Are there any fmic that I can still keep my bumper?

[96gstdsm]

Ok well I am doing a 6 bolt block swap and a big 16g turbo with all fuel support and everything. I figure I will be needing a new intercooler. Was looking into the supra one but would rather a nice fmic. It seems to me, may be I am mistaken but it seems like everyone with the big fmic has to remove their bumper. Is this correct? How dangerous is that if there is a front end collision? Can I keep my ac stuff? Will I have overheating problems since it's blocking the radiator?
How hard is the supra smic to install? I thought you had to get new piping and modify some things so it wont hang too low.

Please let me know. This is the last part I am missing now for my whole build up.

 

[Pat D]

You cut out like this.... the one with the dots is stock...you cut along those lines and the bottom one is after the cut and gives an idea how the core will fit...Mine is fit to perfection..next time the bumper is off ill snap a pic for ya. Goodluck and its a great core...You dont even need a bumper with it...I hit a rock this feb and the core took the full force and didnt even get messed up. I was going 9 mph and the rock I mean is more of a hillside made of rock.

Some advice if you cut your bumper find a plasma torch. I used one for mine and it still took me awhile. Can't even imagine useing a Rotozip/Dremil or cut off wheels people say they used.

 

[Mikelb]

I'm a bit late, but I think this Intercooler would be fine: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/JDM-...4QQihZ019QQcategoryZ33742QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

It's roughly $125. Then you find someone to make you some custom IC piping and you're set.

 

[Xeiros]

First off I know how you feel, I want a FMIC but want to keep the bumper. If you're looking to eBay then I have good news... I found this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2G-DSM-FMIC-Intercooler-kit-gsx-tsi-talon-eclipse-gst_W0QQitemZ230118658646QQihZ013QQcategoryZ33742QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
This kit allows you to keep the bumper . Now it's a little pricey but in my opinion, worth it. Your other alternative is to buy a 7" tall core and but a piping kit and assemble it yourself.

Oh an on more thing, in reply to the quote below. Assuming your car is a daily driver...


...you'd be surprised home many 5mph or less collisions your car is in without you even knowing about it. Think about it. How many times have you seen someone parallel park and bump into the guy behind them? Probably lots, and I'm sure someone has done it to my car and your car already. Without a bumper and only a nice and expensive FMIC in the front of the car what do you think would happen? A tiny nick or scratch could turn into a crushed core, and I don't think you'd want to buy a new core every time your car gets bumped.

My $0.02. Anyways I'm planning on keeping my bumper and getting a 7" tall FMIC, besides my goal is 300awhp and for that a 25x7x3 core is enough... Cheers and best of luck, Tom.

5MPH is a little faster than you think. If all those minor dinks and shit that happen in the parking lots of stores were at 5MPH, they'd be full on dents, not minor scratches or scuffs.

 

[DSMunknown]

Or you have the option of ordering a custom one from a place like Bell Intercoolers. Probably not the best way in terms of saving money, but it is another viable option.

Ok well I am doing a 6 bolt block swap and a big 16g turbo with all fuel support and everything. I figure I will be needing a new intercooler. Was looking into the supra one but would rather a nice fmic. It seems to me, may be I am mistaken but it seems like everyone with the big fmic has to remove their bumper. Is this correct? How dangerous is that if there is a front end collision? Can I keep my ac stuff? Will I have overheating problems since it's blocking the radiator?
How hard is the supra smic to install? I thought you had to get new piping and modify some things so it wont hang too low.

Please let me know. This is the last part I am missing now for my whole build up.

The Supra SMIC install is quite easy. I hope I didn't make it look too hard.

 

[EclipseTrbo420A]

Some advice if you cut your bumper find a plasma torch. I used one for mine and it still took me awhile. Can't even imagine useing a Rotozip/Dremil or cut off wheels people say they used.

It took me about 1o minutes with a sawzall and OLD blade...the heat it makes turns the blade into something like a hot knife through butter. It just melts away the bumper.

If you have the metal one...then use a NEW metal blade...should have the same results.

 

[gorf]

Ok well I am doing a 6 bolt block swap and a big 16g turbo with all fuel support and everything. I figure I will be needing a new intercooler. Was looking into the supra one but would rather a nice fmic. It seems to me, may be I am mistaken but it seems like everyone with the big fmic has to remove their bumper. Is this correct? How dangerous is that if there is a front end collision? Can I keep my ac stuff? Will I have overheating problems since it's blocking the radiator?
How hard is the supra smic to install? I thought you had to get new piping and modify some things so it wont hang too low.

Please let me know. This is the last part I am missing now for my whole build up.

Do some more searches on this site. I am no expert, but have read that the stock IC is plenty for 16g, unless you are always on the boost, such as in track racing. If you are just trying to control knock, investigate Water/meth injection.

It sounds like you and I have close to the same mods. I just went through the whole thought process of a FMIC and retaining my bumper. I have a few more things to do such as getting my car to pass inspection, but then I need to get serious about tuning. I have decided that for the way I drive, price difference and the work involved, I a will go H2O injection.

My 2 cents, investigate it yourself....

 

[Spoolin98]

What is everyone talking about when referring to a bumper? I think some people here are talking about the bumper cover, the painted part you actually see on the outside of the car that most people call the bumper. Others are talking about the support beam behind the bumper cover that some call the bumper.

I just installed my FMIC a week or so ago. The bumper cover you can use a dremel to trim up, its nice and easy. Allows you to make a nice straight cut and clean up any rough edges.

The bumper or support beam behind the bumper cover, mine was made of really think plastic or fiber glass. A cutting wheel will get you NO WHERE so don't bother trying. Use a sawzaw, I cut right through it in a matter of minutes.

I have seen tons of installs on this site about FMIC and no one ever mentions the support bar/bumper and what they do with it. If you planning on cutting the black part out of the opening on a 2g bumper, you have to cut the support bar/bumper behind it too. I NEVER see anyone mention this. Does anyone just remove the support bar/bumper all together? I cut mine up nice so I could keep it. What have you guys done?

Here is a picture of the trimming I did to the bumper cover and the black piece behind it is the support bar/bumper before it was cut. The line on the support bar/bumper I made with a cutting wheel as a guiding line for when I started to cut it with the sawzaw.

 

[DGajre777]

I have seen tons of installs on this site about FMIC and no one ever mentions the support bar/bumper and what they do with it. If you planning on cutting the black part out of the opening on a 2g bumper, you have to cut the support bar/bumper behind it too. I NEVER see anyone mention this. Does anyone just remove the support bar/bumper all together? I cut mine up nice so I could keep it. What have you guys done?

Old thread, but I couldn't find this when I needed it...

I agree with you about all the FMIC install guides on mentioning anything about cutting the bumper (not the bumper cover). I had my FMIC installed, bumper installed and then when I went to install the bumper cover, I was like WTF. So I hacked my bumper out to fit the FMIC. I still have to trim some of the plastic around the FMIC since I have a little buckle in the center of the bumper. Here are some pics, sorry about the crappy camera phone.

 

[RvlutionMtrsprt]

Kinda surprised to see that nobody has mentioned ETS's FMIC kits. They have a wide variety to fit your needs.. Install is very easy and comes with instructions. You only minimally cut the bumper support. The quality is 2nd to none. No cheap ebay crap from this company. Very high efficiency rates, top quality materials and craftsmanship make them one of the best options in the intercooler industry. For your application you should look into the 7" street strip kit. I ran that kit on my Eclipse when it was 16g powered and the fit/function are flawless. I'd offer to sell you one but I'm not a supporting vendor of this site yet so I'll suggest contacting Tom @ ETS. This link is to the product on our website (ETS's website is having some problems so I couldn't get you the link to their site). All the information is still accurate.
http://revolutionmotorsport.net/?mod=product&cat_id=2,37,57&product_id=123

 

[timot]

Kinda surprised to see that nobody has mentioned ETS's FMIC kits. They have a wide variety to fit your needs.. Install is very easy and comes with instructions. You only minimally cut the bumper support. The quality is 2nd to none. No cheap ebay crap from this company. Very high efficiency rates, top quality materials and craftsmanship make them one of the best options in the intercooler industry. For your application you should look into the 7" street strip kit. I ran that kit on my Eclipse when it was 16g powered and the fit/function are flawless. I'd offer to sell you one but I'm not a supporting vendor of this site yet so I'll suggest contacting Tom @ ETS. This link is to the product on our website (ETS's website is having some problems so I couldn't get you the link to their site). All the information is still accurate.
http://revolutionmotorsport.net/?mod=product&cat_id=2,37,57&product_id=123

+1, reccommended

 

[RvlutionMtrsprt]

Why not just keep the SMIC and get hard piping for it?

Because he wants to take full advantage of the b16g and other supporting modifications. He can't do that with a hard-piped stock smic unless he added methanol injection or nitrous. Everything about the stock intercooler would be a huge restriction at that point. The inlet/outlet size, end-tanks, core size.. all just aren't enough to cut it when you crank up a b16g.

 

[DGajre777]

There is also Dejon's sidemount is good for 400HP, I don't see the Big16G making more than 400hp. Besides, this thread is over 5 months old, I'm sure the original poster already bought what he was planning to get.

 

[96gstdsm]

Hey yeah thanks everyone, forgot to add that I went with the ssac fmic. I was able to keep some portion of the bumper. Had to hack it up a bit but worked out pretty well.
And yeah a sidemount would be nice with hard piping but that doesn't really help out with cooling efficiency. Plus I got such a big opening in the front looks much better with a nice fmic there.