is it worth it for the big intercooler if all you're doing is the 15% pulley, ecu reprogram cold air intake and aftermarket cat back exhaust?

what kind of gains are to be expected from the addition of a large IC with only those modifications, is the stock IC really maxed out on a stock S that you need the bigger one for those mods? Or does it not make sense to do it with only those mods...are the gains too little?

 

I noticed a definative difference after my DFIC!

 

I would get the GP intercooler if possible as it is better than any of the aftermarket coolers that I have seen. Even the stock ones beat out the aftermarket ones for efficency.

Bill

 

At your state of tune the stock IC is not maxxed out.

You will see some advantage under limited conditions. I can think of better things to spend the money on.
Yes, I do have a larger IC.

 

Depends on were you live and if you plan to track your car. If you live somewhere it gets 100+ or your going to track your car and you go with a DFIC you will see a big difference and if you go with a Water jet system on that you will see just that much more.


Have you seen a DFIC?

 

You could try the Alta diverter w/water. Good bang for the buck @ less than $200 with new boots to boot.

 

the diverter and sprayer is a great mod, for cheap! Just adding the silicone hoses I noticed a difference in throttle response. and when spraying its even greater.

http://www.altaminiperformance.com/p...er-Version-2-0

 

What mechanism do you think is at work to produce this effect? You are talking about the runner/horn boots, or something different?

cheers,

 

yep the horn boots, the stock ones have an oil resavor in the middle of them causing some unstable air, the silicone replacements seem to help stablizes the air and give some increased throttle response. Im sure the bigger IC have these also.

in the description they call them slicone intercooler couplers.

 

I noticed a significant performance improvement with the DFIC, particularly heat-soak recovery time.

 

Look into meth chem cooling.. the spray come in under boost, and cools the charge and also increases the burn and stops ping and ign retard!! Look at it this way.. cool engine and intercooler.. push hard in 1st... cooler starts heating.. 2nd, ... hotter...3rd, hotter ect.. there isnt enough air flow to cool the cooler yet!! 4th .. 5th.... the cooler is HOT now and the air flow is good and cooling the i/c !! but what about all the heat.. and ign retard thru the gears to that air flow...??

Meth chemical cooling comes on at your set boost.. 10 lbs?? every time the boost hits that setting it goes to work... cooling and bumping the burn and octain.. every time .. every gear.. all the way to the end... and thru that entire run with the chem cooler, you have built power where the air flow wasnt good enough for the Air I/C !!

And the system is 500.00 LESS than the big I/C's that are out there now!! Doesnt look as "Racy" as the huge I/C.. but gotta be more power!!

Just me................................

Thumper

 

No, me too........
After making a few trips to the local S&S for dry ice & wraping it on the IC with a thermal blanket...... it was free! The best no cost mod. Too bad it doesen't last very long..........

 

I thought it was quite clear as to what I said.

 

You should expect no gains from a bigger IC. What you should expect is there won't be as much power lost due to a heat soak condition.

If you track the car alot and notice significant power loss on later sessions on the track then you might want to invest in a up-rated IC. But don't expect it to do pretty much anything for everyday street driving.

You could also go with a sprayer of some sort of help scrub the heat from the system and get colder air to the engine. However, those are depletable systems. So if you run out of whatever you're spraying you lose the benefit and you're back to normal until you refill the system.

 

My DFIC does alot in every day street driving!!!

And my AVG speed per tank is around 17mph!

 

I agree with Obehave in that the stock intercooler still has plenty of capability to reduce power loss, especially with the mods you have described. If you have a big budget, then go for all the engine mods --- head, camshaft, header, etc.

IMO, if you haven't put on lighter wheels and non-run flats, then doing so would be a most desirable route. You will definitely notice a greater improvement in "performance" than with any aftermarket intercooler system. Of course, if you plan to track your car in a serious and competitive way, then the wheels/tyres/suspension area needs definite attention.

Just my $0.03----

Good luck,

 

thanks everyone, basically i have the budget for most of the bolt ons and would like to do them all...

I'd rather leave the original motor untouched, bolt ons only since it's going to be my wife's every day car.

the Alta air intake, Alta one sided exhaust, Alta 15% pulley, bigger Throttle body, Alta big IC, retuned ECU, KW variant 1 coilovers, AP BB kit, lightweight 18's, Aero kit, black with all trim blacked out, tints...and she's all set.
My wife will drive the car for the following 3-4 yrs. so it's gotta be a daily driver setup.

I honestly considered putting her in a Lotus Elise but the lack of trunk space kills it, since she goes shopping a lot LOL, not to mention, it ain't the safest of cars out there, the Mini is much more solid in my opinion.

 

I'll try to save you some money here.
Skip the throttle body. With what you have listed for mods it's a waste of money.

Personally I'd rethink the 18s. Good for bling not so for performance.
Lightweight 18s is a bit of an oxymoron. If you do run 18s I'd seriously look into some strut tower reinforcement.

My 2¢ a rear sway bar upgrade and some cheap fixed front camber plates and you've spent money more wisely.

 

well, lightweight for 18's is what i should have said, i think the 18's look better than the 17's once the car is lowered...why the strut tower reinforcement???

Most likely the K1's is what i would do on the car, powdercoated gunmetal with a 1/4" thin red pinstripe around the outer diameter of ea. wheel to set off where the wheel ends and tire begins. They're cheap and look good.

My wife likes these...although i haven't any idea who makes them.



Either way, i'm sticking with a 7.5" wheel whether it's 17's or 18's.

 

Pleeease read:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...light=mushroom

 

Beat me to it

 

so who sells these cheap fixed front camber plates?
is this 'a fix' for the mushrooming issue?

here in south FL there aren't many potholes at all, for the most part roads are pretty glass.

 

Ever hit something you didn't quite mean to going 65++ on the freeway? Ever been in a real hurry to get somewhere and take that speed bump a little to fast?

For camper plates, look here:
https://secure3.nexternal.com/shared...products%2Easp
or here:
http://helix13.com/mini/products/suspension-chasis

For reinforcement plates, look here:
http://www.m7tuning.com/main.m7/store/10036
or here:
http://www.m7tuning.com/main.m7/store/10025

 

the strut tower brace looks like it would do the job.

 

Yup. 2 birds with 1 stone.
Dinan has 1 also that covers all 3 bolts. There are also some 2 bolt tower braces that offer good suport for the shock towers. You would need to spend some time researching which ones have billet mounts, cast won't cut it.