The_MuffinMan25

Yeah so I opted to get this used Apollo FMIC from a local shop that specializes in Z's and all my Nissan friends go to. Installed is cost me $500



I figured hey I save like $300 after shipping cost for Stillen SMIC's and I dont have to drop another $150 on Air ducts. I seriously only got it because it was a deal otherwise I would have held out many months until I could of afforded the Stillens. I definately spool up quicker and feel a bit faster.

I know Zlover will hate on me so plz dont I plan to spray paint it black before I get another Jspec bumper (dam prices are going up on conceptz!!!!)

It'll be probably 5 months before I get her on the road. I'm broke and now that I non-opted her and dropped my insurance to just comprehensive (I have a loan) I can save money and take care of a few things.

(I want to do clutch, downpipes, and testpipes (new ones) before I register her again.)

Tim

The_MuffinMan25

Oh I sent a pic to a friend and he immediately said "Thats an ebay front mount!?

Does this look like an Apollo FMIC? (i couldn't find pics online of the Apollo)

NismoPick

Apollo has good products, but most Z32TT builders prefer SMIC over FMIC. ( see ZLover's write up: https://www.zdriver.com/forums/300zx-z32-tech-tips-273/intercooler-writeup-long-19694/ ) But here's some Apollo FMIC pics from www.google.com







What Apollo FMIC's will do to your car...



jay/kay

Bleach

I like it. Are you going to cut away any of the bumper to expose the intercooler to the air more?

This guy rules


This guy rules more

KasbeKZ

lag city bro! you'll probably get some good high end power though.

ZLover4Life

LOL.

Have fun overheating due to bad airflow to the radiator AND intake AND oil cooler.

You had plenty of detailed factual information and chose to go with the product that the data suggests is the absolute WORST. You are an inefficient consumer. By the way, Apollo FMIC's are usually sold on eBay (and for good reason).

If you don't believe me about the overheating...
http://www.twinturbo.net/net/viewmsg...msg_id=2189798
Search to find more.

And that's a GReddy 2-row in that post... an actually GOOD FMIC, as compared to your cheap one. I think I've said it enough times - you cannot go cheap on the Z32. You'll come back someday and post "you're right, I ended up spending another $800 on these sidemounts." $500 wasted. Shame.

But it's your car, so if you want to bastardize it with cheap parts and cut every corner possible, that's your decision.

hoov100

theres too many variables in that thread. (that and he was only running at 215-220 in TRAFFIC) he also had an electric fan. i have personally covered radiators up with A/C condensors, oil coolers, trans coolers, P/S coolers, intercoolers and have never had a problem, with heat using a stock radiator. but i do agree on it being a cheap ebay FMIC. if your going to do something atleast do it right the first time.

KasbeKZ

but look at that intercooler. it's about 2.5 inches thick and it covers the WHOLE radiator! a little bigger than an oil cooler, or even an FMIC for a single turbo.

ZLover4Life

[Disclaimer: I'm not looking to get into an argument, just responding to your points.]

He is not the only case where this has happened, he just happens to be the most recent one that I had bookmarked for just this purpose. You say it was because he was in traffic... my Z doesn't overheat in traffic. My DD doesn't overheat in traffic either. Overheating in traffic isn't normal, so he has a problem.

I can't argue about the electric fan (and neither can anyone else) since he doesn't mention when it was installed. It is very possible that he's had that electric fan for a long time, but the FMIC had only been on the car for a short while before overheating began. If he installed the SPAL fan at the same time, then we can't say which was the cause. If he installed the SPAL fan after the FMIC, it could be the cause. But if he had the SPAL fan with no issues prior to the FMIC, then the FMIC had an affect. Since he directly mentions the FMIC install being recent in his thread, I suspect that he had the fan prior to it (else I'm sure he would've said "btw, I also recently installed this fan..."). As such, it appears that the installation of the FMIC was a very large contributor to his problem.

And all the devices you mentioned require airflow. Are you going to argue that having these things in front of one another do not affect airflow to the rear-most ones? FMIC's block airflow to the radiator and that's all there is to it. Since there have been several Z32 examples of this happening, one can conclude that they are generally not a good idea on Z32's. And finally (as I think we agree), CHEAP FMIC's do not belong on Z32's.

SMIC's don't restrict airflow to anything. As such, they can never be related to overheating problems. FMIC's do and can. And since we have SMIC's on the market that are equally as efficient as the best FMIC's (especially with Ash's Massive SMIC's and other similar products), I see no valid reason (being a ricer isn't valid) to have a FMIC.

I've also ignored the fact that the Apollo FMIC is the worst design of all intercoolers, being as long as it is. The ridiculous pressure drop will increase lag. (This is just a general point I left out earlier.)

The_MuffinMan25

The Intercooler is actually 3.5" thick (i believe I didnt go and measure it) I dont plan to put huge amounts of power down with my Z so I doubt I'll run into heating issues unless it's 100+ out and I'm sitting at a standstill in traffic for 30+ minutes.

"Lagcity" not at all it boosts as soon as it did b4 (I didnt watch my tach really though, I was looking out for cops on the way home) Feels funny though it reachs max boost sooo quick now.

After driving my Z for 4 months messing up my front bumper and then 5 weeks after getting the Jspec put on and painted ruining another bumper and a sidemount I plan to drive my Z very easy (like I should have been doing)

I just picked up a shell of a 240sx and am buying an engine and tranny in the next month or two. I'll be driving this as my DD even once I re-register and up my insurance on my Z again.

I could have afforded to fix my Z and get it back on the road by the end of the year but I plan on doing clutch, Downpipes, and testpipes so I put it on non-op and dropped everything but comprehensive coverage off it insurancewise since I have a loan on it.

I'll update more when I buy another Jspec bumper and get it cut it fit with the FMIC. (I dont plan on cutting any openings any wider on the bumper, though I've seen it done and it looked really nice)

Thanks for not bashing me too harshly about this purchase (I didn't expect any less from you Zlover =)...)

Tim

hoov100

yes, SMIC's on a z32 are just about the best way to go, unless your building some unlimited budget 7 second z32. but we can all agree that FMIC's on a z32 are going to be too big, restrict too much air and looks way too much like the rice we intend to fry.

The_MuffinMan25

I'm going to spray paint it black because I dont even want to remember that it's there. Like I said this wasnt my first choice. If for some reason I have too many problems with it then I'll go sidemount later on but I'm young and can make mistakes tho I dont feel buying this was a mistake. I try to do things right the first time. I have the stock fan setup. So if I have issues then I can report back and let you know for sure if this was a terrible decision or if it really isnt a problem. (My Z is very healthy so I feel she is a good "control" in this "science experiment" if you will)

Tim

KasbeKZ

isn't it aluminum? good luck getting that paint to stick.

you are getting another jspec? i have a stock turbo bumper you could have for $100......

The_MuffinMan25

"KasbeKZ" Honestly the shipping would be expensive from across the country, other problem is the stock turbo bumper has even less exposure for my front mount.

Also I was thinking if I do get any heating issues I could opt for a vented nose panel of some sort, I Like the look of them and they would increase the airflow going to my intake and radiator (i know it's not the same but It would help)

Not my first choice but the first one I found:



I've found a vented nose panel similar to this online but I cannot find it right now I'm sure you get the point I'm making.

Tim

The_MuffinMan25

Also I was already planning in the future (after I find out the results of the stock fans and a fmic of course) to put in an electric fan on I hate the sound of the clutch fan when I rev up my engine (who does)

Tim

KasbeKZ

haha there are huge holes for the smic's but they aren't there!

KasbeKZ

i can't hear my clutch fan. the car is too loud.

ZLover4Life

Did you read a thing we were saying? lol The electric fan is only going to make things worse.

And a vented nose panel will not really help you... you might get additional airflow to a tiny fraction of the top of the radiator. Will not nearly negate the loss of airflow to the entire frontal area of it.

Murph Z32

Or as Cartman would say "You can't shop for crap."

snwbrderphat540

i wouldnt paint anything thats purpose is to cool stuff. paint does act as an insulator. not a whole bunch but im sure a pretty significant difference seeing as aluminum is a great heat dissipater and with paint over it it probably is a some what impressive loss in cooling efficiency....

hoov100

i dont remember which manufacturer did it, but they proved painting your I/C or radiator didnt do anything noticeable in terms of performance gain or loss.

ZLover4Life

I initially didn't put it so politely, but I decided to soften it up a bit. I'm sure it doesn't feel good to have a half-dozen people tell that you made a bad decision... no need for me to make it any harder.

snwbrderphat540

well thinking deeper... it probably wont effect it to much simply because its the fins that act as the heat sink not the face of the IC so assuming you dont soak it it probably wont be of too much effect...

KasbeKZ

first off it does disburse some of the air away from the radiator, second off, once the air gets to the radiator, it is already hot.

ZLover4Life

Oh, one other thing. If you ever rear end someone or someone bumps into your fascia, your intercooler and probably several other things are gone. You had to remove the steel bumper and its shocks to install that... do you think Nissan put those there just for fun?