What turbo / power level are you looking at making?

I have used a Alamo sidemount which worked great for my big 16g (~320 whp) and now have a SBR race FMIC kit for my GT14 (soon to be 500 whp).

If I had to do it again, I'd go straight to the race FMIC. The SBR is an incredible unit for the money.

Patrick Harris

 

I'm going to be running a Starion FMIC in my car. I paid $20 for the intercooler, and about $80 in modifications to it, along with $100 in piping work. Figure in another $50 for couplers and clamps, and I've got $250 invested in it.

All the piping is 2.25", I had the TB Elbow modified, and I had the outlets on the intercooler modified, bigger outlets (2.25") and repositioned.

I've got a friend running the same setup on a big16g in his GS-T

Rob

 

What turbo / power level are you looking at making?

I have used a Alamo sidemount which worked great for my big 16g (~320 whp) and now have a SBR race FMIC kit for my GT14 (soon to be 500 whp).

If I had to do it again, I'd go straight to the race FMIC. The SBR is an incredible unit for the money.

Patrick Harris

I recently purchased a 50 trim which needs some supporting mods before it will be functional. As far as power level I really don't know. As much as I can get?

 

Well if you are looking for a kit, SBR/Kinetc has some real decent kits..

The 1g street kit from kinetic or SBR, depending on where purchased, is right around $750 shipped and has 2.5" super short route piping onto a 24/10/3.5" core basically (i think thats the measurements)...Its a really high-flowing core and will be perfect for your 50trim....I would worry more about fuel/tuning mods first before you really make enough power to need a fmic...

ETS (extreme turbo systems) also makes cheap, high-flowing kits...The 1g 7" tall kit with 2.5" piping runs about $725 shipped

 

http://www.extremepsi.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=16803&cat=438&page=1

Here's another option. The SBR kit is very nice, but can be overkill for just a 50-trim sized turbo.

 

http://www.extremepsi.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=16803&cat=438&page=1

Here's another option. The SBR kit is very nice, but can be overkill for just a 50-trim sized turbo.

The SBR core size is 24x12x3.5, it can also be modified for the GMmaf. Anything from a TDO6H 20g or 50 trim is good and not overkill in anyway..

Mark

 

Well if you are looking for a kit, SBR/Kinetc has some real decent kits..

The 1g street kit from kinetic or SBR, depending on where purchased, is right around $750 shipped and has 2.5" super short route piping onto a 24/10/3.5" core basically (i think thats the measurements)...Its a really high-flowing core and will be perfect for your 50trim....I would worry more about fuel/tuning mods first before you really make enough power to need a fmic...

ETS (extreme turbo systems) also makes cheap, high-flowing kits...The 1g 7" tall kit with 2.5" piping runs about $725 shipped

i already installed a fuel pump and in the process of installing an afpr. as far as tuning goes i also bought a vpc/gcc which still has to go in. i still need other supporting mods like 650/660cc injectors etc.

 

I have the Extreme Turbosystems 10.5" fmic on my Talon along with a 50 trim and full supporting mods. I like it a lot. My car went 11.9 @ 123mph with it so far.

I also have their small fmic on my Laser with the EVO3 16G turbo. It's a good match for that size turbo. You can find them on eBay, or direct at Extremeintercoolers.com Piping is top notch, bolts right on.

 

750 for a fmic is way too high. look to spend 200-300. There is finally a good forum on dsmtuner about the e-bay intercoolers and the fact that they work great, there will be 50 people on here talking about how they are junk (who have never used them) in a day after writing this, but check it out, lot's of satisfied people that own e-bay intercoolers. I have used one myself and it is an awsome intercooler. No knock out of a 60 trim on pump gas. Yes thay are also bar and plate style intercoolers. Check them out. (the johnnyracecar one's are supposed to be good too)

 

750 for a fmic is way too high. look to spend 200-300. There is finally a good forum on dsmtuner about the e-bay intercoolers and the fact that they work great, there will be 50 people on here talking about how they are junk (who have never used them) in a day after writing this, but check it out, lot's of satisfied people that own e-bay intercoolers. I have used one myself and it is an awsome intercooler. No knock out of a 60 trim on pump gas. Yes thay are also bar and plate style intercoolers. Check them out. (the johnnyracecar one's are supposed to be good too)

It's an entire kit there bud, not just the core...

 

750 for a fmic is way too high. look to spend 200-300. There is finally a good forum on dsmtuner about the e-bay intercoolers and the fact that they work great, there will be 50 people on here talking about how they are junk (who have never used them) in a day after writing this, but check it out, lot's of satisfied people that own e-bay intercoolers. I have used one myself and it is an awsome intercooler. No knock out of a 60 trim on pump gas. Yes thay are also bar and plate style intercoolers. Check them out. (the johnnyracecar one's are supposed to be good too)

I started that thread on tuners because I wanted the truth about the ebay cores and people came out of the woodworks with nothing but great things to say. $700+ for a kit is just crazy I don't care who made it but people pay for the name I guess. Why people still pay that now who knows this isn't 10 years ago. DSMBUILDER what core did you go with on ebay? I may go the XOXO core I hear great reviews on them. Spyder1gdsm I'm not knocking the pre-made kits but if you wanna save your money buy an ebay core and get the piping it's alot cheaper and will do the same thing as the overpriced $700+ units out there. If you have money to burn and are set on a name brand kit there are alot out there. good luck

 

I make my own things... no kits here for anything. It's much cheaper that way. I was just throwing out some suggestions to those who aren't capable of doing fab work.

 

I make my own things... no kits here for anything. It's much cheaper that way. I was just throwing out some suggestions to those who aren't capable of doing fab work.

I just noticed your in NM also. drop me a pm we have a little albq NM dsm site up now. Yeah i'm gonna try to fab up my own pipes lets see how that goes.

 

I decided to go with the race core set up on extreme psi. i'm not too big on picking up the ebay specials and i like going with something a little bit more known. but thank you all for the help, i appreciate it.

 

well good choice anyway...Honestly that is probably one of the most/more expensive kits around, so hopefully it will work out for you...I trust them

 

I just want to add:

The SBR Race FMIC does require front bumper trimming if you want to run the front steel bumper, and a lot of it at that. I just recommend going straight with that one because you'll regret it one day if you get a bigger turbo and have to redo all the work. I also do all of my fab work at home (built my complete exhaust at home and built the subframe for my LS1 FD3S as well), but feel that a complete kit with HD clamps, HD silicone couplers, SS piping and TB elbow were worth the extra money. Plus I have a lot more money than time right now. I feel that quality of parts has its merits. And this one has a 100% quality rating IMHO.

Here's a couple of pics:

 

If you can't tell, I like my car to look stock. I will get a new picture of the car with the skin and bumper all on for you guys later. My "engineering judgement" says there is still plenty of airflow still with the way I cut the bumper out that will allow high-pressure air to get to the top of the core. This is a road-race car BTW.
Patrick

 

Wow Harris....I have a couple questions tho:

1. Is this the kit where it is 12" high? Or the 10" high kit? Would a 10
kit probably still need trimming?

2. How much trimming does the support need? It looks like you got the front bumper support to actually fit in the stock location without cutting it in half so does that mean the entire inside is gutted? What tool did you use to cut it?

Thanks a bunch

 

1) Yes this is the 12" high core. I am not sure if the 10" will fit without cutting at least the bottom of the steel bumper

2) The first pic shows the view of what I did on the inside. I used a torch to cut the entire inside out as well as some of the bottom. I then bent the steel up to make less turbulence with the transition to the upper rows of the core. The big holes through it are not needed, I did them a while back while trying to reduce weight of the car. If you look, the 2 pedestals that go between the steel bumper and the car (that contain the crash dampers), have to be cut on the insides as well. I drilled and sawed all of the hydraulics out of the crash dampers and re-welded them to reduce weight as well.

Let me know if you have any more questions and I'll get pictures in one fell swoop.

Patrick

 

750 for a fmic is way too high. look to spend 200-300. There is finally a good forum on dsmtuner about the e-bay intercoolers and the fact that they work great, there will be 50 people on here talking about how they are junk (who have never used them) in a day after writing this, but check it out, lot's of satisfied people that own e-bay intercoolers. I have used one myself and it is an awsome intercooler. No knock out of a 60 trim on pump gas. Yes thay are also bar and plate style intercoolers. Check them out. (the johnnyracecar one's are supposed to be good too)

I got my 3" core off Ebay for 300$ and it works great.

 

1) Yes this is the 12" high core. I am not sure if the 10" will fit without cutting at least the bottom of the steel bumper.

I have the 10" tall core on my Talon and I had to cut the steel bumper almost exactly the same way you did.