FMIC Hardpipe Kit from ebay

[Tuftythesquirrel]

Hello,

 

Sorry for the enormous delay. It just took me a few attempts to get it right. Since I work away in the week the weekend are a bit precious and I didn't want to spend them all underneath the car.

 

I looked at all the threads on this and ultimately I didn't have the courage to take the angle grinder to my dear Furbie, lest the previous very careful owner came looking for me. I wanted to use the Airtec FMIC but not cut huge lumps out of the radiator surround and also keep the front bumper mounting brackets intact. Also to keep it straight relative to the bumper, so when you open the bonnet it looks more factory-ish!

 

Looks like I'll have to upload the pictures in sections due to the forum 2MB limit.

 

Part (1) Firstly you need to be able to bolt on the standard Seat brackets. There are 2 Torx screws either side that are used for the existing radiator mounts, but these are behind the radiator surround. On each side, I ended up finding where the top one was, using small USB camera and light, then drilling a small test pilot hole, to see how close I was. Then open up the hole with  a drill and then a router bit, gradually so it is central to the screw behind. Then use the intercooler bracket as a template to find out where the one below is. The do the same for the lower hole and voila, you can mount the standard brackets. Well sort of, because they foul on the radiator surround.

 

 

Part (2) This done, the problem for me at least was that the top intercooler pipe is in line with the top offside bumper bracket. It is also too close to the radiator surround to get the pipe to fit, without taking big chunks out of it. That's why everyone seems to cut it off. I needed to lower the intercooler and take it forward. The issue is, if you go too low, the top intercooler pipe fouls on the chassis leg. If you go to far forward it fouls on the bumper. For the offside, the drop was about 25mm. I also moved it forward by about 10mm, to get away from the radiator surround. On the nearside the drop was the same but I moved it forward by about 40mm so the intercooler ended up parallel to the front bumper. I cut the standard brackets and re-welded them (red arrows show the extra metal, orange line, how the brackets used to be). I also extended the N/S bracket forward by about 40mm. This process  took a few attempts. Since the first set of brackets had been cut and welded a few times, I bought another set and did it right next time.

 

 

 

 

 

[Tuftythesquirrel]

Part (3) I had to remove a small amount of material from the bumper brackets on the vehicle.

 

 

 

Part (4) Now the intercooler brackets were secured, ready to mount the intercooler.

 

 

 

Part (5) The Airtec intercooler itself is a great bit of kit, but the paintwork was a bit err.... cr*p. It flacked and chipped really badly. I sanded it back and used a self etching primer, gloss black paint and lacquer. Now possibly the shiniest intercooler in the UK.

 

 

 

Part (6) With the intercooler mounted and the hard pipes in place, the bottom pipe aligned perfectly. The top pipe could have done with a bit more of a bend as joined the radiator, however the silicone joiner took up the angle.

 

 

[sepulchrave]

Matt black radiates heat much better than gloss.

[Tuftythesquirrel]

Part (7) Pictures of intercooler fitted with Seat crash bar. I just had to remove a 40mm section of the upper edge.

 

   

 

Part (8) Pictures with bumper back on.

 

  

 

The only thing I didn't photograph is the cutting of the inside of the front bumper. As you would expect. the offside bumper mount needed the most taken away. I just kept on trying to fit the bumper and removing a little each time. I used a dremel diamond cutting disc but actually used a normal drill for a bit more welly. The offside fog light also interfered to the extent that I had to slice off  some of the rear of the fog light bowl, then seal it back up with self amalgamating tape, to keep it water tight.

 

So in summary, the FMIC Hardpipe Kit is pretty good value, being half the price of the others. The pipework seems better finished than the DS kit.

 

I've got some logs of the Air Intake Temperature taken in June 2016. I will take another set and post them, as soon as we get a warmish day so it is a valid comparison.

 

I have more pics if anyone needs them, just PM me. Cheers.

 

 

 

 

[Tuftythesquirrel]

Matt black radiates heat much better than gloss.

Ah ha, I've already thought of that - I'm painting the whole car matt black this weekend  :D

[Tuftythesquirrel]

Does the map sensor wiring need extending for this kit? Does anyone sell extended wiring for the pipe kits as looked everywhere. Am fitting to a Polo GT130 BLT but can't find any done on the VW yet!

Does anyone know if I have a Fabia or a Ibiza crash bar? Just thinking of biting the bullet and going for it.

No, didn't need to change the existing wiring, I did get a spare connector off ebay just in case.

[sepulchrave]

Ah ha, I've already thought of that - I'm painting the whole car matt black this weekend  :D

 

Roller or brush??

[coskev]

Nice job :)

Perhaps let airtec know of the sizes of the brackets now?

[Tuftythesquirrel]

Nice job :)

Perhaps let airtec know of the sizes of the brackets now?

I’m not sure they would be interested to be frank.

 

I spoke to an Airtec distributor and they said they supplied the (Seat) brackets but Airtec won’t.

 

I got a price on the intercooler from Airtec directly to get a better discount and asked them if I could have a set of brackets and they said no problem. When I ordered the bits from them they then said oops…. looks like we don’t actually do the brackets – so I had to order them from VW/Seat dealer.  They also said something along the lines of we only make intercoolers etc. not resell other manufacturers kit, so I took it that they weren’t interested in this sort of business.

 

I’ve got my old mock ups if anyone out there wants them. They are still a few mm out though, so it will still be a case of trial and error or “empirical methods” as I like to call it.

[Tuftythesquirrel]

Roller or brush??

 

Brush - obviously!

 

Tried using a roller the last time but mostly you end up doing the windows as well – which is not ideal  :wall: 

[Titanium_Man]

The bracket came with my airtec kit?!

[Lofty]

Awesome update!

[Tuftythesquirrel]

Hi Guys,

 

Just a very quick update.... VCDS Air Intake Temperature logging.

 

The picture below shows the difference the FMIC has made. Airtec once showed a video where the air intake temperature didn't go much above 25C and I was a bit sceptical. But I don't think they weren't far out.

 

Not a perfect comparison admittedly, the OEM-SMIC log was taken on a sunny June day, temperature probably 20C and the Airtec-FMIC made on a crisp day in January, temperature around 7C.

 

So, the FMIC intake air temperature looks to be around 17C when travelling at 60-70MPH and never above 27C even with a sustained wide open throttle, for about 16 seconds. Looking at the old FMIC 65-70C was about average on full throttle, peaking at 95C at times.

 

Driving differences are subtle. In town say trundling over speed humps in 3rd, the response between 1000-2000RPM seems noticeably improved. Whilst flat out acceleration, on a private road of course officer, also seems better but with slightly more induction roar. All subjective impressions of course.

 

So roll on good weather and I will do another plot.

 

[Graffiti]

Nice one bud!

 

I did mine last weekend Identical to yours.  I cant justify a hard pipe kit when the Airtec pipework does the job.  I bought the bayonet connector to go in the Asv and now I'm waitig on the alloy pipe so I can get rid of the plastic top pipe.   I fitted a Hybrid turbo at the same time and your right about the noise, my turbo chatter and iduction roar gave me the shakes!

 

Do you really need the hard pipe kit, does it not make working on the car a little more awkward etc?   If you have to I would go ebay, but be prepared to have to fettle with it lol.

[Graffiti]

Oh and your 64 - 60 bayonet is on amazon for £20.