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Custom FMIC build

19759 Views 58 Replies 14 Participants Last post by  Kneegradamus
Hello all
Its time for the reveal of my custom FMIC. As of now it is fully functional and I have been logging for the past couple days to see how the new core is performing. So far so good!! Also I have been working on fine tuning the Diverter valve the past few days, since the valve is fully customizable for every car and driving style. I am pretty sure I have found my sweet spot and I will explain throughout with thread about how I went upon doing so.
For now I am going to keep this thread to simply pictures and information as far as the install is concerned. When I get more time I will be writing up a D.I.Y so anyone looking to do this Custom FMIC themselves
As far as my install goes, as I said she is up and running and fully functional, but not quite complete. Once I am sure all the bends of the piping are 100%, I will the be getting them made up to be one piece on both side (hot and cold) I am very eager to do so, I hate the blue couplers. It would be more ok with it if they were black.
On to the pics!
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Any questions you have for me feel free to either post here or pm me. As I said I will be writing up a full D.I.Y and also a descriptive parts list and prices for everything needed to do the install.
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Looks very nice.... all the piping looks very simple and easy to install.... what did this set up cost you and was there any custom work or welding needed? Or was everything a pretty straight forward install?
wow.. your pictures make me really believe in the DIY for the FMIC... im assuming they were taking at different points because the first or 2nd picture looks weird with the tubing routing

what size intercooler and do you think there is enough room to mount an oil cooler to the bumper bar around where the stock intercooler was?
The first picture still has the factory IC and the hot pipe upgrade installed.

IC is the Mishimoto J-line
Yep . This was just a pic of the first day I got the brackets complete and installed the i.c for fitment

Looks very nice.... all the piping looks very simple and easy to install.... what did this set up cost you and was there any custom work or welding needed? Or was everything a pretty straight forward install?
Yes. this is a very straight install. The way this was installed can be the final product for anyone looking to attack this install. I am just going a couple steps further and getting the pipes made into a one piece design and power coated also. I will also be coating the i.c with depression coating to help it during hotter temperatures.
As far as pricing you are looking inbetween 6-700 dollars . This all depends on if you can weld or not, plus if you choose a different direction as far as BOV and some other small items

wow.. your pictures make me really believe in the DIY for the FMIC... im assuming they were taking at different points because the first or 2nd picture looks weird with the tubing routing

Just as Jason mentioned. the first picture was just fitment of the I.C
I couldn't believe how perfect this thing fit. I also have the lower shield on. Just takes a little pressure to keep it up to bolt it.

what size intercooler and do you think there is enough room to mount an oil cooler to the bumper bar around where the stock intercooler was?
I have the specs somewhere around here. but I you look up mishimoto j-line you will be able to read full specs. Yes you can do an oil cooler where the stock i.c is, there is plenty of room. I will be adding that down the line. The only issue is if you have a FMCAI like Jason that wont work. You will have to place is on the other side
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Let me make this clear. This is a very straight forward install. If you can find a way to cut the pipe and bead them (which is literally the most labor intense part of this install) you will be able to do this very easily
Time for install from start to finish was around 4 hours.
This was including measuring and cutting the pipes. Bead rolling them, and installing everything including the Diverter valve
Once I have the D.I.Y up. This install will be quite simple. Since you will have all the measurement and instructions anyone will be able to blast through this
Just quickly for the interest of all who want to know.
this is a quick list off the top of my head

I.C 230 -350
Piping kit w/ couplers and t-bolt clamps 100
Custom Brackets 30-50 (depends on who make them or if you buy them )
Map flange 25
Diverter/Bov of your choice 200-350
Map flange and bov flange welded 30-75
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Awesome. Can't wait to convince my wife to let me start ordering parts.
You have brought me to my knees 'gradamus.
I'll have to start putting together the funds
Thanks for posting!
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You have brought me to my knees 'gradamus.
I'll have to start putting together the funds
well that just gave me a good chuckle

Let me just add.. This install would not of came together as quickly as is did without help from itsjustme and John from Tork . I received all the I.c core information from Jason. and over the past couple days have been talking to Tork to fine tune a idea that I had ad far as the piping goes.
Both deserve as much credit in this project as I do.
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The map flange. Did you have to move it BC of the fmic?
The map flange. Did you have to move it BC of the fmic?
Yes. the map flange is mounted on the stock i.c
for FMIC you need to buy a flange and relocate it. As far as location, ideal location is right after the outlet of the I.C. .. This way its getting the most accurate reading long before it hits the throttle body. This map and the one of the intake mani correlate together and share info.
And there is no need to extend the wires for the map sensor. Its like this i.c was ment for the car.. after taking all the clips that hold the wiring to the stock i.c the sensor connector reaches the new location with enough slack for movement while driving.
oh damn, I thought it was on the TB lol
I just remembered what I wanted to ask. were you able to keep the splash guard?
Yep everything is still there. The splash gaurd just needs a little dirty tall to go it. But its not like you have to cram it in there
that's a real nice set up.. and updates on how the FMIC is going?
that's a real nice set up.. and updates on how the FMIC is going?
Everything with the setup is running great.
Ran into some boost leaks, but got the fixed and from there was good to go
The core I used does an amazing job in keeping iat's in good range of ambient
A good intercooler with be 15-20 degrees from ambient temps depending on application.
While cruising around my iat's will be in the 30 over ambient range which is very good
As soon as I start making some hard pulls you can see the iat's dropping significantly through the pull
The other great advantage is is does not heatsoak as much as the stock ic. Stock ic heatsoaks fairly quickly, but beside that the stock ic performs quite well
So as far as the ic I used, it put me in a great position as far as temps are concerned. As long as you have a ic that performs well that's all you need.
The nice thing is even if you have an I.c that doesn't do the best job, once you introduce meth into the system, temps are as such a concern anymore. Meth will plumit temps into the negatives.
Either way it's best to find an ic core that gets you as close to ambient as possible


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Some quick questions. Has the increase in the volume of your intercooler system ..had any adverse effects.. And what performance have you seen from this mod.. Have you had to adjust your tune with the new front mount..
Yes he has had a tune set up for the front mount . Also the ecu does know the volume of the factory intercooler system, so we have seen a front mount run a bit funky on other 1.6t gamma engines.
Some quick questions. Has the increase in the volume of your intercooler system ..had any adverse effects.. And what performance have you seen from this mod.. Have you had to adjust your tune with the new front mount..
Yes he has had a tune set up for the front mount . Also the ecu does know the volume of the factory intercooler system, so we have seen a front mount run a bit funky on other 1.6t gamma engines.
Just as James has said, I did have to get a retune to address the addition of the new FMIC
The ecu is a very smart. At first I could tell s great difference in my powerband for the first couple 100 miles after an adaptive reset
But shortly after, the ecu starts to notice the differences and starts to fight its way back to what I knows.
There is another thread for a custom FMIC that shows before and after Dyno results and iat temp numbers. There is also a lot of good info on the vt forums that shows great power gains from different FMIC options.. I do not have any before or after data since I didn't not have a way of logging correctly at the time of this modification. The best I can do its set up a link on the thread to the data for the core used and I will also get some logs that are current so you can compare you your stock ic.
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