I'm going to be buying a 1g SMIC. Most that I've seen are pretty oxidized and ugly. If I had it powdercoated will that stop it from cooling significantly? I'm guessing it would hold the heat it a little more but not all that much. Also, can I paint the fins or should I leave them be? Thanks.

HRC Stage II Turbo

A sidemount intercooler isnt visible on the out side of the car. Get a starion FMIC for about the same price and then have a beter looking car and it will cool better. I wouldnt paint any intercoolers.

Dave
05 Ford F150 SuperCrew FX4

Well, the reason I'm going for the SMIC is this. I've heard of some people running a bit hotter with the FMIC on the highway because it blocks the radiator. Plus there's the issue of the FMIC creating a little drag. I know it's not alot but I'm not planning on running high horsepower anything. I'm keeping it around 7 psi or so. Just enough so the car gets out of it's own way.

I've also heard that SMIC's are better for low psi's. I may be misinformed but it's what I'm going on. lol

HRC Stage II Turbo

You can paint your intercooler. There is a special intercooler paint that will still let heat disipate as though it was solid aluminum. I am not sure what it is called, but if you call Spearco/Turbonetics they can tell you what it is.

Your reasons on why you want a 1G sidemount are a little out there IMHO. The starion front mount is even better than a supra side mount when it comes to heat soaking. 1G/2G sidemounts are terrible in the summer heat. All that said, a side mount is better than nonintercooled. If funds are tight, that is a decent way to go.

97 RS(PTE SC-61, Built Long Block, Electromotive Tec 3)It's Here!

Yup. Funds are a little tight now. I'm closing on a house at the end of the month but I really would like to get my car intercooled a bit. I'm not to fond of blowing the nice, hot air into my motor all the time.

Thanks for the help guys.

HRC Stage II Turbo

You can paint the intercooler. Just dont coat it real thick, and dont paint it a dark color if sun is going to see it, for obvious reasons. I painted a mitsu logo in the center of mine but thats as far as I wanted to go.

hehe have it anodized It's aluminum. You can paint it I see intercoolers off of other cars and their painted black, which is probably the worst color to use hehe. Use something like zap, I used some of that stuff on my starion FMIC and that thing looked brand new. FMIC doesn't cause drag it's in the mouth dude the mouth itself is what causes the drag. I also heard that the fans are the ones that do most of the coolin rather than the air flow to the radiator. My car ha literally NEVER gone past normal operatin temp according to the stock water temp meter. Look at dem peeps with monster intercoolers, mine is puny compared to there's and they're runnin alright. If anything the air going into your engine will be cooler so it won't heat your engine or engine bay up so much which is better than no intercooler. Trust me I know hehe I used to be a stage 1...

http://www.hadesomega.info -car specz and movies 95 Eclipse RS | 76' 280Z | 89' MR2 | 99 Neon | 91 Zephyr
Who sez FF can't drift?

FMIC wont create any "drag" worth mentioning at all. and it wont make your car run hotter either. ive has my big ass FMIC for a long time, and it completely blocks the radiator, and the temp of the engine is the exact same as when it were NA. pipeing for the Starion may even be easier to fabricate than for the SMIC anyways. cooling potential would be worlds beter with the starion also.

1997 Silver RS
Built
T3/T4 BB Turbo
20psi
Most current 1/8th mile time: 8.1@93mph 2.015 60'
1996 Black Supra TT
2004 Silver Snake