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Help installing WRX TMIC - what do I need to buy? (lot of PICS)

Featured Replies

My car currently has a Ford Thunderbird IC. I think it's getting heatsoaked quickly for the following reasons:

 

1.) It's right on top of the turbo

2.) The hood "vents" on the XT Turbo hood barely covers 40% of the IC

3.) It's painted flat black

4.) It's smaller than a WRX IC (I think)

 

I want to swap it for a WRX IC, which I can (hopefully) position more towards the center of the engine bay, and replace the stock hood scoop with one of those WRX imitation scoops on eBay and hopefully draw in more air.

 

What I need to know is: What parts do I need to buy? Obviously, I need the IC, a BOV/BPV, and the hose to the IC. I'm wondering if the stock Y-pipe the WRX uses will fit in this case...

 

PICS:

3_55_348.jpg

Ford IC as it is installed now

 

3_55_349.jpg

Another view of the IC and the Volvo BPV currently installed

 

3_55_350.jpg

crappy hood scoop coverage

 

3_55_351.jpg

IC is out. anybody, the little gold colored hose input - what is that for?

 

3_55_352.jpg

Turbocharger I'm probably going to have to worry about hitting the black cylinder shaped thing in the upper left right with the WRX IC?

 

3_55_353.jpg

Turbocharger area again. Look at the black thing in the upper right. I'm hoping it can be moved...

 

3_55_354.jpg

Makeshift heat shield. I'm guessing there are aftermarket parts that insulate the turbo more effectively?

 

Thanks!

That black thing is your wiper motor and you don't want to even think about screwin with it.

He's right, thats your wiper motor. You wont be able to remove it for good, but you might be able to replace it with a different motor thats either smaller, or has the motor on the otherside.

 

-Brian

Moving to the retrofitting forum

 

Thanks!

 

When did you become a mod? :-p

my .02

 

you got an xt. unlike us gl guys, you have the possibility of a front mount intercooler. remove you front bumper and take some measurements of what size you can fit..you may have to dp a little cutting, but it would be the best place for it as far as cooloing goes.

  • Author

I am thinking very strongly of going FMIC, as has been suggested.

 

I had my mind set on a WRX IC because you can by one for $70-$100, but thinking about a FMIC, looking over my engine bay it seems like it wouldn't be THAT difficult to accomplish....

 

Looking at car domain, there is a member here that was able to mount an FMIC on his XT Turbo.

 

Here is a pic if you are lazy

3_2_356.jpg

 

You can see the hose from the turbo snakes toward the drivers' side, which is he same side the outlet hose from the IC comes from. I believe the reason he did that is because there is space to run a 2.5" hose through on the drivers side, but it appears harder to put a hose through the passenger side.

 

Here is a pic of what the area at my passenger side looks like, by the radiator:

3_55_357.jpg

 

Not much space, as you can see. Still, maybe I can hack some metal and make space somehow.

 

More questions:

It has been suggested that the gold hose inlet on the Ford IC goes to the crankcase. I assume all intercoolers have such an inlet? What is it for? What happens I just... don't use it?

 

Seems to me that a bypass valve would probably be a no no, as I would have to route another line back to the intake. That means I would have to shop for a blow-off valve in addition to an intercooler - anyone know of a cheap one? I don't care how it sounds, really....

 

What effect does the extra length in all these lines have on turbo lag? I'm guessing it would take time for the pressure to "travel" from the turbo all the way around the engine bay and back to the front? Would it be noticable?

I ran a VW/Audi fmic for a while and lag was increased, but not much. I highly reccomend not running a fmic whithout a recirc or blowoff valve, that's to much air to clear out with the dashpot. I run a tmic now due to a nasty run in with a snow bank, I have very little lag now with current setup. VW/Audi chillers have very compatible takeoffs for subaru front mounts, my fav so far. Recirc valves can be found at wreckers for less than 20. I personally don't like how the ecu deals with the blowwoff valves, it's not hard to run a 3/4" line back to the air intake, especially if you've cut up the front anyhow.

 

 

Where do I find out how to post pics?:-\

Hell has frozen over

Pigs now fly

I'm a mod :D

but monkies haven't crawled out of my butt yet!!!:lol:

the gold collored fitting will most likely go back to the idle air control valve. just follow the hose.

 

your ford IC set up looks good as far as placement goes. you would need a bit of heat shielding over the top of the turbo. a sheet of aluminum cam make a big difference.

 

you also could benifit from better air flow thru it.

 

I had a bit of dificulty fitting a WRX intercooler in my engine compartment. partially due to the location of the turbo outlet. it looks like you had a solution for that. it look like yours was rotated and modified to reach the waste gate actuator. is that a wrx or legacy turbo?

 

my WRX IC unit ended up right about where your ford unit is. my VW one I had on before was almost in the same location. I made up for this by providing plenty of air flow and using a heat shield.

 

FMIC would be a better option than the WRX unit. espically because you have a place to put it. if you do go FMIC invest in some nice mandrel bent tubing. its not too expensive from summit or other racing sources.

Looks like a legacy turbo to me...VF11 as in the sig.

 

I looked somewhat closely at a TD04 the other day...and it looks like the housing could be rotated....but a custom mount would need to be made for the wastegate actuator...but I dont think thats too much of an issue.

 

I was putting the WRX TMIC on my RX just now...but it started to rain. :banghead:

  • Author

I am almost certainly going FMIC. Hopefully, in about an hour (eBay bid) I will own one of these

 

3_2_358.jpg

 

:brow::brow::brow:

 

If that hose from the gold outlet from the t-bird IC does go back to the IAC, would it be possible just to plumb it in anywhere along the tubing when I get my new intercooler?

Looks like a legacy turbo to me...VF11 as in the sig.

 

I looked somewhat closely at a TD04 the other day...and it looks like the housing could be rotated....but a custom mount would need to be made for the wastegate actuator...but I dont think thats too much of an issue.

 

I was putting the WRX TMIC on my RX just now...but it started to rain. :banghead:

oh...:o guess I shold have read the sig. oops.

 

I think you could rotate the housing but the actuator rod would be really funky to get around the housing and mount to something.

 

that intercooler would be sweet.:drunk: hope you get it.

  • Author

I got the intercooler! :brow:

 

Now just a matter of getting the tubing. What is the difference between mandrel bent tubing and home depot aluminum tubing?

 

Is that stuff really expensive?

OMG...my WRX IC is installed...and its SO much faster now...

I got the intercooler! :brow:

 

Now just a matter of getting the tubing. What is the difference between mandrel bent tubing and home depot aluminum tubing?

 

Is that stuff really expensive?

mandrel bent tubing has the same ID thru the bends. dont know what you are looking at at the depot so I cant compare.

 

yes Will intercoolers work:cool: . so I am curious how you set it up. you have pics yet?

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