Intercooler options

[Bubu]

I am shopping around for a front mount intercooler and so far there are a few options as listed below:

1. APR intercooler $2k+

2. Custom made FMIC. Could probably get one made by a friend or have a professional make one. $$???

3. The Seat (I think it was Cupra) FMIC (see link to photos elsewhere on this forum) which would probably have to be sourced from overseas $????

4. Use a Ford XR6 turbo factory FMIC or maybe a XR6 aftermarket FMIC. $150~ for 2nd hand factory unit.

So far the cheapest option is #4, using a factory XR6 FMIC. They can be had for around $150 and the inlet/outlet to the intercooler is on the same side as requiered for a Polo. I can have the mounting brackets, welded directly to the intercooler and get the pipeing done by a friend who does custom Holden and Ford turbo manifolds.
I cant find any info on the XR6 intercooler so I dont know how good it is but it has to be better than the one fitted to the Polo. For the total price of $150 to $300 it dosent sound like a bad deal.

I cant really justify paying $2k+ for APR unit even if it woks a bit better than the XR6 or custom made one.

Has anyone else looked at alternative FMIC other than APR? What other options are out there?

[Sharkie]

As good as APR's products are, in some cases they are just too expensive to justify....

Not to say its not a fair price for the manufacturing, research and reasonable profit that goes into it, but for people on a budget (she who must be obeyed frowns upon excessive spending on the toy) it is worthwhile looking elsewhere from time to time.

I spent a bit of time looking at different suitable intercoolers and eventually found one. It will be fitted this Wednesday for a total price less than half of the APR kit.

As Guy will point out it is important to take a number of factors into consideration, not least the actual fitment capability. There is only limited space to fit a FMIC due to intruding pipes from other radiator type thingies. Flow through the FMIC is important to prevent pressure loss not only to the boosted air but also to the coolers and radiator behind the FMIC. Restricted airflow to the radiator can lead to overheating of your engine which is not good ....

I'll take some pics of the FMIC I found and post later over the weekend with more pics on Wed/Thur of the fitted product.

BTW the XR6 core will not fit doe to its shape and size.

[BL33SU]

2. Custom made FMIC. Could probably get one made by a friend or have a professional make one. $$???


i like this option

[ralphk]

You get what you pay for

[VW GTI]

Sharkie, you mentioned all this info on yours but haven't said what it is or where to get it and how much... Please share?

[shaneth]

(she who must be obeyed frowns upon excessive spending on the toy)

Dont worry mate, i know exactly how you feel.

Sharkie, you mentioned all this info on yours but haven't said what it is or where to get it and how much... Please share?

I also would like more info and as much as you can give me but when your ready. Should be good to see at the dyno day.

[Flaps]

You get what you pay for

Do you?

I have a "custom bro" FMIC and exhaust. I have the same power as a polo with APR FMIC and APR exhaust. Give or take a 1 or 2 kw due to different dyno, temps etc.

Sure it may not be same quality but it does the same job.

[shaneth]

Do you?

I have a "custom bro" FMIC and exhaust. I have the same power as a polo with APR FMIC and APR exhaust. Give or take a 1 or 2 kw due to different dyno, temps etc.

Sure it may not be same quality but it does the same job.

I would have to agree. Can you tell us about your intercooler setup. Im also pushing Forge Motorsport to do a FMIC kit for the polo. Should be interesting to see what they come up with and at what price.

[Blitzen]

I would have to agree. Can you tell us about your intercooler setup. Im also pushing Forge Motorsport to do a FMIC kit for the polo. Should be interesting to see what they come up with and at what price.

Sweet as...What have Forge said about that so far? I like the look of their FMIC kits.

[shaneth]

Sweet as...What have Forge said about that so far? I like the look of their FMIC kits.

New developement manager coming in this week i thiink and the guy i am talking to said he is going to push it for me.

[SoVeReIgN]

Does the Xr6t cooler fit behind the front bar in the polo?

[shaneth]

Does the Xr6t cooler fit behind the front bar in the polo?

I though it did, i also thought someone on here had it in but i could be wrong.

[Bubu]

I havent gone as far as measuring the XR6 unit to compare to the APR unit. If anyone can provide some dimensions on the XR6 or APR coolers that would be greatly appriciated. I am particularly interested in the width (thickness).

I dont know if the XR6 FMIC has been done on a Polo. I was just fishing for some ideas.

Note: The XR6 F6 Typhoon has a 15% larger FMIC compared to a regular XR6. Thats according to a friend of mine who is into the XR's.

[Oneofthegreats]

I normally don't come into the Polo section & just come across this thread about intercooler's & thought I'd chime in.

I'd stay right away from the XR6T & F6 intercooler's as they have been known to measure a pressure drop of upto & over 5-6psi across the core!

That's 5-6psi more work the turbo has to do to just to reach the same result!

I don't know exactly how much room there is in the front of a Polo, but I reckon I'd be looking at something out of a Mitsubishi EVO3 for eg. or a GSR. Big tanks, good size piping & these can also easily handle 400+hp & are very efficient.

[GT3]

I went through the same motions - how can I get a decent FMIC for my Polo GTI without spending a lot? Searched high and low, but there weren't any (unless you know highly capable custom fitters). Like many upgrade options that plague the Polo GTI, there just isn't sufficient economy of scale to interest the major tuners who reside in the USA and Europe, ie Polo GTI wasn't released in the USA and isn't cost-competitve in Europe, hence the lack of product development for it.

So that's the state of play, FMICs for the Pog ain't cheap, and I'd imagine Guy wouldn't have the volume to enable him to drop the prices for APR FMICs. Despite what people may think, he wouldn't make a lot on the FMICs.

It's all relative really. Many on here wouldn't batter an eye lid when it comes to shelling out almost 2k for ECU software, but when it comes to spending similar amounts for a high-grade FMIC and associated hardware, they consider that outrageous - and yet will happily rationalise spending thousands on wheels for aesthetics and similar amounts on audio systems