Fiesta ST Intercooler Info Thread

[SecretSquirlTuned]

Unless you are doing AutoX or Road racing, the stock intercooler and pipes are fine. Even for drag racing which I know isn't popular here! I know that there are a few ponies to be gained by swapping but unless other companies can compete with the Mishimoto piece price/price its not worth it. Why spend double or more the money on a intercooler that you can have for $250?

 

[Kip2MyLou]

Unless you are doing AutoX or Road racing, the stock intercooler and pipes are fine. Even for drag racing which I know isn't popular here! I know that there are a few ponies to be gained by swapping but unless other companies can compete with the Mishimoto piece price/price its not worth it. Why spend double or more the money on a intercooler that you can have for $250?

Do you mean the Universal ones the sell? Because I don't see a Fiesta ST option on their site?

And I won't be autocrossing or racing. Just playful daily driving with some aggressive pulls here and there. Is an upgraded intercooler not worth it if that's all I'm going to do?

My biggest debate right now is either getting the intercooler or saving a few more bucks and getting the Cobb downpipe and exhaust kit. I don't know which one to so if anybody has any input, I'm all ear!!

 

[SecretSquirlTuned]

Mishimoto J-Line is a universal unit that will fit our cars with minor work needed. I would get that and the 2JR downpipe all for less than the price of any of the other available intercoolers $500+ Our stock TBE also is not that restrictive I would leave that as your last mod unless you just want a bunch of noise.

 

[Kip2MyLou]

Mishimoto J-Line is a universal unit that will fit our cars with minor work needed. I would get that and the 2JR downpipe all for less than the price of any of the other available intercoolers $500+ Our stock TBE also is not that restrictive I would leave that as your last mod unless you just want a bunch of noise.

Unfortunately I will have to go the catted route on the downpipe because I live in Maryland. So the price difference between 2JRs and Cobbs isn't much different.

And I really don't like making modification on parts because I don't really know what I'm doing. So I'd like everything to be made for the car, specifically. But if I don't need the intercooler then I'll just skip it or put it off until the end.

I'd rather go for an intake, exhaust/downpipe then make my way to the intercooler, if at all possible.

 

[SecretSquirlTuned]

I understand, I would go for the Cobb intake since its the only proven one to work. And downpipe pick your favorite brand because there will be no difference in power between them. And from what you said your driving needs are I wouldn't put that kind of money in an intercooler yet.

 

[Kip2MyLou]

Yeah, I'm definitely going with Cobb's intake. And I'll just save up and do the whole Cobb turbo back system, exhaust and downpipe. Then maybe come Spring I'll invest in the intercooler when the temperatures start going up again.

Thanks man, appreciate the help.

 

[BRGT350]

from monitoring the intercooler temps vs ambiant temps on the street, I have noticed the intake temps climb pretty quickly under acceleration in 2nd and 3rd gear. Also, if you sit in a drive-thru or lots of traffic, the intake charge temps climb and stay high until you can get sustained driving above 40mph. I spent the second half of last week watching the temps under different conditions. Cruising on the highway, the intercooler is doing a perfect job, but that is because the speed is high and load is low. Low speed/high load and the intercooler starts to fall behind.

What I am doing until it is time to buy an intercooler, which may be sooner than I wanted, is to wrap all the intake tubing in gold foil and seal the factory intercooler to the front bumper. It is already pretty well sealed from the factory, but could use some extra material added between the shroud and bumper cover to completely seal it off. If you can make sure every bit of air passes thru the intercooler and not around it, that will help.

The direct fit intercoolers are expensive and are a tough part to swallow. If you look at price per cubic inch, the Cobb intercooler is the best deal. For ones that require a little modification, the Focus ST and Mishimoto J-Line look to be the best option. I don't think anyone has actually tried the Focus ST intercooler, and I have found very little info on what is involved to install the Mishimoto. I may try the Focus ST FMIC in the spring, depending on how much I can find one for. Right now, used ones are going for as much as a new one.

 

[Sourskittle]

Its not our stock intercooler is true THAT BAD for its application. Its the stock ecu starts retarding timing at around 100degrees charge temps, and is pulling 5 degrees of ignition timing at 110degrees (which really isn't bad temps compared to other platforms). And above 110degrees charge temps, it starts pulling more and more. At 150 degrees, its pulling 25 degrees ign timing ( which is about impossible unless you've really really changed something on the car ). So its not entirely the intercooler, its that the ecu reduces timing so quickly in response to higher intake temps.

In the long run, it means the samething.... Upgrade the intercooler, the temps rarely rarely rarely will ever go above 100degrees, which means a little cooler charge, but mostly, it means you keep that 2-5-25 degrees of ign timing. Either way... And intercooler = better power. And even better, better MORE RELIABLE power.

 

[Sourskittle]

For reference, with the boost turned up, my srt4 would see 250 degree air intake temps on the stock cooler. With a 4" thick aftermarket cooler, it came down to about 150 degrees at the same summer time weather/boost. So to think that during autocross type datalogging on a 97 degree day, the warmest charge temp I saw was 133 degrees, that's pretty good. No matter the ford engineers saw fit to drop timing off, so.... Maybe they had a good reason.

 

[SecretSquirlTuned]

Its not our stock intercooler is true THAT BAD for its application. Its the stock ecu starts retarding timing at around 100degrees charge temps, and is pulling 5 degrees of ignition timing at 110degrees (which really isn't bad temps compared to other platforms). And above 110degrees charge temps, it starts pulling more and more. At 150 degrees, its pulling 25 degrees ign timing ( which is about impossible unless you've really really changed something on the car ). So its not entirely the intercooler, its that the ecu reduces timing so quickly in response to higher intake temps.

In the long run, it means the samething.... Upgrade the intercooler, the temps rarely rarely rarely will ever go above 100degrees, which means a little cooler charge, but mostly, it means you keep that 2-5-25 degrees of ign timing. Either way... And intercooler = better power. And even better, better MORE RELIABLE power.

That's all very true but unless he is doing more than a few street pulls and he is not competing in any sort of RACE environment that's a lot of money to drop on something he wont get the full benefits out of. Now if he plans to go to track or make long interstate pulls then this is a must!

 

[BRGT350]

if you use the 110'F threshold as the point in which timing is reduced, the stock intercooler might be ok for normal street use in cooler climates. For somebody in the south west or Florida, the 110'F air charge temp is going to be something that is seen on a regular basis. Where I live, we can go an entire year and never get temps above 90'F. Most of this summer was spent in the upper 70's and low 80's, and that was only for 3 months. With that being the case, those of us in cooler climates might be able to improve the effiency of the stock intercooler enough to be able to avoid an upgrade for daily driver use. Wrapping the intake tubes and sealing the intercooler to the bumper are cheap ways to improve the intercooler at a much lower price that a full upgrade.

 

[Kip2MyLou]

I'm sure I'll be fine with the stock one then being where I'm living. There's hot days but nothing outrageous.

 

[razorlab]

Its not our stock intercooler is true THAT BAD for its application. Its the stock ecu starts retarding timing at around 100degrees charge temps, and is pulling 5 degrees of ignition timing at 110degrees (which really isn't bad temps compared to other platforms). And above 110degrees charge temps, it starts pulling more and more. At 150 degrees, its pulling 25 degrees ign timing ( which is about impossible unless you've really really changed something on the car ). So its not entirely the intercooler, its that the ecu reduces timing so quickly in response to higher intake temps.

This is incorrect. You didn't look close enough. It's a fraction of that referenced table at those temps and because of that, it is not a full 5 to 25*. A good amount of tables in the ECU work like this. I suggest looking closer.

Either way I'm leaving this forum so if anybody wants to read more posts of mine like this, feel free to follow me on the other forums.

 

[airjor13]

Anyone mess with the Focus ST OEM intercooler fit yet? That would be a huge budget upgrade if it fits!

 

[SecretSquirlTuned]

if you use the 110'F threshold as the point in which timing is reduced, the stock intercooler might be ok for normal street use in cooler climates. For somebody in the south west or Florida, the 110'F air charge temp is going to be something that is seen on a regular basis. Where I live, we can go an entire year and never get temps above 90'F. Most of this summer was spent in the upper 70's and low 80's, and that was only for 3 months. With that being the case, those of us in cooler climates might be able to improve the effiency of the stock intercooler enough to be able to avoid an upgrade for daily driver use. Wrapping the intake tubes and sealing the intercooler to the bumper are cheap ways to improve the intercooler at a much lower price that a full upgrade.

I think your idea wrapping tubes and proper ducting and a stock FoST intercooler $80 would be a hard to beat combo on the cheap!

 

[Sourskittle]

That's why I said it "STARTS" pulling timing at 100degrees, although it doesn't reach 5* until 110degrees. Either way, point is, if it never reaches 100degrees to begin with ( which would be hard to do with the big J-line cooler ) its not going to be reducing timing due to charge temps.

 

[Sourskittle]

On that hot pipe from turbo to intercooler, I'm not sure wrapping that pipe would do more harm than good. More like sealing in the heat vs using the air flow under the car to help cool the pipe.

The cold pipe from the cooler to the throttle body, prob a really great idea.

 

[BRGT350]

On that hot pipe from turbo to intercooler, I'm not sure wrapping that pipe would do more harm than good. More like sealing in the heat vs using the air flow under the car to help cool the pipe.

The cold pipe from the cooler to the throttle body, prob a really great idea.

Correct, cold pipe by the radiator leading to the throttle body and the induction tube between the air box and turbo is my plan. I am starting there and see where the data takes me next summer to see what to do next. If I can get into a Focus ST intercooler at a good price, I would surely try to install it. The J-Line is other option for non-direct fit, and the Cobb is looking like the best direct fit FMIC based on cost per cubic inch.

 

[Sourskittle]

Raamaudio had that idea on the cold pipe. Not sure if he did anything with it, but i totally forgot about it. Seems like a good idea to me

 

[Kip2MyLou]

I'm sorry guys but I don't understand any of these. Ha.

I guess I'll just go with the intake first, when it comes out, and then go from there. I just don't want to spend money on something I won't be using to it's full potential. Where if I would get the downpipe/exhaust kit I'd be getting use of that every time I hit the gas.