The stock FMIC looks small but might be all that is necessary. Has anyone done any testing on it to see at what point(s) its efficiency drops off?

Need might drive the vendors to try to make a better replacement.

http://www.mc2magazine.com/images/We...gineFront1.jpg

 

Seems to be next to no serious testing here on the 2007 MCS yet.

 

many vendors haven't recieved there R56 yet... some of us (myself included) are waiting paitently for there mule.

Also, many vendors may not want to post everything they have yet because then it will start the bandwagon effect and all the vendors will be doing. i know i would rather develop a product line and release it then piece by piece it so that everyone else can't copy or steal the product ideas...

wait patiently... there is lots of new and excitng stuff to come...

 

The efficiency of the stock FMIC is not all up to the vendors. After all, knowing that there is a seemingly endless supply of suckers, the vendors will probably make new FMICs whether they are actually needed not. What I was really wondering was whether any private owners had done any testing on the FMIC. Posted data might be a catalyst for the vendors to make something better, especially given specific criteria to meet. This would be preferable to all the initial data coming from the vendors, with us having to wade through a sea of potentially false performance advantage claims.

 

During my dyno pulls I datalogged the IAT's. On every 4th gear pull, the IAT went from ~70F [near ambient] to ~120F, and took several minutes with "the huge 4-foot drum fan" to cool it back down.

I haven't measured or calculated any efficiency numbers, however these chassis-dyno numbers of the intercooler aren't bad for stock. Sure a larger intercooler would help, but so would a more efficient turbo compressor!

Cheers,
Ryan

 

Regarding the IC, I could see the aftermarket filling with replacements that are too big and/or poorly designed. I hope the focus will instead be on improved efficiency.

Is the stock turbo inherently inefficient?

 

The stock R56 turbo isn't nearly as inefficient as the R53's M45 roots blower, however I'd bet there is still much to gain from a more efficient aftermarket turbo. Also, a more efficient turbo compressor would lessen the importance of changing the intercooler, unless it becomes too much of a flow resistance.

 

http://photos207.online.fr/2492.jpg

 

While I can't help on concrete numbers, Gabe's review on the R56 included a bit of info from Erich Sonntag that a larger intercooler would be one of the hot mods:
http://motoringfile.com/2007/02/07/m...ini/#more-5558

Since he has no vested interest (I presume) in aftermarket intercoolers, I'd say it's a decent bet that there's something to his statement.

 

It could deffintally(sp) benifit from a new down pipe. Me and a friend just started making trubo manifold from 304 stainless, I was going to make a turbo manifold for the R53 but the R56. I just need to get ahold of a factory header and down pipe. It might be time to make some Mini's go fast.

 

Ryephile, any thoughts on the realibility of a modded R56. The 53's cast block was its strong point. From the point of view of some that works around boosted imports, it seem like a turbo 53 would be the better choice over buying a R56, Dollar for Dollar. Any idea if the new block has a close deck, that could make a big diffrence in potential power.I guess some body will find out soon enough.

 

We've had ours for some time, but intercooler testing hasn't been at the top of my list of things to do. The stock core is very small, though.

It spools like crazy down low, but it runs out of steam at the top end. So it's efficient at a certain low RPM/flow range, not so efficient at high RPM and flow. A larger turbo would be the opposite. It's all a matter of tradeoffs.

That's pretty good, actually, if those temps are at the manifold. Turbo outlet temperatures can be over 200F.

But many cars measure the intake air temp at the air flow meter, which is usually BEFORE the turbo. I haven't yet noticed where the temp sensor is on this car...is it part of the airflow meter between the airbox and the turbo inlet? Or somewhere else?

--Dan
Mach V
FastMINI.net

 

The TMAP sensor is on the boost tube on the passenger side of the car, just upstream of the Throttle Body [which is buried underneath the intake manifold]. The temp signal is the blue wire!

Be aware though, there's a 2nd MAP sensor in the intake manifold itself, though it doesn't have a temp sensor in it.

FYI: Turbo compressor outlet temps can get way over 200F, more like over 300F if you're really pushing the compressor!

 

Alta said they're making a much bigger FMIC...not out yet obviously.