thats correct, and upon further review, it is in backwards. thats the second time today ive had a real face-palm moment... first was when i said a 2x4 was 1-3/4" tall when stood on end(hand)
Enough FMIC piping/couplers?
- Thread starter destineal
- Start date
MSP-2003.5
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- 2003.5 MSP
Three things
MAF is definitely backwards in that pic. They are meant for one direction only.
Only thing I don't like about all these FMIC kits I see online is that I would think that you will end up with dozens of couplers on it to get it to work.
I relocated my MAF when i installed my FMIC. My stock BPV went bad and blew a hole through the MAF sensor. I bought the forge BPV and put my MAF back to original location. I talked with a good friend that is a engine expert, but only novicely familiar with turbo's. But he brought up a good point. The MAF is designed to have a vacuum drawn through it at all times. When you relocate it is has constant change (but mostly pressurized) between vacuum and boost. I no longer think it is a good idea, it is only by any means necessary if you are using a BOV which doesn't even make sense. about the only thing right was mazda dumping the boost back into the intake.
Only thing I don't know why I haven't seen and I want to do it myself is: why not recirculate the boost back into the intake from the cold pipe instead of the hot
MAF is definitely backwards in that pic. They are meant for one direction only.
Only thing I don't like about all these FMIC kits I see online is that I would think that you will end up with dozens of couplers on it to get it to work.
I relocated my MAF when i installed my FMIC. My stock BPV went bad and blew a hole through the MAF sensor. I bought the forge BPV and put my MAF back to original location. I talked with a good friend that is a engine expert, but only novicely familiar with turbo's. But he brought up a good point. The MAF is designed to have a vacuum drawn through it at all times. When you relocate it is has constant change (but mostly pressurized) between vacuum and boost. I no longer think it is a good idea, it is only by any means necessary if you are using a BOV which doesn't even make sense. about the only thing right was mazda dumping the boost back into the intake.
Only thing I don't know why I haven't seen and I want to do it myself is: why not recirculate the boost back into the intake from the cold pipe instead of the hot
Only thing I don't like about all these FMIC kits I see online is that I would think that you will end up with dozens of couplers on it to get it to work. there are companies that make kits specifically for the MSP so there are less couplers, but almost all are out of business. the corksport and kinetic use way less couplers than a cut-to-fit, but theyre literally 8-10x more expensive.
I relocated my MAF when i installed my FMIC. My stock BPV went bad and blew a hole through the MAF sensor. ive never heard of this!
I bought the forge BPV and put my MAF back to original location. I talked with a good friend that is a engine expert, but only novicely familiar with turbo's. But he brought up a good point. The MAF is designed to have a vacuum drawn through it at all times. When you relocate it is has constant change (but mostly pressurized) between vacuum and boost. your friend is right, its not designed to be used this way, but SO many people are using blow-through MAF instead of drawthrough... youre the only one ive heard of who went back to drawthrough without selling the car.
I no longer think it is a good idea, it is only by any means necessary if you are using a BOV which doesn't even make sense. about the only thing right was mazda dumping the boost back into the intake.
Only thing I don't know why I haven't seen and I want to do it myself is: why not recirculate the boost back into the intake from the cold pipe instead of the hot mazda ran it off the hotpipe, but the majority of people who run hardpipes/recirculating BOV's will mount them on the coldpipe. if you havent seen it on here, you havent looked hard enough
MSP-2003.5
Member
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- 2003.5 MSP
I lucked out on my corksport FMIC. Bought it on ebay. got it for less than $400 w/2 slim fans. Injen cold air intake. and a MAF
Which real lucky got that MAF included w/it, bc I blew mine out and that is almost a $300 part
Which real lucky got that MAF included w/it, bc I blew mine out and that is almost a $300 part
MSP-2003.5
Member
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- 2003.5 MSP
nope, used it all. Have MSP AEM intake on ebay right now
if you guys were worried about there being too many clamps, and you can solder, look into a product called techno weld.
its a brazing substance for aluminum that you apply using a map gas or propane torch. these intercooler pipes are so thin a propane torch would probably work just fine. basicly; just heat up the two pipes, bead some technoweld on both peices and drag the included stainless abrader through the bead, jig em together, reheat both peices until the s*** melts together and add a little more.
this is pretty much the same as soldering copper pipes together but no flux. The technoeweld itself causes a chemical reaction with the aluminum, aluminum oxide and creates a form of mild steel. apparently it creates a alloy weld thates stronger than the parent aluminum your bonding together.
of course, the cx pipes with the rolled ends are not likely to blow couplers, so its probably a moot point. just saying =)
its a brazing substance for aluminum that you apply using a map gas or propane torch. these intercooler pipes are so thin a propane torch would probably work just fine. basicly; just heat up the two pipes, bead some technoweld on both peices and drag the included stainless abrader through the bead, jig em together, reheat both peices until the s*** melts together and add a little more.
this is pretty much the same as soldering copper pipes together but no flux. The technoeweld itself causes a chemical reaction with the aluminum, aluminum oxide and creates a form of mild steel. apparently it creates a alloy weld thates stronger than the parent aluminum your bonding together.
of course, the cx pipes with the rolled ends are not likely to blow couplers, so its probably a moot point. just saying =)
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Wagonbacker9
Member
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- 2004 'Hoe
my kit has a total of 3 more couplers than it would need if all pipe-pipe joints were welded. one is behind the bumper, one is under the front bumper, and one is between the rad and the block, so it doesn't bother me a bit.
Is that the air intake temp sensor you speak of in the yellow circle? If not, will I have to drill my hot pipe and put it there?
Now to the circle of green peppers: Is that the only radiator support bracket the SMIC has? If so I'm yanking the SMIC.
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Your IAT sensor appears to be already located in your spectre filter, where it should stay. Don't put in your hot pipe. That is the one bracket to remove along with the bolts connecting it to the radiator. Leave your sensor connectors alone unless you want important things like cooling fans to not work.
And clean up that engine.
And clean up that engine.
Wagonbacker9
Member
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- 2004 'Hoe
no, its just a connector mounted there.
mines dirty too but i dont make excuses
MSP-2003.5
Member
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- 2003.5 MSP
The yellow circled wire connector has nothing to do with the intercooler piping. It has been awhile since I've seen the engine in it's original form. But that yellow circle is 1 or 2 things. 1 it is the wire harness for the auxillary fan (secondary fan) or 2 it is the wire harness for your reverse lights. your air temp sensor is on the right side of your air filter (dead center right side in that pic)
air temp sensor is the black thing right next to your radio fuse
air temp sensor is the black thing right next to your radio fuse
Wagonbacker9
Member
- :
- 2004 'Hoe
as for the green peppers, that is the only mount for the rad/smic in the corner. you CAN make a bracket to remount the rad without it, but if you do I'd strongly suggest making a blockoff plate so that air isn't easily making its way around your radiator.
MSP-2003.5
Member
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- 2003.5 MSP
I put a stock protege radiator in (ebay for less than $100) when i put my FMIC on. I had to make my own brackets for the top mount bc the stock protege radiator is 1" shorter. could have bought the stock brackets at mazda for $75 each. still looking for protege or protege 5 at junkyard so i can get official brackets.
Best part about my new radiator is that it is for automatic, so I made the transmission cooler into a oil cooler
Best part about my new radiator is that it is for automatic, so I made the transmission cooler into a oil cooler
Wagonbacker9
Member
- :
- 2004 'Hoe
the stock full width rad actually has less cooling capacity because the core is so much thinner.
MSP-2003.5
Member
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- 2003.5 MSP
my car runs ten degrees cooler. I checked all the sizing. not sure if you are correct on that bc thickness was the same. just shorter and wider, plus stock was leaking (2nd stock on in 50,000 miles) and I was able to remove stock intercooler
you will need reducers as well, the tb is 2.75" i think and the maf is 2.75". someone already posted the sizes for the turbo. i have an ebay kit i bought from a member that was not altered, had some extra couplers from him and bought some extra clamps, and it turned out pretty good. i ran the intake as a SRI, the hot pipe ran through the old SMIC location and across/behind the crash bar to the FMIC, out of the FMIC to the CAI (fender) hole and to the TB. i relocated my maf and put a greddy RS VTA and have had no stalling or stumbling issues since i put it in about 9 months ago.
