Best bang for the buck FMIC

[98gstaherns]

I was looking at the ebay intercoolers thread and i wanted to post in there...But i'm still a noob and just wondering if any of you guys can lead me to the right to the right one. This would be for my 1998 gst. So if you have one let me know or let me know who to stay away from thanks!

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

Do not take Willicuddy's comments too seriously as he has no personal experience with the XS Kit. Check out the BIG ebay fmic thread, its basically an XS/SS Auto FMIC thread. There is no need for us to argue because that thread has all the info you need to know how good it is.

I will vouch for the XS Auto/SS Autochrome kit. IT IS the best bang for the buck FMIC at $295 shipped. Even at $400-500 it is still a good buy. The people here who have replied that are using it are running pretty reputable setups. I am running a PTE 50 myself, and GreddyGST dynoed 400-500FWHP with this FMIC on pump gas. I am coming from the Greddy 24R. The XS kit is better in everyway, price, core, pipes, clamps, couplers. The only thing the Greddy has over the XS is the name.

 

[1993eclipseGS]

I also have many mods, And am putting on a smim, and a bigger turbo when I install this head... I paid $418 shipped for the FMIC kit and do not feel even the slightest big guilty for paying more then others have. Just make sure to get the tb flange checked before install!

 

[Willicuddy]

I have no personal experience with the FMIC kits............. basically im just bitter from the other crap they sold me that broke, but I just needed a place to vent

 

[98gstaherns]

What kind of BOV are you guys using with this kit?

 

[tranceman]

The SSAC kits are flanged for a 1G bov.

 

[98gstaherns]

Ok thats what it looked like. I asked the person but they just gave me a link to there website with all the different ones! Thanks!

 

[Quasimondo]

Im basing my opinions on personal experience. Yes i have used SSautochrome/XSPower products such as their manifold and wastegate and they both crapped out on me in less the a month. No i did not purchase a FMIC from them because of my pervious experiences in the past. Im not just out here to bash the companies because they sell great products for really low prices.

Intercooler manufacturing and manifold manufacturing are two different animals. With any tubular manifold, you will have an increased chance of cracking and failing at the welds simply because you're potentially dealing with three metals with three expansion rates (the flange, the tubing, the welding material). If that manifold is not properly braced, especially when it has a heavy turbocharger hanging off of it, that's a lot of stress on that item. FWIW, there are very few manufacturers that can mass market a tubular manifold that can stand up to the stresses of daily driving.

Intercoolers don't endure the high temperatures like an exhaust manifold, and there won't be any heavy turbochargers hanging off of the end tanks. You don't need to be as meticulous in choosing the materials and bracing because all you need is to have it withstand the pressure of a turbocharger pushing ~30 psi (this is primarily an intercooler for street applications, so I doubt you'll see any car on the street pushing more than that). As long as the welds are solid and the core is in good shape, then you'll be fine.

The intercooler that I'm using now is an XS Power intercooler that one of my friends picked up from eBay. This intercooler helped him hit 11's on pump gas with a SCM-61 turbo (a big f'ing turbo). I was wary of anything that said XS Power myself, but I can honestly tell you that their intercoolers are of decent quality and I would have no problems purchasing another one or even recommending this intercooler to anybody else.

The manifolds are a different story. I wouldn't touch those with a 10-foot stick. I wouldn't touch any tubular manifold IMO, but that's just me. But the intercoolers, are fine by me.

 

[97_eclipse_gst]

im going to be emailing ssautoccrom tomarrow i just want to make sure the fmic that were talking about is the same as this one
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DSM-...ItemQQcategoryZ33742QQitemZ250000262737QQrdZ1

 

[solo92s10]

yes its the same one... when you email them they are short with words but just send the 295 through the paypal address they give you. I sent the money tuesday and recieved shipping confirmation wed night that it will be here monday.

 

[talonproject]

so...any1 can tell me who has the best kit for 1gs???
there s alot of 2gs thread but not much 1gs, only the ss/xs kit but the piping look long as hell...
and what about those IC that have the In/Out on the same side?

 

[DSM BEEYACH]

I've bought two FMIC's for my self. Bought the first of ebay, liked it so much that i've bought another one via group buy since the price went up. It's a damn good kit for the price. I'm also running a 57 trim turbo and, 38mm external wastegate all from SSautochrome/XS power and I haven't had a single problem for well over 3 months. nuff said.

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

Check the big thread, there is someone there with a 1G who bought the 2G kit and managed to install it on his 1G with short route piping. Looks pretty good.

 

[98gstaherns]

yes its the same one... when you email them they are short with words but just send the 295 through the paypal address they give you. I sent the money tuesday and recieved shipping confirmation wed night that it will be here monday.

Yea same here! But i dunno if i will put it on with my T25 or just wait till i do my 16g install!

 

[97_eclipse_gst]

im in the same situation. I have my T25 and was wondering whether i should wait until i get my evo 3 16g or just put it on with the t25 now. Is there a big difference in installing the fmic with each turbo. Should i wait for the new turbo or do it with the t25 and then with the vo whenever i get it?

 

[98gstaherns]

But from what i was reading in the main Ebay Intercooler thread is that A. you have to fab up some kind of piping. or B hack off the elbow...So i dunno.. what have some of these guys done?

 

[fwdeclipse]

But from what i was reading in the main Ebay Intercooler thread is that A. you have to fab up some kind of piping. or B hack off the elbow...So i dunno.. what have some of these guys done?

I bought this kit and im very happy with it.The one thing you guys have to understand is its not a perfect bolt on.You will have to cut some of the pipes,I had to cut two of them.For 300 bucks its a great deal but its not gonna bolt right on perfectly like greddy kit.

 

[98gstaherns]

What did you have to cut?

 

[blcknspo0ln]

Read the thread and you'll find out. You have to shorten the LICP about 4-6" to get it to fit on a downfiring turbo. Others (for the t25) have used a small 180* bend plus a little extra length piping to get it to fit.

 

[Gamble97]

ok, so hold on here. I bought this kit and plan to use it with my new GT3561 turbo, which is a down firing turbo. What couplers or pipes would I have to get so that I don't run into a leak?

 

[droppinbottom]

thats the one that everyone is jumping on.
http://dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207809&page=43
pg 10 is payment info, just email and ask if they are still doing the group buy for $295 shipped.

ss auto chrome, makes a good header for the spec v, good fmic's for the dsm, and some other parts for other cars. Sure their turbo's are crap, but then again it's not a top of the line company.
Some people say that you get what you pay for and in some cases it's true. But with all the good feedback about this product and no negative feedback, why wouldn't you try it and save yourself a butt load of money.
Same thing w/ the megan racing short shifter. It's a direct knock off of the b&m. I have seen 1 bad statement about the ss. The price diff in these 2 are about $100. Everyone that has this knock off loves them as well.
It's all up to you

Just a heads up ssac does not make these products. They are made overseas. I have personal experience with ssac spec v header. I used to own one and I can say that it was th best bang for the buck header out. I would be careful about their turbo applications. I have not used anything myself but they seem to have problems with the welds being a bit subpar. If you do go with a ssac product do your best to check inside all the welds to make sure everything is smooth and no metal was left inside to later break off. I have seen this on the spec v headers. A good friend of mine here does the spec v header sales for ssac on ebay.

 

[98gstaherns]

^ Thanks for the input!

 

[GreddyGst]

Willicudy just had bad experiences with SS/XS products. I personally would of never bought the manifold and wastegate because I know they are crap but the moment I looked at the XS FMIC and once it was boost pressure it was good enough for me, bought it. A great FMIC for 300bux shipped, no problems, no leaks, no cracks. Many DSMTuners bought em and love em. I plan to make more power soon and I'm not worried about the Intercooler

For the new buyers, please don't be lazy and ask questions that have been already answered on the Ebay FMIC thread. Review it, just like we all did. There are some additional stuff all the new buyers should know before installing em because the XS FMIC isn't a perfect intercooler there are some tweaks here and there you have to fix upon installing it.

There's also writeups step by step with pictures for 2g owners and 1g owners. Check the thread on Bolt-on Tech section

 

[talonproject]

Well to be honest i did a lot of research and like 90% of them are for 2gs.....
but there s different kits out there...

And then for those fmic that have the in/out on the same side, there s very little information about them too...
I did read that whole ss/xs group buy thread, and that 1g guy that fitted it pretty well exept for having to cut thru the body...hence the first question...
I also read the whole Johny fmic thread (the long one)
If i had to go with one of those Ebay Fmic i ll go with these ones :http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FMIC...cmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33742QQitemZ8067606187
I mean it s seriously interesting.....isnt it??
I also read newlogics post and his how to for the 1g... and it s the one i m talkin about not the xs/ss...even though the how to isn t finished yet...
So my point is that yes there a lot of informations, but I m askin about those ic with the in/out on the same side..

 

[98gstaherns]

For the new buyers, please don't be lazy and ask questions that have been already answered on the Ebay FMIC thread. Review it, just like we all did. There are some additional stuff all the new buyers should know before installing em because the XS FMIC isn't a perfect intercooler there are some tweaks here and there you have to fix upon installing it.

There's also writeups step by step with pictures for 2g owners and 1g owners. Check the thread on Bolt-on Tech section

Sorry don't mean to be lazy..It is just hard to look though 44 pgs trying to find that one thing! But thanks!

 

[Irrational]

Not if it has leaks.

I thought that went without saying.