Should I upgrade my intercooler WRX?

We’ve already established that the intercooler is a necessary upgrade on the WRX and STI. One of the reasons the TMIC is preferred is because it offers a huge bump in performance without taking away any of the response. Another performance benefit to a TMIC is that the WRX or STI is already optimized for it.

Do I need a tune for intercooler WRX?

STi’s are very responsive to every little performance addition. If you don’t tune them they don’t run to happily. Save yourself some trouble and get a tune with your FMIC. I would suggest also purchasing any other mods you plan on adding and getting a tune for everything rather than just a front mount!

Is STI intercooler bigger than WRX?

The STI intercooler will indeed cool the air more because it is larger than the standard wrx intercooler which is actually rather small and you will notice some boost gain.

How much HP does intercooler add?

Do Intercoolers Add Horsepower? To put it simply: no, a turbo intercooler will not really add any horsepower to your car but it does influence it. More air equals more power, so to speak.

Why does Subaru use top mount intercooler?

A top mount intercooler is located in arguably the hottest position on the car, right above the engine. Thoughtfully, Subaru gave their turbocharged cars a large scoop to take in fresh, cooler air while the vehicle is moving.

What is heat soak WRX?

Heat soak occurs because the intercooler sits right above the engine and right below your hood scoop. When your car is at a stop or at slow speed instead of ambient air being sucked into hood scoop and onto the TMIC the heat from the engine rises through the TMIC and out the hood scoop.

How do you fight a heat soak?

Simply idle the engine for one minute before shutting it down and then open the hood. Letting the engine run for just one minute will allow the cooling system to work and limit the thermal excursion. Since heat rises, opening the hood will allow it to travel into the atmosphere instead of being absorbed.

Is there a top mount intercooler for WRX?

It’s one of the most common mods for 2015-2019 WRX owners who plan to build past the standard stage 2. Truth be told, there is a bit of unnecessary controversy surrounding the two mods, and with the release of our own WRX top mount intercooler, we hope to lay some of it to rest. The most common questions we get are:

Can a top mount WRX intercooler Fry an egg?

Even while moving, if the ambient air is hot enough, a top mount WRX intercooler may not be able to keep up with cooling charge temps when compared to a front mounted intercooler. Add a few performance modifications into the picture, and you’ve got enough heat under the hood to fry an egg on your intercooler.

Which is better front mount or top mount intercooler?

Kits are readily available (we love these Cobb or Perrin Front Mount Intercoolers Kit s) which make the process easier, but there is no avoiding the cutting and modifications you’ll need to do to get it to fit. When running an aftermarket turbo, we recommend a front mount to handle the extra heat discharged from the turbocharger.

Which is better WRX TMIC or front mount?

In most cases, most 2015-2018 WRX TMIC ‘s will see less turbo lag given the close proximity to both the turbocharger outlet and the throttle body, whereas a front mount has considerably more distance to travel between both.