DIY: Front Mount Intercooler (FMIC)

[anothernord]

Disclamer: I'm not responsible for anything you do to hurt yourself, your property, or anything else, blah, blah. Your front bumper is there for safety, and you should proceed with caution when cutting it up.

:grin:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/IMG_0107-1.jpg


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This isn't a step-by-step DIY, since I'm pretty sure no one else has a supercharger with this setup, so I'll just show you the basics of how to make the piping fit, what to trim, move, and whatever else. If you're running a turbo, which is the most likely case, then your install will be slightly different, but the ideas are the same.

Also, this is a fairly big project. Don't expect to finish it in one day. It took me 2 full days of work to get everything perfect.

Tools you need:

-Angle grinder*** (very important; a Dremel will not do the job)
-Sawzall
-Hacksaw or better, a portable bandsaw
-Drill
-Lots of different drill bits
-File

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Recently, I decided to go with a FMIC for my supercharger setup, since the TMIC was not fitting the way it should have. So, for about $200, I picked up everything to complete the installation, including:

An Impreza GC8 piping kit:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/ICPSI95_4-1.jpg

A random intercooler:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/Scooler002-1.jpg

You will also need:

-Metal to make the bottom supporting brackets; I used some 1/4 aluminum slab.
-1/4 angle steel for making the top bracket
-a LOT of hose clamps. The kit comes with a few, but you'll need at least 15-20 more.
-2.5" silicone couplers. I bought a set of 10 and only used 7.


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You'll need to remove the following:

-Grill
-Headlights
-Bumper cover
-Bumper beam
-Passenger fender

Once you have all of that taken off, you'll need to make a few modifications to the piping. Again, depending on your choice of intercooler, and how far you mount it forward or backward, your modifications may vary, so use this guide to get the idea of what you need to do.

The best way to start is by mounting the intercooler, and seeing where it needs to go to line up with the piping. The driver's side piping is the most fickle as to how it lines up, so mount it according to that side.

My 7" tall intercooler sits about 3.75" below the metal bumper bar. It lines up pretty well with the passenger-side pipe.

Just tape your intercooler onto the bumper bar for now.


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Start by removing your coolant overflow bottle, and bending its support out of the way. You'll have to make a new overflow tank; I just used a Gatorade bottle, drilled a hole for the hose, and a small hole for the breather, and stuck it down in there.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/IMG_0080-1.jpg

Then you can move on to the piping. Grab your angle grinder grind the frame back enough to get the pipe to line up with your intercooler. You can also see how I had to add two couplers for enough length to reach the IC.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/IMG_0099-1.jpg

Then, you'll have to cut ~3" on the straight section of the same pipe that goes up from underneath.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/2010052611494811-1.jpg

Now, cut the upper pipe that goes to the throttle body around this spot:

IMPORTANT NOTE: I don't have a throttle body in the stock location, so for all of you that do, you will have to cut off a few inches of pipe on the other end of this same pipe to get it to fit.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/IMG_0085-1.jpg

Then you can wrestle the couplers on there, and put hose clamps on. Don't tighten anything down yet.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/IMG_0093-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/IMG_0097-1.jpg

Now, turn your attention to the passenger side.

I made a cut in the middle of the lower passenger side pipe to give it extra length to go around the corner. I also had to double up the couplers with a 3" section of pipe in between to get it to reach.

You may not have to do this part, since I had to get around my ABS pump, which sits in the fender because of my supercharger. Also, if you're running a turbo, which you probably are, then you probably don't have to cut it here.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/20100524160238-1.jpg

Then, I cut the upper part of that same pipe at the weld seam in order to rotate it.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/IMG_0083-1.jpg

Finally, put couplers and clamps on everything.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/IMG_0096-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/IMG_0102-1.jpg



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Now we can begin mounting the intercooler itself.

Make two brackets out of aluminum to support the intecrooler from underneath. Your brackets may be slightly different depending on how you mount your intercooler.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/20100524174725-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/IMG_0088-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/IMG_0089-1.jpg

Turn your attention to the bumper beam since you'll need to bolt the intercooler to the beam.

Cut a roughly 3"x25" opening in the beam with a sawzall. If your setup has a smaller intercooler, then cut less. The beam is there for protection, so you want to keep as much of there as possible.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/20100525111543-1.jpg

To hold the intercooler on the bumper beam, use a long piece of angle steel with two holes to bolt it to the intercooler. Then take another angle iron piece, a rivet it to the larger piece, making sure that the second angle steel piece is flush to the bottom of the bumper beam with everything mounted.

Then you can bolt the smaller angle piece to the bumper beam and tighten it all down.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/20100525120712-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/20100525121756-1.jpg

In the same way, trim the foam chunk to match the beam.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/20100525122131-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/20100525122437-1.jpg



STOP!

At this time, tighten down all your clamps, and start the car to check all your connections for leaks. Its hard to adjust some of the clamps once the bumper and panels are back on, so make sure its all tight and good to go.


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Now comes the all important step of trimming the bumper cover. Your friends here will be your hacksaw and most importantly, and angle grinder.

the most important thing here is to TAKE SMALL CUTS AT A TIME. Your time will be rewarded by a good-looking finished product. Your trimming of the bumper will be different than mine, but the basic ideas are the same. If you have a LGT or L bumper, your experience will be different as well, but the same rules apply; take your time, and take off small bits at a time.

If you have an Outback bumper, you'll have to cut openings for the pipes in the fog light area.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/20100525104236-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/20100525104226-1.jpg

Keep trimming and trimming until you have something like this:

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/20100525104214-1.jpg

Finally, trim back any visible foam.

When your are satisfied, go ahead and put the car back together, and admire your handwork.


If you have questions, ask away.

-Nord

[impreza_GC8]

I have Hella 500s mounted upside in the factory location, like you did, I don't want to lose them when I do my FMIC, is there a way to keep them or does the piping take up all that space?

[anothernord]

You can probably keep them if you move your IC back as far as possible. Otherwise the can be mounted farther forward. I hardly ever use mine, but I will try to find a way to get them in there.

[Robbks]

I'd like to see the core flipped and piping run under the headlights for much less piping length.

but a damn good job given the VERY different setup you have.

and as you said in the other thread, a blow-through MAF.
mounted on the cold-side piping just before it reaches the manifold (on that nice straight piece for smooth airflow)
that way, the IAT sensor in the MAF will compensate correctly for ACTUAL intake air temp, as opposed to ambient air temp

man i sure wish i could use this diy..

maybe i'll just use it as an intake haha

i want a finished pic!

[anothernord]

Zues, the finished pic is at the very top of the thread. But now that I think about it, I should also have one at the end too. What's this talk about "wishing I could use this diy"? You clearly have a lot of $$ to throw around; why not set ~$600 aside and throw a turbo in there?

Rob, I do plan on running a blow-through MAF. I need to relocate the IACV however. This will involve some more fabrication, but it will happen at some point.

[impreza_GC8]

Zeus, I am selling my turbo, injector and intercooler setup right now in the FS section. Hop to it buddy.
Anothernord, lets see those fogs back in there. Its a dealbreaker for me, I'm pretty sure I can make it work since they are Hellas, not the deeper stock ones, but I'd love to see it on yours first.

[anothernord]

Zeus, I am selling my turbo, injector and intercooler setup right now in the FS section. Hop to it buddy.
Anothernord, lets see those fogs back in there. Its a dealbreaker for me, I'm pretty sure I can make it work since they are Hellas, not the deeper stock ones, but I'd love to see it on yours first.

The fogs will fit, but they won't face straight ahead unless the are mounted in a way that sticks really far forward. You can make them aim out to the side of the car at a 30 degree angle, and make them more flush, so that might work, especially if you have the Hella 500 fogs and now the driving lights.

I'll be out of town till Tuesday, but I'll look into it then.

[impreza_GC8]

I have the 500 fogs, and I just drilled holes through the bumper beam to mount them, so they aren't located in the stock position anymore, but I'm not sure how far forward they are in comparison. I think I could probably fab up some brackets to make them work but we'll see.

[anothernord]

I have the 500 fogs, and I just drilled holes through the bumper beam to mount them, so they aren't located in the stock position anymore, but I'm not sure how far forward they are in comparison. I think I could probably fab up some brackets to make them work but we'll see.

Right. There won't be any easy way to get them to sit as far back as you might want, but you can definitely make them flush by aiming them to the sides slightly.

The problem is that the only way to get more front-back clearance with the pipe is to hack up the front of the car's frame. Alternatively, you could run the pipes really low, almost at the level of the bottom of the bumper, but since you do a lot of off-roading, the likely hood of smashing into a rock and wrecking the pipe is pretty high. This is just speculation, but it could happen.

Zues, the finished pic is at the very top of the thread. But now that I think about it, I should also have one at the end too. What's this talk about "wishing I could use this diy"? You clearly have a lot of $$ to throw around; why not set ~$600 aside and throw a turbo in there?



$600...?! ive always imagined it costing waay more... what all would i need?

[Robbks]

The problem is that the only way to get more front-back clearance with the pipe is to hack up the front of the car's frame.
Flip the core
cut away some more of the plastic reo and loop the pipes upwards a little

[impreza_GC8]

Zues, the finished pic is at the very top of the thread. But now that I think about it, I should also have one at the end too. What's this talk about "wishing I could use this diy"? You clearly have a lot of $$ to throw around; why not set ~$600 aside and throw a turbo in there?



$600...?! ive always imagined it costing waay more... what all would i need?

My turbo, injectors and intercooler.
WRX exhaust manifold, uppipe, downpipe, exhaust, turbo crossmember (or notch your stock one), some form of engine management system.

[anothernord]

Zues, the finished pic is at the very top of the thread. But now that I think about it, I should also have one at the end too. What's this talk about "wishing I could use this diy"? You clearly have a lot of $$ to throw around; why not set ~$600 aside and throw a turbo in there?



$600...?! ive always imagined it costing waay more... what all would i need?

I might be willing to sell you my PP6 piggyback ECU. I'm thinking of switching to a Megasquirt or Emanage.

[impreza_GC8]

So there you go. With nords PP6 and my turbo parts, plus a little bit of scavenging for stock WRX parts, you'd have yourself a homebuilt turbo car.

nord I'm about to be going to a Megasquirt as well. We are going to have very similar cars soon, just opposite forms of FI. Would be cool to get them together someday. Not many cars like ours.

[anothernord]

Doo iiiit Zeus. Your car is too modded not to have FI.

It would be awesome to have a photoshoot with two of the only FMIC'd Outbacks in the world that I know of!

i started my question thread so i stop jacking up the DIY

lets continue this discussion here (https://sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=18665)

[anothernord]

Oops. I forgot about this thread.

About the fog lights; There's no way they will fit facing forward. They can be mounted pointing about 25-30 degrees to the outside, but otherwise they will stick out beyond the bumper and look goofy. I'll find time this weekend to mount mine and post up a picture.

[impreza_GC8]

Well that kinda makes me sad, but its liveable. I think that if I move my FMIC an inch or so back from your placement there could be room, or I could just get creative with my foglight placement. I've also been thinking it could be cool to block off those holes entirely with some thin but flexible plastic sheeting, formed over the openings and riveted in place. Would give it that Time Attack look. Like the foglight openings in this Time Attack S2000.
http://redlinetimeattack.com/ul/images/autobahn/king.jpg

[anothernord]

I was thinking the exact same thing, make some covers to go in the fog light holes. Maybe with an STi logo?

[impreza_GC8]

I'm liking this more and more after thinking about it. The block-off cover on on the passenger side could have a circular opening for an intake hose. And the drivers side could be evenly blocked off. The drivers side would also be a great place to put an oil cooler later on down the line. Or we could block off the larger openings and make holes for smaller fogs, kinda like the P1 Impreza.
Edit, or we could switch to the Legacy GT front bumper LOL.
http://www.fantasycars.com/derek/cars/images/subaru/impreza_5.jpg

[anothernord]

I was also thinking of making a couple of mesh covers like on the WRX's, but having a pair of Hella Supertones behind them.

What material are you planning on using? Plastic? Or some kind of fiberglass?

I ran across this stuff: Basically its fiberglass with the resin already mixed. You can form it, then put it in the sun and the UV light cures it.

http://www.percyshp.com/HyperFiber.html

[HeresMyMind]

awesome write up. i debated this when i did my swap. a STI tmic flows more than enough for up to 300 whp on a mustang dyno. I didnt want to lose spool time from the turbo. your intercooler looks great!

-B