[Jyamaharider713]

So I'm currently buying all of the support mods for MHD stage 2+. What intercooler is recommended to run with this tune?

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

Any of these are great intercoolers:
- VRSF
- Wagner
- Active Autowerk
- Mishimoto

Many people here run VRSF due to its lower cost and are great for street use. This doesn't mean the others are bad, they just have strengths in different areas for different applications.

[Jyamaharider713]

Yes, when I go to VRSF to select one I have different options. Looks like 5" stepped street, 7" street, or 7" HD. Not sure which one I should go with.

[Kev0]

I've been using the Evolution Racewerks Competition FMIC full kit for the past 3 years and I'm satisfied with it. Comes with the upper intercooler piping and charge pipe if you don't have it upgraded yet. But if it's the price you're after, then majority run VRSF.

[iScramble]

I went with ARM Motorsports FMIC and haven't had any issues yet

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

With regards to VRSF you can look at it a few ways.

Street 5" no Cutting

Street 7" trimming required

Street 7" HD trimming required

Their new 5" has a better core then previously so it pretty much functions similiary in performance to the 7" now.

However, if heat soak is still a thing, then consider the 7" anyway.

If you want the most in performance consider the HD.

I look at the options of Good Better and Best with the performance and heat soak resistance.

[xxMike61]

+1 more for the ARM motorsports. Keeping the oem quick connections were a plus for me even though they are sort of bottlenecks but oh well. Never had any problems

[Tiago@VRSF]

Originally Posted by Jeff@TopGearSolutions

With regards to VRSF you can look at it a few ways.

Street 5" no Cutting

Street 7" trimming required

Street 7" HD trimming required

Their new 5" has a better core then previously so it pretty much functions similiary in performance to the 7" now.

However, if heat soak is still a thing, then consider the 7" anyway.

If you want the most in performance consider the HD.

I look at the options of Good Better and Best with the performance and heat soak resistance.

Thanks for the information Jeff, I just wanted to clear up some info. Each and every one of our new street intercoolers have been revised and now offer double the overall fin density internally and externally which allows the VRSF street core to both absorb and dissipate heat significantly better in comparison to our previous version as well as competing options.

Both fin density and fin construction have improved significantly and these changes are now standard on all 5" stepped, and 7" street intercoolers at no additional cost. Here's a picture of the difference between the old vs the new.



http://www.vr-speed.com/vrsf-7-front...2-e90-e92.html

Here's a picture of the fin density of our Race intercooler which is recommended for folks who live in warm climates as well as those interested in shooting for 650whp+. This is the same intercooler on the worlds fastest N54 and the worlds highest HP (1000whp+ Motiv shop car).



http://www.vr-speed.com/vrsf-7-5-ste...2-e90-e92.html

[maddmatth]

I have a $200 generic Ebay one. It's made for N54, but all you need to make it work on N55 is a 2.5" to 2.75" (63mm-70mm) silicone coupler, about 10-15cm in length will do. It's for the charge pipe side as that's the only difference for fitment
Exact one I bought isn't there but here's another:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Twin-Turbo-...IAAOSwepJXY3tw
Heaps of sellers have them.

If you search Youtube for something like "Ebay N54 intercooler" there's a video from a guy that installed and tested one with IAT logs.
Works great, been running mine on the Stage 2+ maps for over a year.

If you track heavily or are in a hot area, or have a stage 2 turbo, maybe the more expensive ones are worth it. But for me in NZ's climate this one works great

[LoneWolfPistol]

All the brands suggested are pretty good. If you haven't, Try "G-Plus Performance" their 7" intercooler is great quality, durable, & at a good cost. Good Luck!

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by iScramble

I went with ARM Motorsports FMIC and haven't had any issues yet

Im not entirely sure what kind of issues you were expecting but you can keep the stock FMIC and you wont have any issues either.

What you want to be looking at is how much are temps rising and is ECU pulling timing?

Getting a quality intercooler is must when running stage 2 or stage 2+.

[joshe92]

good thread

[iScramble]

Originally Posted by mike@x-ph.com

Im not entirely sure what kind of issues you were expecting but you can keep the stock FMIC and you wont have any issues either.

What you want to be looking at is how much are temps rising and is ECU pulling timing?

Getting a quality intercooler is must when running stage 2 or stage 2+.

Well.... It didn't blow up! I'm a happy with the quality of the ARM Motorsports FMIC and it was budget friendly.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Glad it didn't blow up! It's good to see people boasting about intercoolers they bought.

However, without comparing to something else do you really know it performs well or the quality is good?

[WeekendWarriorz]

I had the ARM 7 inch intercooler and let me tell you, that thing is a pile of sh*t. Sure it performed actually outstanding on the stock turbo. Have logs to show it only increasing 13* from a 1st-6th gear pull Map 7 with BEF that's 20psi, but the quality was so bad I didn't want to have that pos sitting on my car. Ditched and went VRSF 7.5 and never turning back. Love it. I'm running the ARM chargepipe which has been working well, perfect fitment and no leaks. Replicated VRSF piece, if not running meth injection it's fine, will be swapping it out with a vrsf one soon which has better bungs for meth/CP injection.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by iScramble

Well.... It didn't blow up!

Alrighty then

[initiala4]

Get Wagner~!

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by initiala4

Get Wagner~!

Cant go wrong with Wagner, one of the best FMIC available

[Tiago@VRSF]

Originally Posted by thelightning

The new Wagner is probably the best one out there but overpriced if you ask me. Especially for OTS maps you don't need that extreme cooling.

There's a reason the fastest and most powerful N54's use the VRSF intercooler vs the other brands. Our 7.5" race intercooler is featured on multiple world record breaking builds including the the fastest N54 in the world (SimplyTuning in Australia, 9 second 1/4 mile) and it's also featured on Motiv's 1000whp shop car which currently holds the record for the highest HP N54 in the world. It's been proven time and time again as the best FMIC on this platform.

We've been able to adapt the info from these record breaking builds to our standard offerings. I can say with full confidence that you won't find a better intercooler for your N54, bmw tax or not

[WeekendWarriorz]

Originally Posted by Tiago@VRSF

The VRSF 7.5" race intercooler is featured on multiple world record breaking builds including the the fastest N54 in the world (SimplyTuning in Australia 9 second 1/4 mile) as well as the highest HP N54 in the world (1000whp Motiv shop car). It's been proven time and time again as the best FMIC on this platform.

+1 on 7.5 FMIC

[mike@x-ph.com]

From the logs i have seen, the VRSF 7.5" race has the best IAT control

[Rube]

Any testing done with the new fin packs ?

Originally Posted by Tiago@VRSF

Thanks for the information Jeff, I just wanted to clear up some info. Each and every one of our new street intercoolers have been revised and now offer double the overall fin density internally and externally which allows the VRSF street core to both absorb and dissipate heat significantly better in comparison to our previous version as well as competing options.

Both fin density and fin construction have improved significantly and these changes are now standard on all 5" stepped, and 7" street intercoolers at no additional cost. Here's a picture of the difference between the old vs the new.



http://www.vr-speed.com/vrsf-7-front...2-e90-e92.html

Here's a picture of the fin density of our Race intercooler which is recommended for folks who live in warm climates as well as those interested in shooting for 650whp+. This is the same intercooler on the worlds fastest N54 and the worlds highest HP (1000whp+ Motiv shop car).



http://www.vr-speed.com/vrsf-7-5-ste...2-e90-e92.html