Just wondering what everyones opinions are?

Now going down the route of getting better cooling upgrades, upgrading hoses and pipes etc, but am unsure as to what to go for...Front mounted intercooler(any brands reccommended?) or twin (again brands reccommended)?

Thanks guys... :)

unless you've uprated the injector sizes, Turbo's and fuel mapping for 450bhp + then the front mount isn't going to do you much good. If your coolers are too big they can loose hp as much as too small.

 

Your coolers should reflect what your upgrades require. However front mount look very bling.

 

Chris at Get Greddy is selling both Greddy front mount and a different make side mount that doo look nice. Or Paul at Smithy's place is selling Greddy side mounts. Get your self subscribed and you'll save yourself a lot more than the £20 membership fee on you first purchase from either of these guys on either of these cooler set ups.

 

Its just like having a computor. You should deside what you want to do and how much you can throw at it. Then buy what you require, but start with the basics first. Like induction, exhaust, chip and boost controler. Even with standard coolers you'll see arm wrenching power increases.

Just wondering what everyones opinions are?

Now going down the route of getting better cooling upgrades, upgrading hoses and pipes etc, but am unsure as to what to go for...Front mounted intercooler(any brands reccommended?) or twin (again brands reccommended)?

Thanks guys... :)

 

I went the stillen route for my intercooler upgrade as I want to keep a stock look. (The stillen twin set-up is alledgedly the largest you can fit behind stock front-end without mods but I am sure the Greddy & HKS guys will claim the same). The stillens are well made and in actual fact do require some minor cutting of the stock mounting brackets, and slight bending of the carbon canister pipes. You must add the 'essential' stillen air ducts too.

With such uprated twin intercoolers the ducting is essential as without them the airflow would not naturally find its way to the upper part of the larger intercoolers in meaningful volumes. Looking side on the airflow is required to crank up somewhat. If you haven't got an undertray under your front end (lots are missing) then this is even more so as great gobs of cold air are just flowing out again under the car.

IMHO If you have a body kit the front mounted option seems an easier bet but seems to require lots more plumbing. IMHO

Just thoughts but I was also thinking though that if you have an additional auto trans oil cooler upgrade then front mounted intercoolers is one more layer in what is becoming a big sandwich.

 

e.g. Front Mounted intercooler, ->Oil cooler converted to autobox cooler,->aftermarket Oil cooler,->Radiator. That air is sure gonna be well warmed up by the time it hits the rad.................

 

I will be interested in other experiences

Thats a good point, do have an auto-box cooler there too, with regards to the Stillen twin set-up, is it possible to get these in the UK or will I have to organise shipping& costs and buy them direct from the states only?

2-up i can sort you out with a nice set of GReddy side mounts, tried & tested by many people on here, i have the GReddy front mount (look in my rides). Which ever way you go email me and i'll sort you out :)

I might be selling some second hand ones i just got, not sure i'm gonna use them

Thats a good point, do have an auto-box cooler there too, with regards to the Stillen twin set-up, is it possible to get these in the UK or will I have to organise shipping& costs and buy them direct from the states only?

 

I got mine for $200 via US ebay, I then ordered the ducts for these after talking to the guys at Stillen convinced me they were essential "they are only marginally better than stock without the ducts" (a further $199). I got them shipped to a work colleague in the US who brought them over on his next trip to UK although Stillen are happy to ship worldwide..........I have bought other things from them and shipped direct but you have to factor in VAT which you may (it seems hit and miss sometimes) get stung for unless they label it as a gift or of low low value.

 

Having said all that if I was to buy new I almost certainly would get the Greddy ones from chris on this list as they are a good price for members and look much easier to fit than the stillens / HKS designs. Being based on a thicker core design rather than the taller units that the Stillen / HKS ones are I would encourage you to make ducting from the front bumper inlets to force air into these especially if your front undertray is missing as, lets just say, the airflow needs some encouragement with all the stuff thats in there behind the bumper to cause eddy's...........

2 SMs

FMIC's arnt *really* needed unless your pushing real big power (650+) unless you want them just for looks of course!!

 

SMIC's are far more efficient & will see less pressure drop

Thanks for the help, learning lots about the Z...(am a girlie BTW)

The other half drives it and does the manual stuff, but damn...I love this car so much I cant wait to get spending.

We really don't wanna get massive BHP gains at this stage, as we have a stock engine (no upgraded internals) and at the moment it's also on the stock auto-box, so I dont wanna put too much pressure on these, then WHEN the auto gives up we''ll upgrade that and take the car from there.

well ive got a HKS front mount and its given me nice hp gains and it looks drop dead stunning.and so far its never caused me any cooling problems people say it blocks the radiator which technically it does but the slam panels help air go behind it as would a decent headlight panel

SMIC's are the best, the pace SMIC's are the biggest you can get, the greddys are the best IMO!

 

FMIC for very big bhp rebuilds!

i though that unless ur running serious power the FMIC can cause major lag ??

i though that unless ur running serious power the FMIC can cause major lag ??

 

Too many variables to reply with a definate answer on this!

Pace side mounts work fine for me.

well ive got a HKS front mount and its given me nice hp gains and it looks drop dead stunning.and so far its never caused me any cooling problems people say it blocks the radiator which technically it does but the slam panels help air go behind it as would a decent headlight panel

Fair one, looks stunning mate! Dave

FMIC get my vote they are much more efficient than side mounts !!! and why you decide that they increase lag ? If you compare volume to one FMIC with volume for two of bigest SMIC then you will fond that this is big mistake ;) Except that FMIC give more good look to car they reduce charge temps a lot more than side mounts because contact core area with air is more than contact area with SMIC.

If FMIC is full kit with pipes and all for direct fit i will never get side mounts. In plase to side mounts i will mount air filters for dual intake and will have cold air all time ;) This will free place for radiator cooling too like showed to the picture :)

 

I am in development to one FMIC kit(with two different core thickness 3" or 4") for 300zx and will look like this :

 

 

Thin core(3") will be good for engines from standart(with boosted turbos that cause more heat) to arround 550-600hp and big core(4") will be for more powered cars. When sample will be ready and tested to our project 300zx i will post thread :) And if there is an interest to this kit i can made him in production with price that can beat all 300zx FMIC prices on the market ;)

I think that first reason for people to prefer side mounts kits is that FMIC kits have more high prices, other words are only justifications ;)

what about if you have and auto? surely its too much of a pain to re sit the 2 oil coolers (if upgreaded) when going for a fmic.

FMIC get my vote they are much more efficient than side mounts !!! and why you decide that they increase lag ? If you compare volume to one FMIC with volume for two of bigest SMIC then you will fond that this is big mistake ;) Except that FMIC give more good look to car they reduce charge temps a lot more than side mounts because contact core area with air is more than contact area with SMIC.

If FMIC is full kit with pipes and all for direct fit i will never get side mounts. In plase to side mounts i will mount air filters for dual intake and will have cold air all time ;) This will free place for radiator cooling too like showed to the picture :)

 

I am in development to one FMIC kit(with two different core thickness 3" or 4") for 300zx and will look like this :

 

 

Thin core(3") will be good for engines from standart(with boosted turbos that cause more heat) to arround 550-600hp and big core(4") will be for more powered cars. When sample will be ready and tested to our project 300zx i will post thread :) And if there is an interest to this kit i can made him in production with price that can beat all 300zx FMIC prices on the market ;)

I think that first reason for people to prefer side mounts kits is that FMIC kits have more high prices, other words are only justifications ;)

 

have to disagree i guess this is more of a sales pitch for a trader or yourself,check MAC1 in the rides section im sure with the power his car is putting out the company who built it would of suggested to have one fitted side mounts are just as good if not better on a v6 a FMIC is commonly used on skylines supras 200s due to engine design idealy you want a good balance of air and this is why i think SM is much more idealy suited for a 300zx and if the core is to big then you have problems with the MAF as there isnt much room and the stock systym has to be junked so dual setup with stand alone ecu like hks f con IMO is all this extra hassle and money worth it unless your running silly power just for the dragstrip NO

what about if you have and auto? surely its too much of a pain to re sit the 2 oil coolers (if upgreaded) when going for a fmic.

 

How is it a pain to relocate the coolers to the stock IC location ? ive done it on mine and all it involves is extending the pipe work.

At the end of the day your all having your own opinion which your entitled to, but as someone who has a FMIC i'm telling you there is NO extra lag so stop guessing or listening to old wives tales :tongue: ;)

 

Maybe lag with big tubs but that isnt what we are talking about

that FM looks waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay bigger than 2x SM's!! have you measured the capacity of that FM v 2xSM's?? + the additional piping all adds to the volume.

larger volume of air to compress = more lag im afraid - ye cannae change the laws of physics cap'n ;)

 

its the age old big is better so fookin huge must be great!! total overkill IMO.

what about if you have and auto? surely its too much of a pain to re sit the 2 oil coolers (if upgreaded) when going for a fmic.

there is no problem oil coolers to stay behind intercooler like water radiator, if you are pedantic you can plase them in plase of side mounts but in this case you can't go to dual intake setup :) I think that dual intake setup is more important for more power instead 5 degree colder oil ;)

 

have to disagree i guess this is more of a sales pitch for a trader or yourself,check MAC1 in the rides section im sure with the power his car is putting out the company who built it would of suggested to have one fitted side mounts are just as good if not better on a v6 a FMIC is commonly used on skylines supras 200s due to engine design idealy you want a good balance of air and this is why i think SM is much more idealy suited for a 300zx and if the core is to big then you have problems with the MAF as there isnt much room and the stock systym has to be junked so dual setup with stand alone ecu like hks f con IMO is all this extra hassle and money worth it unless your running silly power just for the dragstrip NO

To this time i don't trade nothing, but if i trade and can trade and side mounts too, but there is no reason because good fmic setup for good money is ways better than compromise side mount setup. Really MAC1's car is great but no one can convince me that side mount intercooler can be more efficient than front mount. In example i have friend with Mitsubishi 3000gt twin turbo, his engine is around 450 wheel hp and around two years he drove with side mounts(2 ways bigest than stock ones), before one week he consider to go to front mount because he like the look of the car with FMIC and he did. After work is finished he sayd.......man this is not my car, puls more brutal and so strong than before !!! Believe me, FMIC on 3000gt or Dodge Stealth is more more difficult work than such intercooler in 300zx but work is worth really ;)

For problems with MAF......this is not serious really :), are you ever listen for dual pop(dual intake) chips for our cars ? I don't know too why you need stand alone ECU, after stock ECU is really perfect choice after you reprogram it ;) Result is same like stand alone may be better because you still will have knock safety maps until with aftermarket ECU you don't have such safety functions ;)

 

that FM looks waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay bigger than 2x SM's!! have you measured the capacity of that FM v 2xSM's?? + the additional piping all adds to the volume.

larger volume of air to compress = more lag im afraid - ye cannae change the laws of physics cap'n

 

its the age old big is better so fookin huge must be great!! total overkill IMO.

Man....waaaaaaaay bigger are not right words :) i will say waaaaaaaay colder air with fmic, if in this forum there are guys that goes from big side mounts to big front mount only they can tell you correct opinion all other words like i said are unnecessary :) really if volume is more than side mount lag will be a little more but air will be ways ways colder, i myself prefer colder air(safe engine) than hotter air and 100-200rpm reduced lag. This is not secret that 99% of high powered turbo cars today are with fmic setups, why you think that 300zx need to be different ;)

MAC1's car is great but no one can convince me that side mount intercooler can be more efficient than front mount.

 

 

Everyone is entitled to an opinion and NO ONE will ever convince me that FM is the way to go!

 

At this stage I have no idea what true BHP my car is pushing out, but I can say it is very very quick!

 

It has all ready seen off a Yamaha FZR 1000 rolling at 70mph in 3rd gear, and a Noble M12 GTO.( a friend’s car so yes they were racing me)

both have pros and cons and both are available in good and bad designs

 

if you decide to use a frontmount, I'd strongly recommend to relocate the oilcooler(s) to the (then free) space under the headlights.

Also try to improve airflow to the radiator as much as possible (eg. by using a special nosepanel and airguides), since the FM will block a lot of air.

An advantage of using a frontmount is that you can get rid of quite a few 90 degrees bends in the (intake) plumbing, eg. by using a dual intake system, with the intakes in the area under the headlights.

This will improve airflow to and from the turbos and decrease lag.

 

The problem with a lot of the larger sidemounts that have a high "charge face" , is that the ic's will be covered by the frontbumper for 80% or even more.

A problem with sidemounts that have a thicker charge face, like the Greddy sidemounts, is they can't dissipate heat very well, because of the lack of flow/air behind the intercooler.

 

Here's a good and informative website about intercoolers on the Zed:

http://www.tdm-works.com/

 

PS, my opinion: don't bother going aftermarket intercoolers when you are still

running stock turbos...unless you live in an area with a hot climate, the intercoolers are damaged or need to be replaced for some other reason.

 

-Eric

have to disagree i guess this is more of a sales pitch for a trader or yourself,check MAC1 in the rides section im sure with the power his car is putting out the company who built it would of suggested to have one fitted side mounts are just as good if not better on a v6 a FMIC is commonly used on skylines supras 200s due to engine design idealy you want a good balance of air and this is why i think SM is much more idealy suited for a 300zx and if the core is to big then you have problems with the MAF as there isnt much room and the stock systym has to be junked so dual setup with stand alone ecu like hks f con IMO is all this extra hassle and money worth it unless your running silly power just for the dragstrip NO

 

Looks stunning mate and Front mount is the way to go.. You have a bigger intercooler so the compressed air is gonna be far cooler than 2 little side mounts cause you can't get them big enough. In terms of lag you are litterally talking milliseconds as the IC is gonna be full of air from startup anyway. Combine this with twin Scroll roller barring turbo's and you have one hell of a machine.. The Z engine runs bloody hot and IC's this size are a welcome addittion. If big front mounted IC's wern't important then why does everyone do it... WRC cars, Skylines, Mitsubishi Evo's, Modified Scooby's all move the top mounted IC to front of the car for better cooling..