How-to: DIY Custom MSP FMIC

[03.5silvermsp]

Some of you may be familiar with my thread of my FMIC setup(http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123653480) and a few have requested that I post up a how-to on the installation/process of my FMIC setup. The intercooler's dimensions are 28"x7"x2.5" overall and i used 2.5" piping.

Here is a little back ground info on what I used and the prices(total/shipped):
FMIC, piping, bov generic kit..................$257
(ebay auction #290049303744)
extra piping/couplers............................$104
(ebay auction #290049472994)
2-2.5" reducers(2)................................$28
2.5-2.75" reducers(2)...........................$30
AEM dryflow air filter(2.5").....................$40
Total: $459
Keep in mind i had extra piping, couplers, and clamps left over, and i also made my own SRI.


Before you start

1)Make sure car is hot and remove stock hot and cold piping. Some "umpphhh" may be required)
2)Remove stock air box/piping to inlet side of the turbo. Disconnect MAF and lay to the side, also lay the Temp sensor to the side.
3)Remove the stock SMIC and also remove the coolant overflow tank.
4)Take off both the driver and passenger side wheel well screws/groumets from front bumper cover all the way back to the midway or so point on the fender and to the coilover/inside wheel well. Pull it out of the middle of the font lip and bumper cover "sandwich".
5)Remove Passenger side lower splash guard/shield.
6)Take off front bumper. Remember there are 2 8mm screws on each side accessible from the front of the wheel wells that you have removed, then there is the push in lock/clip deal located below each head light. I used a flat head screwdriver to pry up on the metal part of the clip while pushing the bumper up to clear the plastic bung on the lock/clip. It's tedious, take your time.

Now for the Installation
Mounting the Intercooler
1)Fist remove the bracket holding the cooling loop and the bracket holding the cooling loop to the bracket. Bend the tab on the cooling loop bracket so that it will not harm your radiator. Place the cooling loop behind the bracket. Cut some 2 pieces of hose(around 3/8" will work) in aprox. 4-6" lenghts and split them down the middle. Now place these on the cooling loop and put tie wraps around them.

2)Find the center of the bumper beam and mark it on the top of the bumper beam. Now find the distance between the mounting bungs on the intercooler. Find out half of the value of the distance of the mounting bungs on the intercooler. Using your center mark, offset a mark on each side of your center. Now you have the locations for where the intercooler brackets will be.
3)Measure from the top of the bumper beam down to where the intercooler mounting bungs will be. This is how tall long your brackets will have to be.
4)Use 1"x1/8" for your brackets(or something similar). Mark them with the measurement you found in #3 while keeping 1-1.5" extra on the ends for the holes to be drilled. Make 2 90* bends opposite of each other or in a "Z" shape. Drill holes in the ends for holding the brackets to the bumper beam and to the intercooler. A few more slight bends may have to be made to clear the seam in the bumper beam.
5) Mount the intercooler to the bumper. I used self-taping screws for the bumper beam and 10mm bolts with a 13mm head for the intercooler. Tighten untill the intercooler is tight against the bumper beam, it should be very stout/stable.
Pics for #2-5

New Radiator Bracket
I also made a new radiator bracket since the SMIC is gone and only one side is held in place. I basically just took a piece of flat metal(1"x1/8") made two bends, drilled a couple holes, and bolted it do the radiator support/frame. here's a pic

More coming.......

 

[03.5silvermsp]

......continued



Hot Side Piping/Routing
Leave all couplers loose untill the routing is done, save yourself some headache

1)Place 2.5"-2" reducer on the discharge/outlet of the turbo.
2)Get a ~105* and a 90* pipe. Cut the length of the 105* going down towards the A/C compressesor to where the pipe will stop between the a/c compressor and in front of the fan. A coupler will be placed here because the pipe is not long enough to extend past the compressor and this is the only place where there's enough room to put a coupler. Cut the 90* to where you think it will match up with the 105*, this will take several minor/slight cuts of both pipes to get them to match up to the right height and angles. ****Keep in mind there will be ANOTHER 90* pipe going on the lower side of the 105* pipe, dont cut too much off the length untill you get that situated****
Pic for #1-2

3)Use another 90* pipe for going down towards the tow ring coming from the 105* pipe. This is where you'll have to bend the a/c line(use your hands) to clear the pipe. Be VERY careful. Bend little amounts at a time. Now that you have clearance for your pipe to go in, cut your 90* pipe to lenghth and have it going just below and behind the tow ring.
Pics for #3

4)Place a 90 degree coupler on the end of the 90* pipe. Now use another 90* pipe to go from this point all the way to the inlet of the intercooler.
Pics for #4

Cold Side Piping/Routing

1)Use a 105* pipe to go from the outlet of the intercooler to the front of the fenderwell. A 90* coupler will come next pointing up. Then will come another 105* pipe going back up into the engine bay through the hole. Have the length of this second 105* angled towards the battery/throttle body. Also have it's length cut to where it exits as it does for the #2 pic
Pic for #1

2) Next will come a coupler, the bov flange pipe, 2.75"-2.5" reducer, MAF, 2.75"-2.5" reducer, 135* pipe, and last a 90* coupler going to the throttle body. You may have to play with the lenghts on the 135* pipe to get everything positioned/angle how you'd like.
Pic for #2

Now go back and finalize all the positioning on your routing and piping, tighten all clamps, and your routing is done!

A little bit of cutting

Here is where there is some slight cutting involved:

1) I had to trim some off the edges of the foglight mounts for it to clear my piping so that the bumper would slide back on.
2)You will have to trim some off of your fender well and splash guard on the passenger side to clear the piping on the hot side where the tow ring is. There is no right or wrong way to do this. Look at the pics below to see what i did. I used vinyl siding scissors and it worked like a charm.

Bumper Fitment

The intercooler will most likely pry the bottom of the bumper cover down to where you can't fasten it back to the radiator support/frame. I left mine loose, the intercooler keeps tension on it and there are plenty of other fasteners on the bumper to hold it on.

Coolant Overflow Tank

You will need to relocate the coolant tank. I used the stock bracket but modified it slightly. There is a tab bend on the end of the bracket(away from the tank itself), i bent this to where it is the same as the rest of the bracket. I then have the long part of the brack pointed towards the drivers side fender and used a threaded hole in the frame near where the tank was orignally mounted to fasten the tank down. To keep the tank/bracket from swinging all around, i used the hole already in the tab i bent, drilled a small hole, and used a self-tapping screw to keep it stable. I then got some 5/16th hose to reroute the line going from the tank to the radiator neck. Here are a couple pics of how i positioned and mounted it.

A Few Small Things

I did a couple things here and there for the fit and finish of this setup:
1)Cut some vacuum hose along the center(lenghtwise) and put it around the hole that the cold side comes up through. This looks clean and serves a purpose in keeping the pipe and hole from rubbing each other and causing vibrations/noises.

2)Put some vacuum hose on the bracket close to the throttle body to ensure that the 135* pipe at the throttle body doesnt rub it.

I hope this has covered most everything, please let me know if i haven't. I will be updating little by little in the next couple days with more pics.


Finished Product

Now go out and enjoy your new found looks and power!

I will show how i did the SRI in the next post.

 

[03.5silvermsp]

Short Ram Intake

You will need the following to do this:
2 or 2.25-2.5" reducer
2.5" 135* Piping
Air Filter
3/8" threaded fitting
3/8" Hose
3/8" male(both ends) fitting
Hose Clamps

1)Place the reducer on the inlet side of the turbo. If you bought a 2-2.5" reducer you may need to heat it up and lubricate it to get it on, if you bought a 2.25-2.5" reducer you should have no problems.
2)Cut your pipe on both ends untill it is place where you like it. Once i got the length where i liked it, i turned the pipe to where it face towards the back of the car and up.
3)Do a test trial with the filter and pipe to make sure it is positioned where you want it. Once you have done this, mark the best place for the fitting for the fitting to go.
4)Drill a hole slightly(.010" or so) smallere than the threaded part of the fitting. Use a nut driver to screw it in. It doesnt have to be real tight. Remember, this is aluminum piping. Once this is done, install the pipe and filter, go ahead and clamp down everything.
5)Put the male(both ends) fitting at the end of the original pcv hose, then put your new hose on the other end and have it go all the way down down to the fitting on the intake pipe.

In this pic you can see the fitting i used and can get an idea of how i positioned and routed everything.

That's it! Very simple. I estimate that i have maybe $60 in this SRI, mainly because of the $40 filter(AEM Dryflow) and the reducer.

Now you will be able to hear your turbo very well

Finished Product

 

[Captain KRM P5]

looks very impressive!

 

[msp35]

Great write-up, just wish I could see the pictures

 

[03.5silvermsp]

Thanks, any reason why you can't see the pics?

Is this sticky material?

 

[msp35]

Prolly my work connection. Although now I can see the bracket picture ant that's it.

 

[djarkitek]

i see all the pictures now. excellent write and great looking finished product

 

[03.5silvermsp]

Thank you.

 

[Wbriggs19061]

very good...definately should be a sticky. im getting ready to build mine and this will help..

 

[03.5silvermsp]

Great, glad i could help. I'm still not quite done adding stuff to it(couple pics here and there). I'll leave it up to the Mods/admin with whether or not they'd like to make it a sticky

 

[03.5silvermsp]

I have updated the thread with a few new pics

 

[Alejo_NIN]

props on the thread
definately should be a stick as it is an option for those DIY'ers that don't wanna pay "in the neightborhood of $1000" for a FMIC

yea, alot of couplings..but anything is better than the stock IC

also, by doing all the cutting, you cut on costs when u take your car to do the welded piping..

great how-to:

 

[03.5silvermsp]

Thanks man. This could definitely be a day job for all those that want a better running/looking car for 1/3 of the price of the kits. It's amazing how i can get done driving my car for an hour or more, pop the hood and feel the cold pipe and its not even loop warm. I'm very satisfied so far

 

[blazinrola80]

were you get that 110* pipe ? i wanna re rout my hot pipe like yours.. were do i need to buy thoes chrome pipes i alredy have the black ones.

 

[Wbriggs19061]

yea ive been looking for them but cant find any....

 

[03.5silvermsp]

The angles i provided are simply estimates for reference. Now, looking back on the auction, it states that there are 2 of the following: 90*, 45*, and 75*. This can't be possible though because all of the pipes are obtuse(greater than 90*), but i guess it just depends on which side of 180* they were measured. I guess it would make more sense that 2 or 90*, 2 105*, and 2 are 135*. Sorry for the confusion. I will update the writeup and i may even see if i can somehow measure the angles to verify. Thanks

 

[khaosman]

Question...

Do you think there is room for a 26x8x3 overall intercooler? I have a real nice Spearco one I picked up from my buddy for cheap... gotta make it fit when I get my turbo setup on.

 

[Alejo_NIN]

they haven';t moved this to the how:to section?

weird

 

[03.5silvermsp]

Question...

Do you think there is room for a 26x8x3 overall intercooler? I have a real nice Spearco one I picked up from my buddy for cheap... gotta make it fit when I get my turbo setup on.

The lenght and width will work. The only part that's questionable is the height. You may have to either cut or do away with the bumper(steel black bumper). I think it would be doable though. Good luck.

they haven';t moved this to the how:to section?

weird