Hi all.

I recently bought ALTA FMIC. I track my MINI, and the number 1 reason for this mod is to make the car run cooler and increase reliability. I also have NM air charge/discharge pipes, and DoS intake. None of these are installed yet, but in couple weeks I will take care of them.

The point of FMIC is to cool down the charge air, right. Since the cooler air is denser, long story short, you can get similar HP with lower boost (with stock tune). Because the stock tune will adjust the boost for stock power levels.

You can tune the ECU, and increase the boost level to a point where you have similar charge air temps with the bigger FMIC. But then this doesn't align with my main reasoning for getting the FMIC.

Now the questions:

1. What is the stock boost level?
2. What is the boost level with FMIC?
3. Relevant to #2, ALTA says their FMIC is 2x larger than stock... does that make the charge air 2x cooler or boost level 2x less or both or none?

What I want to do is, let's say stock boost is 10psi, and this is reduced to 6psi with FMIC (I made up the numbers). I want to get a tune and make the boost 8psi. This way, I'll get more power, and still run cooler than stock.

 

You're over exaggerating what a FMIC can do for an engine.
A intercoolers does keep the intake air closer to ambient over a longer period of usage time.
The ECU in it's stock form won't have to pull timing due to air intake temps rising (to prevent auto-ignition or "knock")...
That keeps the output of the engine near or at the same level as design; there's less or no loss of designed power due to heat stroke.

No, that logic cannot be used. The measurements you should be looking at is the surface area of the FMIC, the flow rate, and the heat transfer coefficient to determine cooling capacity.

Problem with what you don't know, is the 6psi mixtures MORE DENSE than the 10psi warmer mixture?
Typically, more boost, evening with slightly warmer temps has more combustion output due to amount of burnable fuel.

- Erik

 

Man, that's a long winded answer...

stock, 12-14 psi
with the Alta... 12-14 psi...

I didn't see any difference in boost pressure. What I did see was a dramatic lowering of intake charge temps. (as read by my Scangauge) with the teeny tiny stock intercooler, the intake temp would get well up into the 150F's or higher with almost the slightest amount of loud pedal application. With the Alta, intake temps almost never exceed 115F?

Then you add a tune. Boost pressure goes up to about 18psi max, and you have cooler charge temps. more power...

 

Great! This is the type of answer I need!

What are your intake temps with 18psi?

Thank you!