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Front mount intercooler

21K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  jpsubie4 
#1 ·
So I finally have the money saved up to buy a front mount I have options In brands I know that's not my biggest worry however I have a Hawk eye sti is the installation hard will I have to make a lot of alterations and adjustments how about when I'm done biggest concern and I know it's been discussed so many times I can't find a yes or no answer so this is my version do I need a tune it's a yes and no on all the forums is it a must like my car will run lean if I don't or is it a must if u want to max your hp gain I have access port does Cobb have a map for this I'm new to this whole sti thing I have had my car for almost 2 years but finally have the Doe to do some upgrades and the front mount just has always been my cup of tea in taste so what do you guys think please educate me in what I need to know I like to learn thanks everyone
 
#2 · (Edited)
If I do need a tune what exactly do I need done is there a specific kind of tune I need and how much would I spend so far I have a Cobb exhaust and intake I was told by someone that I had larger fuel injectors I know that was a lie I just wanna know what I'm getting myself into before I spend money on something that may not be so great I also thought about buying a aftermarket top mount like Perrin I don't know help me out wrxowners
 
#3 ·
If its and education you want then and education you shall get,

The front mount intercooler vs top mount is an interesting debate. From a theoretical perspective a front mount intercooler has 2 advantages and 2 disadvantages. Advantages first, because it is mounted in the front bumper it will be less susceptible to heat soak from the engine bay and the core CAN be considerably larger than what you could fit in the engine bay ( larger core means more air can cool the fins and thus cool your air charge ). The disadvantages of a front mount are that it requires additional piping and hosing ( which slows down air flow and causes turbo lag ) and in the front bumper it is susceptible to damage in many of the same ways a radiator is susceptible ( but because it is typically mounted in the lowest most forward position possible it will take the brunt of the rock strikes and similar impacts.

As far as tuning for a front mount you are changing your intake path but not changing the amount of air that the turbo can breath in or the ammount of air that is forced into the throttle body so tunes are not crazy complicated. Assuming you purchase a reputable brand intercooler and plumb it correctly you will have a cooler charge that the tuner can take advantage of by running more aggressive timing, thats whee you make the extra power with any upgraded intercooler. By running a cooler charge the air in the cylinder under pressure has less of a change of pre-detonation and the engine has less of a chance of knocking. Unfortunately Cobb does not offer any OTS maps that would take advantage of a front mount intercooler any more than their OTS maps adjust for timing. I would look for either a protune or at least an e tuner who can be more aggressive with the timing ( always in a safe manner ).

As far as brands are concerned Im a huge fan of process west. They are not cheap but they have data to backup their price. They make both front mount and top mount kits and they offer their products in both black and silver ( some say black cools better ). If I had the budget for a replacment intercooler it would be a process west Verticooler, Im not sure if they make them for the 06 but they seem to be the best of both worlds ( forward facing fins to take advantage of natural airflow while driving and a huge core to dump lots of heat without all the extra piping of a front mount system )

Hope that helps
 
#4 ·
what are your end power goals? if your not aiming for 400+hp then i would not bother with an expensive front mount personally. Grimmspeed and Mishimoto make really good top mounts that make alot of power.
 
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#5 ·
TMIC won't do much with that VF39 under the hood. There's gains to be had from going with a 3-port BCS and in upgrading the fuel system (as well as exhaust and intake which you've said you've done) but I wouldn't bother with the intercooler unless you want to change turbos. If you want to change turbos, that will dictate your intercooler and fuel system accordingly.
 
#7 ·
Im running my TMIC with my 20g. My tuner did state that the 20g is in the limbo area of where you can decide to go Front or stay TMIC but anything bigger Front mount is a must. But I would take the cons of all this for the intercooler in the grill. I do love that look.
 
#8 ·
He is right, mine was the TD06 housing so I really SHOULD have been running a FMIC, but I managed fine with a TMIC. My power output was a little higher than yours, but my setup was odd.
 
#9 · (Edited)
id have to agree with pretty much everyone here. if those are your only mods i wouldnt spend all that money on a front mount you dont need. however, its your car and to each their own, if thats not an important issue for you, more power to ya! i would recommend getting it pro tuned just as @arcticscythe stated, especially with the exhaust and intake on there. simply for the peace of mind.

if youre doing it for power, i would stick with the original suggestion of not wasting the money on the front mount, and instead putting it into something like a downpipe and pro tune just to have your car running in tip top shape. then save for the turbo, injectors, and fuel pump, and THATS when you go for the big boy front mount. again, just my .02 cents and good luck with whatever you decide to choose, let us know!!

also, '06 has the catted uppipe still yes? anybody? i could be wrong. ill have to look it up... if it does, investing in a DP and Uppipe might make even more sense for you.
 
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