[melloww22]

Currently I have an ER FMIC, but was wondering what's the best performance FMIC for N55?

[JETmn]

We don't have turbos big enough to really start pushing most of the FMICs out there.

[mike@x-ph.com]

the intercooler you got is definitely top notch
the AA race version and ETS 7" are up there too.

If you are on a budget and still would like really good results, the VRSF 7" is a very good option

[CombatNinja]

Unless you track the car regularly or have some kind of unobtaniaum big turbo setup, the stock intercooler is fine. Nobody wants to hear this but it is true.

[LGCubana]

Originally Posted by CombatNinja

Unless you track the car regularly or have some kind of unobtaniaum big turbo setup, the stock intercooler is fine. Nobody wants to hear this but it is true.

There are hundreds of threads showing lower IATs, on partially upgraded or FBO daily drivers.

[CombatNinja]

Nobody ever said you would not see lower IATs. But once you factor in the pressure drop, you won't be seeing much if any gain on a street driven daily car. I'm sure you can see some benefit run after run on the dyno but that does not replicate anything I can do on a public road. Unless you live in a very, very hot climate or go to the quarter mile track regularly or go road racing (who the hell would do that in a BMW 335i anyway?), you don't stand to gain anything really from an upgraded intercooler.

[GR1P]

Originally Posted by CombatNinja

Nobody ever said you would not see lower IATs. But once you factor in the pressure drop, you won't be seeing much if any gain on a street driven daily car. I'm sure you can see some benefit run after run on the dyno but that does not replicate anything I can do on a public road. Unless you live in a very, very hot climate or go to the quarter mile track regularly or go road racing (who the hell would do that in a BMW 335i anyway?), you don't stand to gain anything really from an upgraded intercooler.

So false it's hilarious.

[CombatNinja]

You actually bought a 1-series, how could you possibly know anything? Prove me wrong then if it is so false as to be "hilarious". Show me the evidence.

[mustangivore]

[ShlemonboostedM]

Originally Posted by GR1P

So false it's hilarious.

True that makes me laugh ... Their been many dynos included Terry's 10whp and more gains + no heat soak .. Stock is so horrible I feel like I lost 20whp every time I floored it .. After wagner Fmic I never ever had that feeling .. And my top end improved ...

[CombatNinja]

Show me the evidence if it is so funny. It will show gains on a dyno. It will show gains on a quarter mile track. It will show gains on a road circuit. It will show gains if you live in the desert where it is 110+. It will not show gains on the road for a car driven at sane speeds in a temperate climate. In other words, it won't do shit for 99% of the forum members here. Prove me wrong.

[GR1P]

Originally Posted by CombatNinja

Show me the evidence if it is so funny. It will show gains on a dyno. It will show gains on a quarter mile track. It will show gains on a road circuit. It will show gains if you live in the desert where it is 110+. It will not show gains on the road for a car driven at sane speeds in a temperate climate. In other words, it won't do shit for 99% of the forum members here. Prove me wrong.

Combat Ninja Defender of the Universe, let me give you a little education on the subject. In any driving situation, a correctly sized upgraded fmic will always be working to lower intake temps, period. This equates to more power and consistency. Consistency that is absolutely felt in daily driving here in Southern California (even on cool days).

A correctly sized fmic will only see a .5-.9 psi pressure drop and it's been proven thousands of times that the benefits outweigh that small difference. One freeway onramp pull will heatsoak the stocker and take a couple mins to cool down. Every time you give the car any throttle, your intake temps climb as you put more load on the turbo. An upgraded intercooler provides closer to ambient IATs every time time you accelerate the car, which absolutely provides more power depending on ambient temp and load.

Take 10 seconds looking at any manufacturers charts to see that the IAT at the end of a gear is always lower than what the stock intercooler can provide.

[JETmn]

Yeah, it is easy to see logs of multigear runs where the IAT's climb pretty drastically. It is fine if you do the occasional blast to 70mph, but if you are doing pulls in Mexico it won't hack it.

[Andrewe92]

Originally Posted by CombatNinja

Show me the evidence if it is so funny. It will show gains on a dyno. It will show gains on a quarter mile track. It will show gains on a road circuit. It will show gains if you live in the desert where it is 110+. It will not show gains on the road for a car driven at sane speeds in a temperate climate. In other words, it won't do shit for 99% of the forum members here. Prove me wrong.

some of what you're saying is true.. but most of the time it's very easy for the stock fmic to heat soak.. it doesn't take much at all and for that reason only a fmic is definitely worth it.. although the pressure drop can cause a slower spool .. the problem is you are acting like it's sooooo hard and it needs to be soooo hot for your fmic to heat soak. and that's not the case at all.. do some logging on your stock fmic and you'll see the numbers speak

[snaimpally]

Originally Posted by CombatNinja

ShIt will show gains if you live in the desert where it is 110+. It will not show gains on the road for a car driven at sane speeds in a temperate climate.

Recall that a turbo is driven by the hot exhaust gas from the engine so the engine compartment can get fairly hot even when the outdoor temperature is much cooler. So an FMIC will provide usable results to 90% of folks even it isn't 110 outside.

In addition, I suspect that anyone with an N55 will, each day, occasionally engage in some "spirited driving."

[CombatNinja]

Still no evidence that a larger intercooler is necessary for an N55 that is driven at semi-legal speeds on the road. Some of you guys have these fantasies that you "Are the Stig" and drive everywhere at 10/10ths. I guess I don't see you, must be driving too fast. Too many people here have these stupid racecar fantasies. Grow up.

[marCOCOpuffs]

Well intercoolers look cool!

[Jsoboti]

Originally Posted by marCOCOpuffs

Well intercoolers look cool!

+1

[snaimpally]

Originally Posted by CombatNinja

Still no evidence that a larger intercooler is necessary for an N55 that is driven at semi-legal speeds on the road. Some of you guys have these fantasies that you "Are the Stig" and drive everywhere at 10/10ths. I guess I don't see you, must be driving too fast. Too many people here have these stupid racecar fantasies. Grow up.

I am not the stig and don't have any "stupid racecar fantasies". I enjoy driving a car that has good power and handles well. I drive at semi-legal speeds on the road.

I live in Texas. For my 2008 Mazda Speed 3, I bought an ETS 3" TMIC to replace the factory 2" TMIC. I wasn't sure how much of a difference it would make but it made a significant difference in the summer (approx. May-Sept). That was when I realized that the engine had been struggling under heat soak in the summer.

Tomorrow, drive your car at a semi-legal speed for 20 mins and then measure the temp using a thermometer (or just put your hand on the engine since you are so confident that it doesn't get very hot with the OE FMIC). Find someone who has a similar car with an FMIC and repeat the experiment.

[CombatNinja]

So far the evidence that an upgraded intercooler is useful in daily driving consists of me putting my hand on my engine. Got it.

[Tiago@VRSF]

Keeping temps down throughout a multiple gear pull will not only increase power but it will help prevent pre-detonation/knock/misfires. Not only do you gain power but you also keep your motor healthier by preventing knock.

Doesn't matter what kind of driving you do as long as you go WOT every once in a while. This applies to a stock car, FBO or single turbo.

[PeterPure]

Originally Posted by CombatNinja

Unless you track the car regularly or have some kind of unobtaniaum big turbo setup, the stock intercooler is fine. Nobody wants to hear this but it is true.

Agree!