Right, I need some advice on what to do with the boost pipework and intercooler.

There are lots of boost leaks and the car needs sorting. Everyone on this site suggests replacing with aftermarker pipes.

 

Many of the right angle silicone pipes are leaking boost on my fabia vrs. I want to replace for reliability, not necessarily performance (stock performance is, however, suffering).

 

I think the standard Side Mounted InterCooler SMIC is not leaking, except at the joins to boost pipework.

 

Option 1: Do I buy new Forge Motorsport right angled hoses £225 and use with the existing top plastic pipework and bottom alloy pipe work?

There are 4 right angled bends (silicone) with lugs to fit OEM. Cheaper than OEM ones.

This is the cheapest option, unless the SMIC plastic ends are worn, also, meaning I then find myself buying a new SMIC from dealer (£380)

 

Advantages of pipework - Easy job to fit, plug and play. I do know there are no holes in the intercooler itself as the heat shrink temporarily made a huge difference to the boost.

 

Option 2: Do I buy the Darkside Development hardpipe kit and their Seat Sport FMIC? £600 mark. I don't really need this for performance, the disadvantages are the car will need modifying (crash bar cutting, loss of a bumper attachment points, radiator surround needs trimming, offside headlight needs plastic trimming). Also, a few peps have mentioned on this site that the car will suffer turbo lag (if not remaps, it isn't). 

 

Option 3: There was a few years ago mention of a SMIC that is all metal and will allow aftermarket hoses without those horse shoe c clips. The Darkside Dev. SMIC will not fit my model of car.

This would be my preferred option but it is not an option. 

 

Option 4: Forge motorsport FMIC - no longer produced by this company - but I've found it on a certain auction site and other remap/specialist garages have it listed for sale. 5 week delivery time. 

The end pipes are not on the same side and will require the near side pipe to do a 180degree turn under the FMIC. I've heard this option does not require modification (cutting) of any parts of the car. Price is £800-£830. Not sure if 'all bits' are there (adapters, etc.)

 

Has anyone actually had experienced of any of the above with a stock car - particularly, interested in the Forge Motorsport £225 option 1. Have I missed anything?

 

I want to get something ordered this week. 

 

Any answers are much appreciated. Matt

Update - Option 4 is no longer sold. Just checked my e-mail.

Option 1 - no longer an option. Forge said the hose kit will only fit the ASZ engine not the BLT.

Option 3 - Darkside SMIC will not fit my car!

 

Option 5 anyone!!! Any companies you know that make an aftermarket kit for the 1.9TD BLT Fabia VRS engine?

OPTION 5!

 

Another company I have just found out about make the whole pipe kit as an aftermarket OEM replacement for £255. Egr/Asv to OEM SMIC and OEM SMIC to turbo with all the lug fittings.

 

The only problem they mentioned was that the pipework is 60mm diameter. The gent said the car might smoke without a remap.

 

Anyone got experience of fitting something like this. This is a real plug and play solution. I would have thought fitting a FMIC would have made things worse than this, but I don't have 1st hand experience? Any info much appreciated, as always.

 

Matt

Edited 23 January, 20188 yr by bmbmdmb

@bmbmdmb Ref (5), the only way a diesel will smoke is if it's over-fueling (black) or burning lubricant (blue or white depending on rate of burn). I can't see any reason why changing the intercooler pipe diameter would cause either condition.

There is a sensor in the intercooler I ve seen. MAP sensor. Does this also not monitor how much boost is flowing to turbo and would compensate for a slightly bigger boost pipe volume?

48 minutes ago, bmbmdmb said:

There is a sensor in the intercooler I ve seen. MAP sensor. Does this also not monitor how much boost is flowing to turbo and would compensate for a slightly bigger boost pipe volume?

 

Pipe volume is irrelevant to boost pressure, also fitting an FMIC does not cause turbo lag, that's just idiot muppetry. Pro-tip: Don't take advice from clueless mouthbreathers.

Thanks Sep. I`ve come across many a mouth breather (I love that phrase!), they did seem plausible though, in that the ones who had lagging turbo said they had stock not mapped cars and those who didnt said they had already had a remap. I heard 1/2 sec mentioned. You are right, all anecdotal.

I seem to remember Boyle´s Law. Pressure is inversely proportional to volume. Bigger boost pipe volume, lower boost pressure. At a constant temperature. Or, at least until the turbo builds up more pressure when it spools.

21 minutes ago, bmbmdmb said:

Thanks Sep. I`ve come across many a mouth breather (I love that phrase!), they did seem plausible though, in that the ones who had lagging turbo said they had stock not mapped cars and those who didnt said they had already had a remap. I heard 1/2 sec mentioned. You are right, all anecdotal.

I seem to remember Boyle´s Law. Pressure is inversely proportional to volume. Bigger boost pipe volume, lower boost pressure. At a constant temperature. Or, at least until the turbo builds up more pressure when it spools.

 

Boyles law is right, obviously, however not applicable here because the turbo is actually blowing harder and would build more pressure if it weren't limited to 2.5 Bar MAP (manifold absolute pressure).

@bmbmdmb - @sepulchrave is correct that Boyle's law doesn't apply. The increased cross-sectional area means that, at a given engine speed, you get lower intercooler pipe air velocity for a given demand mass air flow.

To add to this post.

 

I too am looking for a Forge FMIC or similar (unsure if there is actually), as I have factory xenons and want to keep my headlight washers.

 

Its correct Forge don’t sell their intercooler anymore, I actually live not far from Forge Motorsport and asked if they would produce a one off, but they weren’t interested.

 

I desperately want to find a Forge cooler, but unfortunately got scammed by a member on here over Xmas for £200 and no Forge cooler delivered.

 

heres to happy hunting!

 

Dean