I am running a standard side-mount intercooler and I have been noticably down on power during the recent hot weather.

My question is - with an FMIC fitted do you get a similar hot-weather performance drop compared with winter running (with an FMIC) ?

I am running the evo 6 FMIC, pic below of install - performance is much better in warm weather and when temp gets below 10degrees it's better still - I still find I notice a difference in hot (25c) to cold(<10c) but it is nothing like with the side mount. Eben in the hotest weather it is good power.

If I did it again I'll buy the Pro-Alloy group buy one - evo 6 is very good at least as good as the ProAlloy kit (matter of opinion) but piping and samco bends add up to make it no cheaper to do the evo and alot more hassle

Front mount with plumbing

Evo 6 TM

Piping Right

still find a drop in power on hot days. totally unavoidable i think with an intercooler alone doing the cooling

Can't beat the laws of physics, even with an FMIC <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

You will definitely get an improvement in performance with a decent front mount. I have been running one the longest and I would never go back to a side-mount - not least because they are physically more restrictive too.

Couldn't agree more. One of THE best mods you can do IMO.

apart from heat sink into the rad on hot days <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> never had my fans come on sop much since having the FMIC fitted <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I laugh in the face of your ambient temps - laugh, I tell you <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

yeah, agreed. It's less of a heat sink for it (depending on how you fit it) and more of a air restriction to the radiator. IMHO it's essential to also ensure your radiator is in VGC before adding an FMIC, and really you should fit an uprated radiator too. Your radiator won't get half as much abuse as it used to with a big FMIC in front of it.
I personally also use water-wetter in my coolant and always have ever since I fitted an FMIC.

On the point of air restriction - the actual restriction whilst driving depends on the design of the FMIC and what angle the external fins are at.

Agree with all the rest, my Unichip RR saw intake temps go to 75 degrees+ with the Pace Sidemount, whilst it didn't ever get higher than 35 degrees with an Evo front mount. This was running in cool temperatures (5 degrees ambient), so that 75 degree temperature would have been even higher!

That difference in temperature (combined with richer running when hot and advance changes) will make a difference to performance in hot (and cold) weather.