Front Mount InterCooler VS. Top Mount InterCooler

**alwayz_yummy** · September 29th, 2009 08:54 AM

anu advantages/disadvantages against each other?

stock subaru cars use top-mount IC while stock evos use FMIC?

napansin ko din why SUV now adapting FMICs?

**ghosthunter** · September 29th, 2009 09:32 AM

FMIC is better because you get the air flow directly into the IC. Downside is the IC is connected to the turbo and engine via a longer length of tube. The longer connection results in some pressure drop between the turbo and the engine's intake. FMIC is also prone to damage (impact or flying rocks) since it is positioned right in front of the vehicle.

TMIC uses a much shorter length of tubing to connect the turbo and the engine so the pressure drop is much less. Downside with TMIC is the IC requires an air scoop to keep air flow towards it. When the vehicle is not moving, the heat from the engine can "heat-soak" the TMIC which dramatically decreases it's performance until airflow is restored to lower it's temperature.

**ramledi** · September 29th, 2009 01:37 PM

ang masasabi ko lang mas safe ang top mount

yung corona sa subdivision namin na naka front mount ang intercooloer e bumanga sa puno ng tapat ng bahay namin ayun sabog tsk tsk tsk buhay naman yung driver kaya lang wasted yung sasakyan

**niky** · September 29th, 2009 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by ramledi

ang masasabi ko lang mas safe ang top mount

yung corona sa subdivision namin na naka front mount ang intercooloer e bumanga sa puno ng tapat ng bahay namin ayun sabog tsk tsk tsk buhay naman yung driver kaya lang wasted yung sasakyan

Well... if you slam into a tree hard enough to destroy the front end of your car, the intercooler is the least of your problems... :hysterical: A wrecked car is still a wrecked car, no matter how you look at it.

**ramledi** · September 29th, 2009 04:45 PM

grabe kasi yung tunog nung bumangga ang lakas nung sabog para bang may nagpaputok ng dynamite(lol exaggerated) pero lakas talaga pagtunog kasi nung impact then BOOM!!!

tingin ko nasa 40 to 50 km/h lang takbo nya lumubog lang kasi yung gitna ng bumper nya hanggang sa exhaust manifold pero makikita mo na may sumabog talaga

sabi nung tumulong lasing daw kasi

**alwayz_yummy** · September 29th, 2009 07:46 PM

aside from those, meron pa?

so cooling efficiency and pressure drop lang ang difference between the 2 set-ups?

**cocoy** · September 29th, 2009 08:13 PM

for the two cars mentioned above. i think it has a lot to do with the engine design as to why their intercoolers are located where they are.. the subaru is a flat engine design thats why its practical to have the intercooler on the top.. while the mitsu is a vertical engine design, therefore putting the intercooler on the top of the engine would alter the hood and maybe the aerodynamics of the car.. i could be wrong.. just my thoughts..

**alwayz_yummy** · September 29th, 2009 09:13 PM

another comparo:

old turbo diesel SUVss (90's) top mount, now FMIC na..

**cocoy** · October 2nd, 2009 04:13 PM

top mount parin mga 3.0 D4D hilux and fortuner, i think it has something to do with space under the hood.

**niky** · October 2nd, 2009 07:20 PM

Manufacturers are switching to front-mount because top-mount are problematic in terms of heat soak.

The big problem of a TMIC is that a hood scoop usually does not effectively route cold air through the TMIC. In fact, some tests have shown hot air goes out of a poorly designed hood scoop... further heating the TMIC. Even Scooby hood scoops don't flow very much air into the intercooler, despite being pretty tall.

The extra length of pipe for the FMIC is more than offset by the superior cooling of the FMIC... and with a bumper designed for an FMIC, it should be safer than if you shoehorn it in front of the bumper reinforcement bar, as in that Corona conversion.