When does a front mount become necessary?

[matt87]

aww come on, what would ya rather have a cool front mount or a wussy looking stock location! j/k! i just olove all the people looking for my intercoolers at the cruise nights. they are black so they look like radiators. even on the hotest days here in RI i never have problems.

 

[Steve Wood]

Originally posted by blackshoebox
So is the consensus that FM will not give anymore performance gains over a v4, and other stock location IC's? For example I run the ATR stock location stretch intercooler(a few years old, i believe it is a 19 row). Does this theory only apply to this particular intercooler(the v4), or to other stock locations to. Also I have heard, of gains up to 4 tenths with FM vs a max of 2 tenths with a stock location, is there any truth to this statement??

Im considering the purchase of a FM in the near future, but see no point if I will not gain any performance, and potentially have to add a dual fan kit(another 250.00) to be able to drive the car on the street without overheating issues. I have been told, FM help reduce turbo lag?? This was not mention at all in this thread, so is there any truth to that??

Shoebox

We never have a consensus! LOL

It holds for any good oem replacement down into the tens for a 3.8 engine, I would think.

I think that a front mount may add to lag as it has a longer piping route to get to the engine but that probably depends upon what kinda stock mount you are comparing it to.

Good luck if dual fans are all you need. Don't get sucked into the four or five row cores as they don't work as well as a good hd three row and nothing works like the CAS three pass (as opposed to three row) unit.

The best advantage that a fm has for most of us is that it is very easy to change the serpentine built every few years..

 

[azgn]

you guys are a bunch of wusses when it comes to hot weather.....hot weather in RI? Jeez.......like what, 85*?

Seriously, with the technology where it is today, there is no NEED (meaning no improvement) for a front mount until well into the 10's.....and if you happen to live where it does get warm, you are converting your street car into a limited use vehicle (unless you are willing to spend major $$ to keep it cool...)

It's sorta cool here today, some clouds overhead...91*

heading toward 115* in June

 

[matt87]

God bless ya azgn! gees your slicks must melt to the pavement! do you even need to do a burnout!? I love New England weather.

 

[azgn]

nah, we keep the slicks in the reefer in the summer or they just turn into puddles of goo....they use dry ice in the burnout box.....

 

[Wolfj359]

I sympathize with AZGN. It was 92* today with the heat index being 98* and we havent seen nuthin' yet . I have the V4 as well and love it.

 

[Turbojorge]

I solved all my cooling problems by putting a 140* Thermostat. I just have a stock IC w/bigger neck (all I'll need untill I get bellow 11.40's). I don't think I'll ever get a FM, just a V4 or a V4R and I'll be fine. IMO, I'd rather spend my money on a Bigger Turbo and better flowing heads than on something that's just going to make my car "look" like it's fast.

my .02

 

[Two Lane]

I couldn't agree more!

 

[AsphaltAnihil8r]

Recore Radiator=$140
Used PTE FM =$550
Spal Fans =$200
------------------------------
Total $890

V4 $700???

 

[Steve Wood]

I will take that $190 any day...there must be something you can buy for $190!

 

[TURBO 6]

I went from a PTE front mount to a MJ 17 row then to a V4. I have noticed no gains from switching to either one. The front mount is overkill for a car that's in the 11's. I wouldn't think you would need a fm until you are well into the ten's.

 

[Grumpy]

hmmmm you mean a front mount wont help a 13 sec car

 

[azgn]

of course a front mount would help a 13 sec car, but not anymore than an upgraded stock location....that is the point...unless you live in Alaska, a front mount will cause cooling problems

 

[AsphaltAnihil8r]

Kind of like buying Msd 50lb injectors,and runnning 13's,,why did you buy them---because you only want to do it one time --so go with a FrontMount and do it right the first time