CP-E TMIC vs CX Racing FMIC

4dr Threat

4dr Threat

Greenie N00B Member
Greenie Member
Original post restored:
General rule of thumb is FMICs are superior in cooling and airflow support. However how does a high quality TMIC vs a low quality FMIC compare? Any comparative dynos? Any experience with both? Opinions?

For references car is just intake, exhaust, hpfp, and a tune.
 
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Opinion, no papers to back it up...top mounts can provide decent cooling for Speeds.
If you are serious tracking your car, or suffer from lots of low speed or stop and go, a front mount is superior. Aside from that, anything done poorly is just that. Quality will prevail and lack there of will show in time with breakdowns and issues.
I would rather a proven or quality top mount over a cobbled front mount.
That said, I'm on a stock top mount with wmi, and would prefer to stay top mount. I installed wmi in such a way that I cant go fmic. If I need to I will upgrade the tmic, and the wmi will cover the rest.

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CX racing has a junk intercooler. Need the change that out and look into couplers and clamps that don't suck too.
 
Raider said:
CX racing has a junk intercooler. Need the change that out and look into couplers and clamps that don't suck too.
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I am with you bud. I personally would lean to the cp-e tmic in this case but I wanted to hear what others thought.
 
4dr Threat said:
General rule of thumb is FMICs are superior in cooling and airflow support. However how does a high quality TMIC vs a low quality FMIC compare? Any comparative dynos? Any experience with both? Opinions?

For references car is just intake, exhaust, hpfp, and a tune.
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general rule of thumb? Takes less air to charge a tmic, a well ventilated tmic can cool well. No problem you're better off with a CPE or ETS tmic than CX racing core people have made 400whp+ on the ets intercooler over the years nothing even close on the cx racing they usually complain about high bats and low power even though they're Fmic (because Fmic isn't always best).

I've been around speeds for 8 years, Easter bunny and raider longer unfortunately I can't provide dyno numbers some of that is because it's lost on the old forums and we weren't able to pull it when MSO was set-up (let's not go into that).

Some of the hey my temps are high questions are around here though and have been resolved with swapping from a CX racing to Tr6 or tr8 core for example. That's actually quite common buy a CX racing Fmic piping from therpmstore, JBR brackets and a treadstone core.
 
Awafrican said:
general rule of thumb? Takes less air to charge a tmic, a well ventilated tmic can cool well. No problem you're better off with a CPE or ETS tmic than CX racing core people have made 400whp+ on the ets intercooler over the years nothing even close on the cx racing they usually complain about high bats and low power even though they're Fmic (because Fmic isn't always best).

I've been around speeds for 8 years, enki and raider longer unfortunately I can't provide dyno numbers some of that is because it's lost on the old forums and we weren't able to pull it when MSO was set-up (let's not go into that).

Some of the hey my temps are high questions are around here though and have been resolved with swapping from a CX racing to Tr6 or tr8 core for example. That's actually quite common buy a CX racing Fmic piping from therpmstore, JBR brackets and a treadstone core.
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It was my thoughts as well cp-e > cx racing. I knew the treadstone setups were better. However from a budget standpoint you really start to get up there in price. The reason I was comparing the cp-e tmic vs the cx racing fmic is because they are right around $400. Best bang for the buck so to speak.
 
For $400 I'd definitely go Cpe tmic you'll still get the cooling gains won't have to deal with Fmic piping and messing around with ducting for optimal cooling. Slap it on and go! When you decide it's not enough or want more they have pretty good resale on them too like 300-350
 
Raider said:
CX racing has a junk intercooler. Need the change that out and look into couplers and clamps that don't suck too.
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My couplers and clamps have been mint from them however their core sucks pee pee and the bov flange has leaked on mine and a few others i know. Swapped to vband tial on the hotside and blocked the stock flange off.
 
Easter Bunny said:
Dale gribble did a detailed analysis on the old forum, it was on a speed 6 but basically it's down to the quality of the core. So buy the best core you can
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I remember that! It was what solidified my decision to go with the cpe delta core because he had TONS of data to back it up. Is that thread kaput?
 
Fwiw the piping I had fit like ass and I have a Corksport now.
 
The amount of money spent on a FMIC for minimal gains and dealing with piping headaches isn't worth it unless you're going for "my speed looks fast" status.

cp-e / ets / cs TMIC go very nicely for stock - bnr s3 sized turbos. Want significantly better cooling for cheap? Simple boost switch activated meth kit > FMIC
 
neganox said:
The amount of money spent on a FMIC for minimal gains and dealing with piping headaches isn't worth it unless you're going for "my speed looks fast" status.

cp-e / ets / cs TMIC go very nicely for stock - bnr s3 sized turbos. Want significantly better cooling for cheap? Simple boost switch activated meth kit > FMIC
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Small gains on a stock turbo. I would agree with that context. Difference seems to becomes quite large when s3/cst4 size turbos are used. Show me an s3/cst4 close to 430 whp on a top mount? As far as methanol is concerned. Wait until the methanol quits working. Not uncommon for those sureflow pumps or the controller to quit. Not to mention methanol distribution sucks out of 1 or 2 nozzles. When a car is tuned on enough methanol to make a difference and that system quits working at WOT it will grenade the engine. Reliability of cheap kits suck. By the time you invest in a high quality methanol system might as well go 8th port.
 
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It's been done on tmic (ets / CPE) not CS that I know of. IMO the only reason to really go Fmic is balls to the walls power and PI because of PI rail fitment. If I could run full PI with a tmic you bet your ass I would.

Edit: I should also mention S3 tops out around 400whp typically I know it has done more, S4 would be your 430 numbers more constantly.
 
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Awafrican said:
It's been done on tmic (ets / CPE) not CS that I know of. IMO the only reason to really go Fmic is balls to the walls power and PI because of PI rail fitment. If I could run full PI with a tmic you bet your ass I would
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On a cst4/s3? Last time I checked all cars making anywhere near that power on those turbos are running fmic on e30-e50. Can you show me? (Yes I am aware the s3 is slightly smaller than the cst4) Personally I like the tmic for the budget and simplicity. Not for power. Just my thoughts.
 
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Im using a CX kit with Treadstone IC. Used to CX core first and it was garbage. The piping fit great. I didnt have to cut or modify anything to make it work. The couplers havent been an issue and my BOV flange hasn't leaked.
 
4dr Threat said:
On a cst4/s3? Last time I checked all cars making anywhere near that power on those turbos are running fmic on e30-e50. Can you show me? (Yes I am aware the s3 is slightly smaller than the cst4) Personally I like the tmic for the budget and simplicity. Not for power. Just my thoughts.
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Usually around 400ish is fine with a tmic. ACGamingPCs (Andale927) has a dyno vid i believe making 365 with an ets top mount. I think he told me he used it making 400ish as well. that being said....

FMIC gang >:)
 
StayFrausty said:
Usually around 400ish is fine with a tmic. ACGamingPCs (Andale927) has a dyno vid i believe making 365 with an ets top mount. I think he told me he used it making 400ish as well. that being said....

FMIC gang >:)
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He was on a treadstone fmic on a 400whp s4 (which is larger than an s3/cst4) according to his build list. This was also estimated on a virtual dyno. So 365 whp on a tmic with a larger turbo?

dont get me wrong I have no doubt you can make 400+whp on a tmic. However you are going to have to deal with lack of flow and cooling support to get there. Meaning you prolly need a turbo that supports 60+ lb/min...but that's not even close to the context of a cst4/s3.
 
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