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VR-Speed 2G FMIC Intercooler Kit w/some install and comparison to EBAY SSAC

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http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/ven...-group-buy-2g-short-route-fmic-round-2-a.html

Here we go. The new version which will separate the VR Speed FMIC kit from the SSAC we've all grown to love. There was a lot of hype with the changes to come. After the very long wait they have finally arrived. The changes that were to be made in the VR Speed version were very promising:

- Predrilled flange to accept both Greddy and 1G DSM flange BOVs.
- Repositioned BOV flange for ease of using stock recirculation tube.
- Remove the top center mounting tab of the core.
- Predrilled side mounting tabs to speed up mounting portion of install.
- Shorter core inlet.
- Newly designed lower intercooler piping eliminating the use of the 90 degree pipe.
- J-Pipe option.
- Other BOV flange option.

Very exciting new features as you can see from the list. Now I have actually owned the original SSAC FMIC kit (aka VR Speed's "old" version). Sit back, and enjoy my experience and comparison with the SSAC kit as I install VR-Speed's new version FMIC kit for the 2G DSM.

Well we start by the packaging. Very professional look. I was surprised by how much smaller the box is compared to when I got my SSAC kit. The core sits on the bottom with really only the cardboard that protects it on the underside. On top lays another box filled with the couplers/clamps/etc. And styrofoam pieces lined along the space to fill.

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Below are pics of the SSAC packaging. SSAC kit came with 2 boxes. Smaller box came with all the pipes, couplers, and clamps. The core had its own box. Oversized and filled with packaging peanuts. After you remove the core from the big box with the peanuts its wrapped in layers of foam. It took forever just to get it out. And remove the foam wrapping around the core. It looked like a dead animal or something.

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Both brands were packaged nicely. But if the shipping company threw around the box the SSAC core was in, it could withstand it. As nice as the all in one package is on the VR-Speed, it is more prone to getting the core damaged (and some owners have admitted to some of the fins/rows being crushed), but that isn't to say it was packaged well either. It's just obvious which could stand more abuse in transit.

Stay tuned for the next post on the parts included..
 
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Now let us look at the 2 cores..

The core sizes are the same. The notable differences you can see in the pictures below..

SSAC Core:

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VR Speed:

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The obvious is the top mounting tab has been removed. The next is the inlet side of the core has been shortened.

The benefit of the inlet side being shortened is on the SSAC version, with the lower intercooler pipe attached, it was very close to the oil filter housing. While driving and braking the movement and shifting would have the pipe contact with the dummy light sender and cause the oil light to flicker in the engine bay. Also helps clearance with any of the hard lines that are around the area as well.

As far as the top mounting tab. This might be a subjective issue. Some people have utilized this in the original core, where others did not. I believe in the more options the better. The original was easy to bend and manipulate so I would not have minded the VR-Speed version to still have it. It also gives users an option to strengthen the way the core is mounted. As a matter of fact, before using the side mounting tabs, I only used this top mount on my SSAC at first.

Of course not having it there will have it's own argument. It saves time from cutting it when not in use and allows the core to be pushed back without the tab interfering.

Here is another stock photo showing the 2 where the other notable change has been done on the VR-Speed..

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TOP: SSAC
BOTTOM: VR-Speed

You can see with the VR-Speed core the mounting tabs one side have been pre-drilled. Coming from the SSAC kit, I must say this was a huge time saver. It was very convenient not having to line it up and make sure I drilled tabs properly. So this was a clear benefit on the VR-Speed version.

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Now let's take a look at the pieces include in each kit..

Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to take a good picture of each set out of the plastic, so for now let's take a look at some stock photos..

VR-Speed:

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SSAC:

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Here are the photo's I took as they came packaged:

VR-Speed:

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SSAC:

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Clearly both were packaged well. This is where the SSAC really starts to differ. First of all the couplers are black. This was a positive for me, I really hated those blue ones. The T-Bolt clamps included in both seem to be the same. I had no issues with the SSAC nor with the VR-Speed. You can also see that the VR-Speed comes with "mounting bolts and spacers". This was a great effort to help with the install since the SSAC did not come with any mounting bolts, but more on this later in the install section of this review.

The quality of the piping looked and felt top notch. The welds looked good nice beading on all the piping. First impression, like on the SSAC, was the VR-Speed intercooler piping was first rate. Don't take my word on this next statement though, but it just seemed like the piping FELT lighter on the VR-Speed compared to how I last remember with the SSAC. However, it has been a while so who knows, maybe just my imagination.

A big improvement in the VR-Speed kit is the redesign of the lower intercooler pipe. This poised to be one of the bigger problems with install on the original SSAC kit. You can see from the stock photos, that the VR-Speed lower pipe is shorter, and no longer includes a 90 degree pipe, but instead uses a 90 degree coupler reducer to connect the lower pipe to the turbo outlet. Great idea, but MORE ON THIS LATER IN THE INSTALL SECTION.

A problem with the SSAC were complaints of the throttle body flange not being completely flat. I myself had no issues with the original, but several did. Let's take a look at the 2..

SSAC:

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VR Speed:

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You can see the VR-Speed looks like the better product. Much smoother. When asked Tiago @ VR-Speed, I believe he mentioned there should be no problem this time around with them needing to be resurfaced flat. So plus on that, but again I had problem with neither. Also notice the bigger cut on the flange on the original SSAC, did that play a role in anything?--at least not in my setup.

Another problem with the original SSAC kit was the missing coupler. First let's take a look at the couplers included.

SSAC:

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The SSAC came with 2x 2" couplers and 2x 2.5" couplers.
Unfortunately 1 more 2.5" coupler was needed to complete the install.

VR-Speed:

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The VR-Speed also only came with 4x couplers. However due to the new design in the lower IC piping, only 4 is needed. It comes with 1x 2.5" to 2" 90degree reducer coupler and 3x 2.5" couplers.

Both couplers are multi-ply silicone couplers. They both seemed to be of good quality. No complaints either way, but since I'm biased towards the black one, I did prefer VR-Speed's solely on color alone.

Now the next thing I will show you is the BOV flange. Both kits have a 1g flange on them. Where the original SSAC needed to be drilled to install Greddy flanged BOVs, the VR-Speed already comes with a tabbed drilled to accept both, however does have it's problems.

Let's take a look at both..

SSAC:

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VR-Speed:

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It was troublesome on the original SSAC kit if you did not have the proper tools to accommodate your Greddy flanged BOV. Having to do things like that is what separates an easy to install "bolt-on" kit to one that requires modification. This is where the VR-Speed kit tried to make a difference.

You can see the SSAC is only drilled for the flange that it is included on there.. 1G DSM.

The VR-Speed has the same 1g flange except is slotted. This is done so the Greddy BOV can be mounted as well. However, they made the slot hole so big the nut to lock in the bolts for the BOV will go right through the hole. Very unfortunate, but an easy work around. Seen in the picture below is what needs to be done..

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DSMj89's picture above shows the use of a washer. You can see if the washer was not used, there would be no way to secure the BOV on the flange as it would just go through the slot hole.

**NOTE** This does not just apply to Greddy BOV users, but also those using 1G or other 1G flanged BOVs. I have a Forge BOV with a 1G flange that needed a washer as well.

It was a step in the right direction, but not quite there. I hate to compare, but the optimal way would be to just have independent holes drilled, as done by this kit's competitor based on price.... Punishment Racing/CX Racing FMIC Kit..

Next post comes some install pictures and notes.. stay tuned..
 
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The biggest problem with the original SSAC kit is installation. It was not a true "bolt on" affair. Meaning you could not complete the installation with everything that was included in the package. Let's shortly go through the problems with the original kit:

Missing coupler and 2 clamps.
No mounting nuts/bolts/screws.
Core mounting tabs had to be drilled for the holes.
Lower intercooler pipe too long thus hitting oil filter housing and causing grounding of dummy light which leads to having it flash in the gauge cluster.
Extra piping required for t28/t25 and 14b/16g turbos.

Definitely not for novice tuners to deal with. For some it might have been overwhelming to where that much more expensive vendor kit was worth it for their ease of installation. However, for most DSMers, not too big of a problem, and the huge saving on a short route big core kit was worth the minor problems.

VR-Speed's kit was suppose to resolve many if not all these shortcomings of the SSAC kit. Let's start of with the positives...

All the couplers and clamps are there. No need to go out and buy one. With the SSAC, if you wanted specifically multi-ply silicone coupler and 2 T-bolt clamps, expect to pay AT LEAST $30-40 FROM EBAY, imagine from a reputable vendor or big name shop would be near doubled. So score 1 for VR-Speed.

Core mounting tabs already predrilled! This helps tremendously with installation. Slotted hole on both sides to make it easy to mount the core.

14b/16g Owners NOW have an option for a true bolt on affair. For a fee, you can get the j-pipe option to make the VR-Speed kit a TRUE Bolt on affair for your vehicle.

Unfortunately that is where it stops with solving the shortcomings of the SSAC kit.

The VR-Speed kit comes with mounting bolts and a rubber spacer. Unfortunately the bolt is too short and too big. For an easy bolt on affair, members have been mounting the core using the stock foglight's bracket position. The bolts included with the VR-Speed is too big. You will need to tap the hole. Next it is too short. You must go to your hardware store and locate longer bolts, and if you wish to not tap the threads, find the proper one for the thread on the foglight bracket mount.

After I saw this problem I said I'll just install it like I did with the SSAC kit. Without using the rubber spacers included I mounted the core with some bolts I had laying around that happened to work. However, after doing this I found that this would not work because the upper intercooler pipe could not be installed. There was a reason for those rubber spacer to be in between the core and the radiator support, because without it, the outlet of the core would literally be touching the upper pipe. And the upper pipe touching the throttle body pipe. There was no clearance at all using this method. So I removed the core, put the spacer inbetween and it gave just enough clearance for the pipes not to be touching each other, but it was still a very tight fit.

The biggest problem would be the lower intercooler pipe. This was also the big problem on the SSAC kit. On the SSAC kit, it was too long and had to be cut. VR-Speed had tried to resolve this by no longer using the 90 degree pipe and just using a shorter lower pipe and a 90degree coupler reducer to connect it to the outlet of the compressor housing. And this is the result of the VR-Speed kit currently..

With the one end connected to my turbo like so..

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You are left with the inlet of the core..

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That picture actually makes it look like it wasn't that bad. I was shocked and disappointed at the same time to be hit with this unfortunate surprise. I was in denial as well because of the hype I've been giving myself with this revised version. I thought maybe I did something wrong, so I connected the inlet side of the core. Doing it this way will illustrate how short it is to the turbo..

95495d1243590921-new-95-gst-vrskit2.jpg


I measured the lower piping, it was about 22-23" from end to end. So for those with downflow turbos that this kit was meant to be a "bolt-on" for.. be prepared to suffer the same consequence.

So how did I resolve this.. I was lucky enough to have a few stuff laying around..

95496d1243590921-new-95-gst-vrskit3.jpg

95497d1243590921-new-95-gst-vrskit4.jpg


The irony.. I used the SSAC 90 degree pipe I had that I didn't use, and the 2" coupler I also didn't use from the very kit. Then I was lucky to have a 2" to 2.5" reducer coupler. Not perfect but it will have to do. I like the concept of where this was going. When I initially saw the design I was like YES this is great, only 1 lower pipe. I still would like that original design. My solution works, but the VR-Speed 2.5" lower pipe engulfs the 2" 90 degree pipe it meets with in the reducer coupler. It was a tad bit long, but what can I do. I did not want to cut anything.

The problem with the SSAC kit was the lower pipe was too long, and it had to be cut. But after cutting it would fit just fine. So in the end, the cost of having to buy an extra coupler and 2 clamps for the SSAC kit is cheaper than having to buy a REDUCER coupler, another 2" coupler, a 90 degree pipe bend, and t-bolt clamps for the VR-Speed. Cutting the pipe vs making or finding a 90 degree pipe is more convenient for same day install on the SSAC vs VR-Speed.

VR-Speed has since then admitted the flaw of this design. They have mentioned new pipes are being made, but who knows when that will be available and/or how much that will cost current owners. They have not disclosed details on it, but let's hope we get it at no extra charge.

Another minor caveat: I wanted everything to match this time around. With the SSAC kit, i was desperate to install it the same day so I used standard worm clamps and some black coupler I had. With the VR-Speed I was excited to know I wil have everything match, with all black couplers and T-bolt clamps. This problem with the lower pipe has led me with blue couplers I did not want to have on my vehicle anymore, and worm clamps again.

In conclusion, it was a great effort for VR-Speed on this kit. If there was no issue with the lower pipe--and this was a HUGE PROBLEM, the only minor issue would be with the actual mounting of the core. I still hope to get a revised lower pipe to install this as they had intended in their design. Thankfully the price this kit is offered at such a good price that has me but little reason to complain, but it is still needed to be said. As far as which is better of the 2 while comparing it to the SSAC, I would have to say they are both the same at this point. The VR-Speed outweighed the SSAC until the major issue with lower pipe which evens out all the minor cons the SSAC had. If/When they supply the correct pipe it will be clear which one the winner is, but until then, that is how it stands. "Close, but no cigar"

FOR 14b/16g owners: You will NOT have a problem with the shortness of the lower pipe if you get the j-pipe option. Members have confirmed that it was a perfect fit. Perhaps throughout the design the lower piping was measured exactly for this. Good news for the, but it still does not help out the many like myself.

Stay tuned, next time a new addition will be added to this article is when/if I'm supplied with the correct length lower pipe.
 
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BIG NEWS for people running downflow turbos. Tiago over at VR-S has got the new pipes for us. Great effort and customer service to realize and fix the problem.

I hope to receive mine shortly and will update this post to show the new pipe.

For now here is how my car looks with the kit installed, please don't mind the dirt/dust, the car has been sitting for 2 years in the garage.

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The correct lower pipe for the kit came in.

Great customer service from VRS to supply this as soon as the problem was evident.

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The pipe array on the top was my alternative to work with my downflow T04e turbo. The pipe below is the new pipe.

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Above is a picture showing just the lower pipes. You can see how much shorter the original is. However for 14b/16g owners with the J-pipe option, the shorter pipe works just fine.

So now that I have the pipe it should install just fine right?

Well, I have an upgraded radiator. It is the Punishment RAcing, Mishimoto, EBAY CX Racing, etc aluminum radiator. These radiators are bigger, and if you keep both stock fans, you will see that it pushes it even closer to the motor.

Because of this the new lower pipe could not be positioned properly because the driver side fan was preventing it. So I had to shave the metal shroud of the fan as seen here.

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It's no problem with the fan blades, but just the lower part shroud.

If you are running stock radiator, or no ac fan then it shouldn't be a problem, but this doesn't apply to everybody. So be aware if you have a similar setup.

It added a bit more labor, but I got it to work, and minimized the piping, clamps, and couplers used as intended. With the shaking of the motor I'm sure it's going to ding up that piping. If I shaved anymore off, it would have separated that portion of the shrouding. I really had to shave it down. Another solution is get slim line fans.
 
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