Advice Needed - Fmic Needed Or No?

[vudoo]

Guys need your advice, i've read a few threads on this topic but can't make up my mind.

Currently have Skyline R34 auto with 3 inch kakimoto exhaust from cat back and high flow cat.. oh and a pod filter, otherwise stock

Finishing off exhaust with 3 inch front/dump pipe, putting in a manual boost controller and boosting to 10psi, and going to put in SAFC 2 and get it tuned.

Based on that, do i need a FMIC? i herd based on that level, there is no point, it will create lag if anything else, also for those that say I will need it IF i go further with the mods, at this point i will be happy for a while with those mods, just wanted a little extra 'go', so i won't be taking any steps for more modding after that for a while...

ur help is appreciated in advance

Edited April 29, 2010 by vudoo

[boostn0199]

The intercooler wont give you more power but due to keeping cooler levels it will enable you to create more power since it will not suffer from heat soak. If your gona boost up to 10 and get safc I would recomend getting a front mount.

[toffy]

r34 coolers do suffer from heat soak , i would suggest at minimum some kind of water spray setup

[SlowSkyline]

i had the same mods on my R33, fitted a JJR stealth cooler and it had less lag than the R34 smic that i had on it before hand, and abit more power to go with it

Worth while mod imo

[paulr33]

adding an intercooler to the car and changing nothing will add throttle lag. that is an extra duration of lag time, from the time you open the throttle body, to the time the engine ingests the air.

this is physics as you've added extra pipework and a larger intercooler core. i would estimate the lag to be sub 200ms ? people usually fit an intercooler with other mods and a tune so the extra "throttle lag" is negated and you don't notice it. so if you are doing it with other modifications, its essentially free (in terms of lag, change in engine characteristics)

adding an intercooler is crucial when you tune and run more boost etc as it increases the engine's resistance to knocking / detonation

without a larger core in the right location you will heatsoak the standard core and your engine will ingest excessive intake air temp air

the results are poor performance and knocking / detonation. so for all the more boost you cram in, your gains will dimish with excessive intake temp / detonation

[vudoo]

thanks guys, that info is really helpful especially urs paulr33

i will prol grab that JJR stealth FMIC

[paulr33]

yep as long as a resonable core is fitted you will be fine

gone are the days of people fitting truck cores to their 2.5 litre engines etc and vl's with cores as wide as the front of the car

[RBceffy25]

I would do it as more of a security precaution rather than for performance if you intend to run 10psi or more.

You really don't want detonation wich can occure very easily with 25's due to ther higer compression ration over most other turbo enginges that are commonly around these days (i think it around 9.0:1). Keep intake temps down at all costs I say!

I have just fitted a HDi cooler kit to my ceffy and i can honestly say that it feels as if there has been more gains in performance than anything else. Throttle response has maybe slightly improved (hard to tell honestly) if anything. Actually the only problem i've had is R&R on cold nights. other than that she goes like a shower of shit.

I think its also worth noting that (yes I am going by 'seat of the pants' feel) the car definately feels faster around factory boost (7-8psi), about as fast as it did with the stock side-mount on 10psi. However i will mention I was using the shitty little ceffy cooler. Think about the physics of it. Cooler air=more dense air=more fuel=more power. Thats my understanding anyway.

Please, anyone correct me if i'm wrong in any way.

Cheers.

[vudoo]

thanks mate, yeh i am definitely going to invest in one as u said with the precautionary side of things

[Galois]

this might be worth a quick read, 13.4 1/4 miles with stock smic.

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/13...mp;hl=clean+aac

also a mechanic was telling me last year that fmic's are defectable now, and given they're easy to spot they're a cop magnet. i was there looking at a highly modded r33 so maybe he just wanted the labour dollars. not sure how they'd police it either, prob more than half modified turbo cars have a fmic

[RBceffy25]

this might be worth a quick read, 13.4 1/4 miles with stock smic.

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/13...mp;hl=clean+aac

also a mechanic was telling me last year that fmic's are defectable now, and given they're easy to spot they're a cop magnet. i was there looking at a highly modded r33 so maybe he just wanted the labour dollars. not sure how they'd police it either, prob more than half modified turbo cars have a fmic

Not to mention XR6T's and Evo's all use em as standard.

I realize however it has more to do with modifying from the original SMIC set-up but as you said how will they police it?

[KrazyKong]

Well there's a FMIC, then there's a rice FMIC. You know the ones where the guy who owns the car, has it seems gone out of his way to have the FMIC as far out into the bumper as possible. Then the side pipes and silicone hoses all showing as well.

Painting the FMIC matte black and not going crazy cutting out chunks of your front bumper are possible. Also, going with a return flow vs the wrap around ones helps preserve that stock look.

I'm a big fan of the understated, all stealthy and hiding power underneath rather than the guy showing the world he's done this and that, and chromed his nutsack just because he could.

[Birds]

yep as long as a resonable core is fitted you will be fine

gone are the days of people fitting truck cores to their 2.5 litre engines etc and vl's with cores as wide as the front of the car

LOL. I remember those days. Truck intercooler bro! Stage 2 blow off valve

[Galois]

Not to mention XR6T's and Evo's all use em as standard.

I realize however it has more to do with modifying from the original SMIC set-up but as you said how will they police it?

and various bmw's and other european cars (and gtrs?). it would be to do with modifications, and yeah, are they really going to book that many people?

Well there's a FMIC, then there's a rice FMIC. You know the ones where the guy who owns the car, has it seems gone out of his way to have the FMIC as far out into the bumper as possible. Then the side pipes and silicone hoses all showing as well.

Painting the FMIC matte black and not going crazy cutting out chunks of your front bumper are possible. Also, going with a return flow vs the wrap around ones helps preserve that stock look.

I'm a big fan of the understated, all stealthy and hiding power underneath rather than the guy showing the world he's done this and that, and chromed his nutsack just because he could.

haha agreed. if it looks like it could be dangerous to a pedestrian or that it's not securely mounted you'd have no chance after an inspection. assuming, that is, that this rule is in force. had a look on the rta site and couldn't find any details on legit mods

[RBceffy25]

Well there's a FMIC, then there's a rice FMIC. You know the ones where the guy who owns the car, has it seems gone out of his way to have the FMIC as far out into the bumper as possible. Then the side pipes and silicone hoses all showing as well.

Painting the FMIC matte black and not going crazy cutting out chunks of your front bumper are possible. Also, going with a return flow vs the wrap around ones helps preserve that stock look.

I'm a big fan of the understated, all stealthy and hiding power underneath rather than the guy showing the world he's done this and that, and chromed his nutsack just because he could.

Absolutely!

However on a dickhead-technicle point of view painting your core can add a layer of insulation possibly impeding the coolers efficiency and depending on how much you hide it may defeat much of its purpose all together. Eg. my cefiro front bar is all hacked up in order for it to fit an get some reasonable flow but as a result it does, admittedly, look a bit ricer. My genuine AUTECH kit will fix this (I have removed air-con but my front end is all pushed back and out of whack. Fences will do this).

But for the most part I absolutely agree!

All depends on the individual i guess.

[RBceffy25]

and various bmw's and other european cars (and gtrs?). it would be to do with modifications, and yeah, are they really going to book that many people?

haha agreed. if it looks like it could be dangerous to a pedestrian or that it's not securely mounted you'd have no chance after an inspection. assuming, that is, that this rule is in force. had a look on the rta site and couldn't find any details on legit mods

yep yep yep.

[The_AU_Viper]

I think the return flow type (uses stock piping inside engine bay), secure it with bolts and dont hack your front bar to pieces and i think you will be ok on the defect front.

I have been the last 3 times ive been pulled up for "RBT's"(or in other words, defect check). Didnt say a thing about the cooler.

[Rav3nNZ]

I think the return flow type (uses stock piping inside engine bay), secure it with bolts and dont hack your front bar to pieces and i think you will be ok on the defect front.

I have been the last 3 times ive been pulled up for "RBT's"(or in other words, defect check). Didnt say a thing about the cooler.

Shit is it really like this in Australia?? i keep hearing bowt cant mod more than one thing an this an that...

Here in NZ the only things i can think of that's not allowed is external gates, non airbag wheels on airbag cars after 1998 and major mods that aren't certed. oh and being to low

i plan on moving to aussie oneday too i hope it doesn't get any worse

[KrazyKong]

Josh, I think alot of people here are talking about worst case scenarios, and just being careful in the beginning when doing mods, so that it's done right. Race into something, and not spend much effort and thought into it, and you might be sorry down the line when being defected.

But it's all pretty much subjective, so if a copper is a dick, he will bend you over until he's satisfied. I've been pulled over for two random breah tests during the past 6 months, and was never asked to pop the bonnet or anything. Just blow into the thing, then drive off basically.

But naturally it's different in all parts of Australia. And wherever you go, there is always an asshole copper just waiting to make someones day a misery.

[Galois]

got "randomly" breath tested last week, the police followed me in the distance for a while then when i turned onto a smaller road the red and blues lit up. first time i was asked to pop the bonnet and i was very glad it was all stock, no big shiny things to get attention. i'd imagine a big high mount turbo or stainless steel piping everywhere would have had a different result...