Looking for some feedback from you guys/gals. Found a used Perrin TMIC on gtlegacy forum and seems like a good deal to me. This is the product: http://www.rallysportdirect.com/Perrin-PSP-ENG-320BK-Top-Mount-Intercooler-Black. Owner claims it's been installed for 5k miles. He wants $475 shipped. Anything I need to be aware of when purchasing a used intercooler? Thanks
Intercoolers are pretty much fool proof. Make sure its not a knock off for that price and there is no structure damage that could indicate a boost leak
Run Away! This is the worst TMIC you can buy. Hell I will sell you mine for $450 if you really want it. Ask myself, Derp, Xluben and anyone at NF who has worked with this TMIC or the IIR knock off version. It doesn't fit well. The underside hits your slave cylinder for the clutch. It loves to leak on the turbo side. The neck for the TB hose is a bad angle and is too short. Your TB hose will pop off every time if you don't set it right. Ignore the advice above. He has no idea what he is talking about. This TMIC is ****.
To add to this list. The gasket for the turbo side is a joke. It is plastic. The TMIC has a groove for a rubber ring gasket, but is too shallow to hold it. Lots of research allowed me to find a gasket for a Chevy thermostat that works, but it is less then ideal. A few people have had issues with the threads stripping out. We had to resurface mine. It wasn't even flat at the BPV or Turbo sides. There are better options.
Like Derek said, there are some fitment issues, I had some stripping issues, i had to buy an AVO throttle body hose to get it to connect to the throttle body, bleh. Let's put it this way, as soon as Grimmspeed has their intercooler out, I'm getting rid of the Perrin.
WOW glad I asked! Sounds like Perrin should be embarrassed to have this product on the market. Thanks for the insight fellas, I'll be passing this up.
Yeah, I had the knock off. The BPV bolt holes stripped and the overall fitment was poor. I'd look into a Process West or GrimmSpeed (when it comes out).
I second the PW option. I loved how it fit on Gridlocks 09 WRX. (Now sold) I haven't seen the GS one in person but I am sure it will be solid. I have faith in all of their stuff.
PW is the obvious choice, too bad they're almost a G! Just found one on NASIOC for $720, someone get on it!
That was going so well till you said racer x.....I wouldn't touch that setup.....cheap and decent fmic go with the Fms. Top mount I only know how much I hate ofspunk's and derp's, that's why I went fmic
He told me he wants a FMIC and that you don't know what your talking about....he is prolly just trying to be nice to you. I on the other hand don't care about being nice to you...lol
I'd MAYBE go FMIC if I found a killer deal on a quality new/used product otherwise I'm going TMIC route.
You can get a BRAND NEW FMS TMIC for very close to what you were about to pay for that used TMIC. Which is what I was trying to tell you about a month ago @Tash <--- knows all and understands nothing
I must have blacked out when reading your message Can we change the title of this thread to "Would you buy this FMIC?" Been reading up on FMS and it seems the only issue with it is prideful Americans are complaining it's an overseas knock-off of a Process West core. Who's running this setup and what's your experience?
A large % of NF customers run the FMS FMIC. @xluben has one. @AVANG had one. Lor had one. @snwbdr94 has one but he ended up with an upside down one... lol. There are a lot more, I just can't think of who they are off hand. I have not heard anything bad about them.
FMS requires a removal of OEM bumper beam Racerx does not. I had it on my 2011 and had absolutely no problems with it. No fitment issues as well. It's not meant to be used with high horsepower set ups but if you stay in the 350whp range it works perfect. No mods to a bumper either.
why not a good quality top mount? If you daily drive in this crap weather why take the chance of a front mount getting blocked with snow I love my GrimmSpeed top mount
Cuz half of the fmic sits behind the bumper beam, making it less usefull imho useless....also its in so many parts and couplers it has greater chance of leaking. Also the legacy ones do not fit real great, the pipes off the endcaps hang too low and get hit if you bottom out the bumper. The list can go on....for the money Fms every day of the week for an lgt fmic setup
Snow can't block an intercooler. snow could get in the cooling fins, which would then cool the air that much more. The air flows through welded channels in the core. Take a peak at a diagram. Your GS TMIC works the same way just on a smaller scale.
Damn the tables have turned! The only reason I didn't consider a FMIC in the first place is because I didn't want to mess with the install, but to save a couple-three hundred bones I can suck it up. Is the turbo lag after installing a FMIC quite noticeable or is it a non-issue?
Also in case it isn't yet obvious, I'm a proponent of FMIC. I think all sports/ performance turboed cars should come with one. Except for those that actually rallyx their WRX/ STI, they is no reason for a TMIC. I run the Perrin kit on my 2011 WRX. I got good deal on a used one. It was a big decision for me because I viewed it as seriously modifying the car. It's really not a big deal. I am very glad I made the leap. Losing that bumper beam doesn't make a car less safe either. That bar is for crashes under 25 mph or something like that. You won't die in a car crash just because that beam was removed.
Not to highjack the thread but I currently have the turboXS TMIC because it is perfectly fine for my level of power but also because I have a light bar with two big fog lights in the way of where a FMIC would go. I plan on eventually upping the power and might need a front mount, do you guys think the light bar/fogs would hinder the cooling much?
I will just pretend that you would like to know the answer too haha. Maybe it will help you decide front mount or top mount...
I wasn't planning on posting it till after the holidays, but if you are looking for a good TMIC, I have a Process West for 08+ WRX for sale. It has about 1k miles on it only, and I am even including the full splitter / scoop duct assembly so you won't have to rip off your old one to bolt on the larger PW duct like I did (a replacement from Subaru is 150 bucks if you decide to return to stock). I'd take $750 for it .. PM if you are interested.
When I see 600hp cars still running top mount intercoolers, I tend to question the usefulness of front mount. +1 to invested in a good quality product though. Process West is pretty much the top dog out there. Turbo XS is heavily used (what's on mine), and Grimmspeed's new one is attractively priced too.
