hard in higher gears!

[Dan135i]

No, there is no such thing as diminishing returns when your talking about cooling your charged air into the motor.

With the large FMIC, the larger you go the cooler your air charge can get to, as well as (depending on the core) keeping your pressure drops to a minimum, and charge temps low. The pressure loss on the large IC posted above was less than .75 psi for that large of an area. These are run on cars with stock PSI at 14 psi and gains of 14whp are seen as well as keeping the charge air cooler because of the larger area, they dont have to worry about heat soak in the IC thus being able to push the car harder longer.

And, there is no cutting involved, its an unbolt process, that is it. After the large FMIC is in place, a smaller form fit strength brace is put into place on the same connections that rides over the top of the FMIC. And, yes, I would do the same thing to my incoming 135i if there was a larger FMIC to place in the spot, without question.

Just saying, these are tiny, and with other mods upping the power, I see these small cores loosing effectiveness really quick, not worth getting a new one not even that bigger/more flow than stock.

[billspreston]

Originally Posted by Dan135i

No, there is no such thing as diminishing returns when your talking about cooling your charged air into the motor.

With respect to intercooler volume I'm going to say that statement is false and leave it at that.

Your SRT-4 sounds mean, 450whp is no joke! Cheers dude and thank you for your service

[adrean8j]

Originally Posted by Dan135i

Damn fmic you all use are TINYYYYY! on my current car I run a large FMIC 3 times that size, granted I had to remove the crash bar, but still, thats small.


Stocker:



Newer:



Yes, its a 2005 SRT-4, with 450whp on street tune

I take that the above IC also served as a replacement for the radiator? LOL...So my question is since you have a bigger IC to cool the air into the turbos what about keeping the coolant cool? I am no expert or anything but if I am not mistaken many of the after-market IC's for the 135i have made it a point NOT to block the radiator.....Opinions?

[theanhdy]

What's the best aftermarket fmic that doesn't require cutting of any kind?

[Dan135i]

Originally Posted by adrean8j

I take that the above IC also served as a replacement for the radiator? LOL...So my question is since you have a bigger IC to cool the air into the turbos what about keeping the coolant cool? I am no expert or anything but if I am not mistaken many of the after-market IC's for the 135i have made it a point NOT to block the radiator.....Opinions?

The radiator is behind the V shaped brace behind the Intercooler....

And the IC does not cool the air into the turbos, it coosl the air from the turbos compressor into the motor. When you compress air via the turbo is when it gets hot.

There is no blockage, a FMIC lets air pass through it to coll the air running through the vanes, then it hits the raidiator. I have a Koyo radiator with better cooling ability than stock, and a 180 degree thermo that keeps the temps nice and steady in any case.

[adrean8j]

Originally Posted by Dan135i

The radiator is behind the V shaped brace behind the Intercooler....

And the IC does not cool the air into the turbos, it coosl the air from the turbos compressor into the motor. When you compress air via the turbo is when it gets hot.

There is no blockage, a FMIC lets air pass through it to coll the air running through the vanes, then it hits the raidiator. I have a Koyo radiator with better cooling ability than stock, and a 180 degree thermo that keeps the temps nice and steady in any case.

Sorry...miswrote, meant to say air FROM the turbos (tired I guess, loooong weekend)...Nevertheless I still think there is decreased airflow to the radiator with a IC that large...I would imagine that the thermo helps and the upgraded radiator helps as well.... but like I mentioned before I definitely remember reading from a couple of IC manufacturers that they did NOT want to block the radiator so that may explain the abundance of "small" IC's as you put it. (Thanks for the explanation BTW, I am by no means a mechanic or engineer and like to learn/read new stuff)

[Dan135i]

Glad to explain, I have been in the mod game for a while, on a bunch of different platforms, and I am still learning new stuff.

Not many people run the aftermarket radiator, but it does help, most just stick with the 180degree thermostat. Most sport compacts have an IC that is in front of the Radiator, its just that us crazy guys in the SRT crowd found out we can put a HUGE one on the car if we removed the crash bar, without a detriment affect to cooling ability of the rad.

This does have a negative affect on handleing though lossening up the front end a bit, but it is countered with other braces and stiffeners.

As someone posted above, not every group of owners like here in teh BMW world would take such measures for performance gain. I am of the exception.

When I do get my car, I will be looking at the front end in an attempt to do just the same. I have a company that can custom build one to my specs, so ill see what I can do, ill be sure to post up the progress report.

[BSM 135i]

i know some of you have installed your HPF FMIC, post them pics!!!

[adrean8j]

Ok, OK....I will git er done tomorrow!

[BSM 135i]

Originally Posted by adrean8j

Ok, OK....I will git er done tomorrow!

[HondaGoneRogue]

If AMS makes a small one then it must be alright. I trust AMS. You may have seen thier EVO

[mineo77]

Originally Posted by BSM 135i

i know some of you have installed your HPF FMIC, post them pics!!!

i already did!!!

[twenzel]

Waiting on my HPF. Should be here soon!

[escobar929]

Originally Posted by Dan135i

Glad to explain, I have been in the mod game for a while, on a bunch of different platforms, and I am still learning new stuff.

Not many people run the aftermarket radiator, but it does help, most just stick with the 180degree thermostat. Most sport compacts have an IC that is in front of the Radiator, its just that us crazy guys in the SRT crowd found out we can put a HUGE one on the car if we removed the crash bar, without a detriment affect to cooling ability of the rad.

This does have a negative affect on handleing though lossening up the front end a bit, but it is countered with other braces and stiffeners.

As someone posted above, not every group of owners like here in teh BMW world would take such measures for performance gain. I am of the exception.

When I do get my car, I will be looking at the front end in an attempt to do just the same. I have a company that can custom build one to my specs, so ill see what I can do, ill be sure to post up the progress report.

im w/ you on this one, im coming from the VQ community where its not uncommon to take out the crash bar so you can fit the largest IC as possible. Some people freak out about removing the crash bar, but it really doesnt do much over a 5-10mph accident. And most IC that big w/ have some sort of a bracket to keep the front end rigid

but as far as the N54 goes, i havent seen a need for that large of an IC, i mean most are running 350-400 rwhp, so ICs like HPF or Forged should be fine. but if you are gonna wanna run 500rwhp+, then yes, go huge

[ianc]

A larger intercooler mounted in front of the radiator should do an excellent job at pre-heating the air flowing over the radiator, thereby lessening the cooling efficiency of the engine. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, as it were...

ianc

[elusiv]

Originally Posted by anthony @ eas

Here's some pics of when we first installed the ER FMIC on our project 135i:

That is just plain awful, cutting a chunk out of the existing grille is so cheap.
You needed to leave all the grille in, or take out the lot and have the intercooler take up the entire space. I'm not a fan of cheap and nasty mods.

[1013mm]

Originally Posted by elusiv

That is just plain awful, cutting a chunk out of the existing grille is so cheap.
You needed to leave all the grille in, or take out the lot and have the intercooler take up the entire space. I'm not a fan of cheap and nasty mods.

calm down man lol...