A high quality, low cost WRX/STi FMIC...?

[TROLL]

So I've been doing my homework on FMICs and surprisingly found one made by XS Engineering / SS Autochrome which is a near replica to the TurboXS unit, but at a fraction of the cost. I would normally be quite wary of something like this and stay away from it at all costs, but time and time again it has proven itself worthy to compete on a level playing field with all of the other FMIC options out there. And since it was modelled after the TXS unit, you can keep your stock fogs too. The only difference is that the piping is stainless steel as opposed to aluminum. The cost on the FMIC is $450 shipped... yeah, i know...

There is a thread on NASIOC that is about 20 pages long where many owners have shared their views on it ( http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...4&page=1&pp=30 ) and there really isnt much bad to say about it. There are a few parts you would need, depending on your setup: an oem-style bov adapter plate, a cone filter to slip onto the included MAF adapter, and a single 2.75"-2.5" reducer coupler. Total cost on the extras should be under $100.
You can check a ton of photos out at: http://freon.shackspace.com/car/fmic

If you want to read that thread go for it... there are guys making great numbers on setups including this FMIC and after reading enough positive reviews I've decided that I clearly prefer this unit over the the TXS or other much more expensive options.
So... just wanted to let everyone know about this little gem, and if anyone is interested in picking one up in the near future maybe we can get a mini-group buy together and save even more cash on this setup.

[Silverfc88]

I've always read and seen numbers for the xspower intercoolers and they seem to be very good intercoolers and kits. If they had a kit for the the 2G RX7 I would have bought that instead of the Greddy Kit ($900).


The only thing I wouldn't buy from them is the turbo manifolds and the turbo's.

There exhaust systems are great. I'm running there dual system now.

[sesolcSTI]

If i was in the market for a FMIC, i would hunt down an older TurboXS FMIC when they were Hyperflow cores, just my .02. I have heard that they were the shizznit. I hear that the Blitz units arent that bad either. But hey, what do i know...just my .02.

[teh DIRT]

i like kits where the hot pipes are over the turbo and the cold pipes arent....thats how mine will be run.

[BlackBulletTSi]

Just for maybe a little more validity to these kits made by SS autochrome on DSM tuners there was a thread that was a good amount of pages long to I believe on like 30 titled Ebay FMIC and A LOT of high hp # DSMs run there setup

[wrxman60]

i have this XS Power Intercooler kit on my car, it is terriffic, if you are in the need of a good front mount this is the one

[TROLL]

Originally Posted by teh DIRT

i like kits where the hot pipes are over the turbo and the cold pipes arent....thats how mine will be run.

it would be nice, but are you going to achieve that by having a nearly 180 degree bend right off the turbo? i think neither are ideal, and i'll probably insulate the cold pipe for extra measure on my setup.

[BradC]

Just to let you know, SSAutoChrome doesn't make ANYthing. It is some guy who imports stuff from China/HK and resells. The Chinese will knock anything off for you if you have the $$$ for their minimums. Buy a Greddy kit, send it over and poof, you have a kit with your name on for $75-$150 unit cost to make loot on.

I deal with Chinese electronic mfg's all day at work, and stumbled on the people this guy gets his stuff from. Their prices are super low, this guy makes good cash on them. A Greddy-style SR20DET 3" bellmouth dp from them is like $35, with cost to import you are looking around a bill flat. If you can buy in enough bulk to fill a sea-cargo container, your shipping cost drops and you can pull good profit...anyone wanna start TST AutoChrome ;)

[wgknestrick]

IMO a quality FMIC is just not needed on a Suby. They have soooo much room up front for huge IC that core efficiency just isn't an issue. My Perrin is only warm to the touch for the first 10" of the core, while the rest is almost unused. You can't cool the air below ambient anyways, so my advice, just get the cheap ebay ones.

Fitment of the pipes could be an issue, but you can always correct this yourself by fabbing new pieces (it's actually very easy) that replace the couple that don't.

The TXS FMIC fits about as good as the ebay kit too (which isn't that great). I also wouldn't switch to a FMIC for any turbo below a 18g-20g. There are a couple of negatives that come with FMICs on Subarus with the 12ft of piping.

[TROLL]

looks like they will be in stock in about 8 days and that the demand is high... anyone interested in getting one and we'll just have them ship together? lemme know...

[D Money]

Where do you plan on getting a hose with a stock bov adapter to fit this intercooler. I wanted one for a long time, never seen anyone wit one. I am just having my hks adapter welded on and the hks put on, good luck finding one and if you do let me know so I can also.

[TROLL]

durr... they are either $40 directly on turboxs' site or you can get them on ebay for even cheaper than that... add a small section of radiator hose thats 1.25" to the adapter and you're golden. if you need it to recirc just make sure to find a section of rad hose that has a 60-90 degree bend in it.

[D Money]

Originally Posted by TROLL

durr... they are either $40 directly on turboxs' site or you can get them on ebay for even cheaper than that... add a small section of radiator hose thats 1.25" to the adapter and you're golden. if you need it to recirc just make sure to find a section of rad hose that has a 60-90 degree bend in it.

haha no way. Then I am not going to weld onto my i/c pipes. So I take a radiator hose, then attach what to it to make it work with the bov adapter? Where will the triangle peice come from? Link me to the peice on turboxs site cuz I cannot find it.

[TROLL]

on turboxs' site under bov adapter kits... http://www.turboxs.com/shop_prod.php?what_category=5

or if you search ebay for "wrx bov adapter" you'll find multiple options for about $20 shipped.

its ok D, i know you have been looking really hard for a long time for it

[D Money]

Originally Posted by TROLL

on turboxs' site under bov adapter kits... http://www.turboxs.com/shop_prod.php?what_category=5

or if you search ebay for "wrx bov adapter" you'll find multiple options for about $20 shipped.

its ok D, i know you have been looking really hard for a long time for it

haha, you wanna hear something funny? I have that bov adapter kit sittin at my house and never knew I could rig it up to work lol. I see, you attach a peice of radiator hose from the i/c pipe to the other flange. Then take a normal bov and use the back side of the txs flange. lol I have now mastered the art of riggin up things to work lol.

[TROLL]

na i dont think it will work. give it to me.

[D Money]

Originally Posted by TROLL

na i dont think it will work. give it to me.

I don't think so either because the bov will hit the hood. I don't have a need for it I guess.

[TROLL]

no honestly i think it should work, dont know about the bov hitting the hood... but lets not stray too far off topic here. the flange relates to this fmic as well so thats cool but if you have a problem with fitment on yours just hit me up privately or start another thread.

[teh DIRT]

Originally Posted by TROLL

it would be nice, but are you going to achieve that by having a nearly 180 degree bend right off the turbo? i think neither are ideal, and i'll probably insulate the cold pipe for extra measure on my setup.

clocking the turbo will allow me to not have the 180.

[alachua]

Originally Posted by teh DIRT

clocking the turbo will allow me to not have the 180.

I was looking at that the other day. If you do attempt to clock the turbo too differently, you will end up hitting the hard line for (if memory servers me) the oil retun line. There is also the coolant lines in the area. I am thinking about relocating my coolant resovoir to where the factory boost solenoid sat, then attempting to reclock the turbo. Even with all that, you will still have a near 290 degree bend going into your TB, not the best place for a bottle neck.

-Cliff