rider Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Considering upgrading my stock intercooler to a front mount larger alternative. I've seen kit pricing from £165 on EBay to £1,450 for a Blitz setup. Two questions. It looks like a bumper off job, how many hours labour is required to undertake the fit? Can anyone recommend a good off the shelf kit with pipework that fits. As I said earlier, there are kits out there where the pipework looks different shape and lengths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas_germany Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Yep, bumper needs to come off. Actually it's the lights, bumper, partially the undertray - propabley need modding after you installed the FMIC, water reservoir, one tow hook, air con pipes need to be bent back, the fan, that sits right behind the bumper - if you got it. If I forgot something, I'm sorry Took me and a friend 4 hours to take everything apart and fit the FMIC. And took me 6 hours (!) to get everythong back together - but I was alone and had to take the bumper on and off like 100 times, b/c I wanted the keep the plastic undertray in the frontbumper and had to make it fit over the fmic. And it took me forever to do the two screws where the bumper and the fender meet since the bolts on the bar broke off and I used normal screws. Otherwise, this should be a 2 hour job. So altogether you'll be looking at a 6 hour job. By the way: I got a autobahn88 FMIC kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattdavies Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 You will need to do something with your power steering cooler, removal is an option depending on how you use your car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPG Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Power steering coolers are usually supplied with the mid/top range intercoolers, if you are buying new. If you are buying a cheaper option, then SRD, Whifbitz etc.. Offer a power steering cooler, relocation kit. If you have a active spoiler installed, then this will have to be removed, as the motor and under tray (thick plastic) are in the way of the pipework. The active spoiler (assuming you have one) can be separated so that the active lip can be attached to your bumper, and will stay fixed in the locked down position. Some kits have very straight pipework coming from the turbo side, which usually leads to the stock airbox needing removed so that the pipe can run the ought the passage in the wing. The Greddy/HKS range usually have appropriate bends in this section, in order for the stock Airbox to stay in place. One bit of advice when removing the front bumper, it's always a good idea checking the state of the bumper brackets that attach the bumper to the wing, over time these can either break, or the previous owner may have snapped off the threaded section whilst not removing all the bolts correctly, I have replaced these on 4 of my Supra's over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rider Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 You will need to do something with your power steering cooler, removal is an option depending on how you use your car Useful to know the power steering fluid needs cooling by the intercooler too. Looks like this is the proper duel cooling kit which with around 4 hours labour fitting and a replacement to the standard air box looks like a £1000 job all in. http://www.garagewhifbitz.co.uk/index.php/garage-whifbitz-1230.html See how the pennies work out into the new year ahead of the cars next service stop in May. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Paine Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I have an autobahn 88 FMIC which came as a complete kit. Was reasonably priced and during my early days of changing my car. Only slight issue has been around the clamps/ jubilee cops which were shredded and would not hold. I did no research on it, but I gather Mellonman has and has one fitted and stated that it was one of the more efficient kits. Everyone on here so far have pointed out the issues, bumper removal, lower tray removal, removal of front active spoiler. Not sure about fitting it as it was done for me. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supra_ufo Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Useful to know the power steering fluid needs cooling by the intercooler too. Looks like this is the proper duel cooling kit which with around 4 hours labour fitting and a replacement to the standard air box looks like a £1000 job all in. http://www.garagewhifbitz.co.uk/index.php/garage-whifbitz-1230.html See how the pennies work out into the new year ahead of the cars next service stop in May. Get an SRD Intercooler its much cheaper and if not the same quality as that one mate. Chris Wilson is near you, I am not sure if he does these types of jobs but might be worth asking him how much it will cost to fit it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franki Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 This is roughly how much you have to strip down too, obviously not the bonnet. Not as daunting as it looks to be honest though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas_germany Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 The tow hook (red) - or the one on the other side- can't remember and the fan (blue) had to be removed with the AB88 kit. The water reservoir had to be changed to a smaller one and the a/c lines (yellow) in front of the fan had do be bent back, so they are, where the fan was befor. Just undo the screws in the yellow marked areas a little bit - not all the way (!) and bend them back slowly and carefully. @ franki: Sorry for abusing your pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brazil Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 I have a Greddy 2Row FMIC Kit for sale, which I had previously fitted to my car in great condition for sale, the great thing about this kit is that you do not need to re-locate neither the power steering cooler or the overflow tank, its just plug and play with bumper off. I bought this kit for 300 pounds + delivery and only put 3k miles on it, you can have it for 210 pounds delivered to your door if you wish. You can find my forsale thread on my recent threads if you are interested. I also have it packaged and read to go, since a buyer seriously took me for a ride with false interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampy442 Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 First question is, why do you want to 'upgrade'? You won't gain anything by changing to a front mount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supra_ufo Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 First question is, why do you want to 'upgrade'? You won't gain anything by changing to a front mount. are you sure about this? I don't know the exact science but having a bigger inter cooler lets in more condensed air so the car is likely to pick up some extra ponies, providing its all ducted properly and air is not escaping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fizzy T Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 Power delivery after fitting my SRD fmic is far more progressive than the old battle worn smic I had. Feels like it pulls like a train now I think I've regained lost power from a poorly performing cooler rather than 'extra' ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas_germany Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 FMIC makes sense, if your stock SMIC is through and you don't want another SMIC. Mine almost fell apart just from touching it. But I noticed turbo #1 kicked in about 100 rpm later, due to the bigger FMIC it had to fill with air. Take the one Brazil offered you. Great price! If I would't have one, I'd snap it off of him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slutters Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 Unless you want to spend the time ducting it like I did: I would keep the stock setup, or look for a CW SMIC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOGIE Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 Whifbitz do a good quality replacement Smic, so does CW but his are arranged by group buy. Ive heard of members rjnning up to 600bhp with the CW one. I got lucky one came up for sale used and a buddy bought it for me whilst my funds were low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rider Posted December 24, 2013 Author Share Posted December 24, 2013 First question is, why do you want to 'upgrade'? You won't gain anything by changing to a front mount. I figured seeing the intercooler is 18 years old its probably time it was changed so why not go for a FMIC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampy442 Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 I figured seeing the intercooler is 18 years old its probably time it was changed so why not go for a FMIC? Fair point. I don't see the point of all that work when you gain precisely nothing. But thats just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rider Posted December 26, 2013 Author Share Posted December 26, 2013 Whifbitz do a good quality replacement Smic, so does CW but his are arranged by group buy. Ive heard of members rjnning up to 600bhp with the CW one. I got lucky one came up for sale used and a buddy bought it for me whilst my funds were low. I've contacted CW about a replacement SMIC which does have the upside of being a straight swap with no worries on pipe bending or air box housing. I bumped his group buy thread on parts for sale to see if anyone else is looking at the moment. The car isn't due its next roll into the garage for service/MoT time until May so I probably have until March to make up my mind on a yes or no go on the intercooler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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