I am currently running APR Stage 2 software (Test pipe, full awe exhuast, intake) I am curious if anyone has any experience with the before and after of installing a front mounted intercooler? Any noticeable sustained boost after several hard pulls? Is it worth the close to $1g investment?

 

youll get mixed feelings about this subject, but in my opinion, if you have the money and u want to eventually go stage 3 or just want another project for your car, deff go for it, it wont hurt. I believe they do help but i dont have 1 so wtf do i know.

 

i read somewhere there's 20 or 40 HP freed up using the FMIC with stage 3 so I assume you'll have some gains with stage 2 and the FMIC. the HP numbers are on the AWE site i think.

 

It really does help quite a bit once the car is all the way warm, it really reduces heat soak and will keep the car running 100% even at very high temperatures. I'm not sure about you but I can deff feel the difference with my car on cooler days than on really hot days, my car feels alot more sluggish once it gets into 90 degree weather. So intercoolers will deff help with that, overall, its not very high on my list of mods I want to get done but its deff on the list, i'd do a fuel pump over an intercooler but probly do the cooler right after the fuel pump imo

 

Ive done some research before and now with this heat in Maryland i notice a difference once it gets in the 90's. The main reason it sounds like a good investment is the lower operating temp/mid-upper hp gains and probably longer life for turbo. Thanks for the responses!

 

esandes numbers are skewed because they compare a bone stock a4 to a chipped a4 with an awe fmic AND a Test pipe....the test pipe alone can bump your hp up 15-20hp so while you will see gains in hp they will not be as drastic on awe's site because you already have the test pipe

 

There is much misconception about FMICs and what they do.

Turbochargers are an awesome addition to a small engine to make power, but like anything that has parts that move at 100k+rpms, friction generates LOTS of heat, especially on a chipped car that starts running outside its efficiency range.

The air is drawn in through the intake, and expelled through the stock SMICs you have. They are obviously only meant to control the heat generated by stock pressure (which is cooler) on the K03, so a chip already pushes them outside their ability to cool.

What a front mount intercooler does, is directs airflow into a larger surface area with a better ability to cool. A cooler intake charge prevents detonation, allows for more ignition timing, and better performance overall.

We have designed many intercoolers for our customers, using only the best genuine garrett intercooler cores, properly sized by application.

If you are not close to us, I would recommend either the ER SMICs, or ER FMIC, both of which do an awesome job to cool the intake charge.

http://www.raimotorsport.com/Evoluti...u-smic002p.htm

http://www.raimotorsport.com/Evoluti...u-fmic005p.htm

 

i have an 06 audi a4 quattro 2.0T stage 2+apr tune forge dv catless downpipe and the awe front mount intercooler, its worth it if you have the money and patience to put it on. it adds about 20 more hp. and deff pulls alot harder.

 

Thanks for all the input, I am now going to get a FMIC since it will help with this heat in Marlyand and possibly getting a K04 in the future. The three im looking at are ATPTurbo.com for $795, RAI Motorsports $1299 and AWE $1185. All are Full FMIC kits. I am leaning towards AWE since I am keeping my car for a while and want the best. Good choice?