Efficiency of the OBX FMIC?
12 Second Truck Club
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,574
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento, CA
I saw a 2psi pressure drop on my OBX with 2 90deg bends. I ended up re routing my wastegate line to compensate.
The ATI guys are seeing 2+psi gain when swapping out their ATI twin ICs.
The ATI guys are seeing 2+psi gain when swapping out their ATI twin ICs.
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Tempe, AZ
One of the reason other cores will usually out perform OBX is the size. The OBX's are usually 2.75"-3" thick and the Spearcos are mostly 3.5" thick. But I have tested two cores back to back that where the same size other than the extra .5" thinck Spearco and gained 10% more power with the spearco.
BTW where I'm comming from is years of building the fastest turbo 4cyl. street cars around. When you only have 2.0L of displacement to work with you can't afford to leave any power on the table. What we've found is using the right intercooler is almost as important as the turbo you chose. Most of the V8 guys are so new to turbocharging they think that any intercooler is good enough.
BTW where I'm comming from is years of building the fastest turbo 4cyl. street cars around. When you only have 2.0L of displacement to work with you can't afford to leave any power on the table. What we've found is using the right intercooler is almost as important as the turbo you chose. Most of the V8 guys are so new to turbocharging they think that any intercooler is good enough.
TECH Addict
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,659
Likes: 1
From: Bellevue, Wa
exactly.
for alot of folks good enough is indeed good enough.
I much rather have the $$ in my pocket. the car will make 500rwhp easy with the OBX and thats a few hundred more HP than I can realistically use on the street anyhow so it definetly makes sense to me. I think too many folks only think ***** to the wall max effort professional racer setups. Thats just not realistic for 99% of us on these boards IMO.
for alot of folks good enough is indeed good enough.
I much rather have the $$ in my pocket. the car will make 500rwhp easy with the OBX and thats a few hundred more HP than I can realistically use on the street anyhow so it definetly makes sense to me. I think too many folks only think ***** to the wall max effort professional racer setups. Thats just not realistic for 99% of us on these boards IMO.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 596
Likes: 0
From: Downers Grove,IL
I've seen and built many FMIC and OBX is the worst stuff out there. To hide there blemishes, they paint there cores silver. If anyone looks at there cores closely, you can see what I'm saying. Maybe they changed there ways recently, but I doubt it. My IC source bought 20 or so OBX IC and now can't sell them because of how crappy they are. I think he also mentioned poor performance but I can't confirm that, he just threw me a bunch of numbers that went in one ear and out the other
He pulled an OBX off the the shelf and showed me the paint. Now I know why OBX is so cheap, hehe
He pulled an OBX off the the shelf and showed me the paint. Now I know why OBX is so cheap, hehe
Having compared it to higher priced models I can say my OBX looked better!
The unit works great with some of the best IAT reduction I could hope for.
Is it the best? no! But geez for 275-300$ it's a great budget unit!
Must we all blow our kids inheritance on our cars to feel good?
You guys are all running turbo setups! Huge bucks, and are complaining about another couple hundred for an intercooler that will be more efficient???? 
A few hundered bucks isn't worth 10% more power???? But you'll spend upwards of $8000 on a tt setup for more power. Afew hundred seems pretty miniscule for 10% more power. Plus you can run the same boost on pumpgas and be able to make more power. 
A few hundered bucks isn't worth 10% more power???? But you'll spend upwards of $8000 on a tt setup for more power. Afew hundred seems pretty miniscule for 10% more power. Plus you can run the same boost on pumpgas and be able to make more power. i am not buying the 10% hp, you are talking 60hp on most cars around here and that is hard to believe.
btw 3" thick to 3.5" thick is a 16% increase in size. i still dont buy the extra 10% hp unless you were flowing so much air you actualy needed the extra internal area to keep presure drop down.
btw 3" thick to 3.5" thick is a 16% increase in size. i still dont buy the extra 10% hp unless you were flowing so much air you actualy needed the extra internal area to keep presure drop down.
With the OBX FMIC I went from 117mph traps to 124mph traps and saw a jump of 2psi from my ATI Twins. For the money spent for the project I felt this was a damn good gain from my cheap lil china cooler. Mine looks nice as any i've seen and a whole lot better than the ATI twins it replaced. FWIW I spent 680 to do the FMIC and thats because I bought the FMIC for 515 before ebay was flooded with them. I'll take the money saved and spend it elsewhere on the car. Will the OBX work for an all out race application like the pic in NXricky post....NO! Will it work on cars making 700hp on down, yep we already have two members doing it now with excellent results. I think OBX's ratings for this FMIC are deadnuts on. My IATs are awesome, drop wickedly fast after a WOT run and I made more power and got my new best with the OBX...
just can't see how people say the quality is crap, my welds were awesome the endtanks were nice and smooth no sharp angles or obstructions and the fins were all perfect, it will get me to my goal just fine and didn't break the bank to do it. Whats a lil more $$, Chinga, cheedar, money when i've spent this much?? Too much money spent already
J
just can't see how people say the quality is crap, my welds were awesome the endtanks were nice and smooth no sharp angles or obstructions and the fins were all perfect, it will get me to my goal just fine and didn't break the bank to do it. Whats a lil more $$, Chinga, cheedar, money when i've spent this much?? Too much money spent already
J
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Originally Posted by LT1-7
I've seen and built many FMIC and OBX is the worst stuff out there. To hide there blemishes, they paint there cores silver. If anyone looks at there cores closely, you can see what I'm saying.
Really, all I care about is whether I hit my target number or not. It will already be a ridiculous amount of power for the street and a 2900# car.
If your builder is having trouble getting rid of his OBX purchase, perhaps he should unload them here. They seem to sell pretty fast around these parts.
11 Second Club
iTrader: (20)
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,684
Likes: 3
From: Albuquerque NM - The Land of 8000ft DA
Originally Posted by Z1500
One of the reason other cores will usually out perform OBX is the size. The OBX's are usually 2.75"-3" thick and the Spearcos are mostly 3.5" thick. But I have tested two cores back to back that where the same size other than the extra .5" thinck Spearco and gained 10% more power with the spearco.
BTW where I'm comming from is years of building the fastest turbo 4cyl. street cars around. When you only have 2.0L of displacement to work with you can't afford to leave any power on the table. What we've found is using the right intercooler is almost as important as the turbo you chose. Most of the V8 guys are so new to turbocharging they think that any intercooler is good enough .
BTW where I'm comming from is years of building the fastest turbo 4cyl. street cars around. When you only have 2.0L of displacement to work with you can't afford to leave any power on the table. What we've found is using the right intercooler is almost as important as the turbo you chose. Most of the V8 guys are so new to turbocharging they think that any intercooler is good enough .
So I'm curious, on the test you ran.
Material? Fin thickness/depth? Fins/inch? Rows? # of tubes? Length of tubes? Tube I.D.? Tube O.D.? Volume? Pressure drop? delta Temps? delta Pressure? was there an increase in airflow between the two? details details details what exactly changed?
Just trying to see how much of an apples to apples comparison your test was.
Your last statement was just lame, anybody who has been doing this long enough and learns will tell you making the car work as a unit is key. It applies to all platforms.
Last edited by sscam68; Jan 21, 2005 at 11:53 PM.
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Tempe, AZ
sscam68-
Do you know who Sean at SolidTechnology is right there in ABQ? The back top back dyno was done right there in your town with one of my intercoolers vs. a China special.
"Material? Fin thickness/depth? Fins/inch? Rows? # of tubes? Length of tubes? Tube I.D.? Tube O.D.? Volume? Pressure drop? delta Temps? delta Pressure? was there an increase in airflow between the two?"
Of coures all those are thing things that change greatly when you go from a crappy i/c core to a good one. That's my point, not enough surface area on a OBX core to do the job right. The OBX cores are very light weight compared to a real core, this is the first sign that should warn people away. Not enough aluminum there to transfer heat for very long.
Kevin
Do you know who Sean at SolidTechnology is right there in ABQ? The back top back dyno was done right there in your town with one of my intercoolers vs. a China special.
"Material? Fin thickness/depth? Fins/inch? Rows? # of tubes? Length of tubes? Tube I.D.? Tube O.D.? Volume? Pressure drop? delta Temps? delta Pressure? was there an increase in airflow between the two?"
Of coures all those are thing things that change greatly when you go from a crappy i/c core to a good one. That's my point, not enough surface area on a OBX core to do the job right. The OBX cores are very light weight compared to a real core, this is the first sign that should warn people away. Not enough aluminum there to transfer heat for very long.
Kevin
11 Second Club
iTrader: (20)
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,684
Likes: 3
From: Albuquerque NM - The Land of 8000ft DA
Originally Posted by Z1500
sscam68-
Do you know who Sean at SolidTechnology is right there in ABQ? The back top back dyno was done right there in your town with one of my intercoolers vs. a China special.
"Material? Fin thickness/depth? Fins/inch? Rows? # of tubes? Length of tubes? Tube I.D.? Tube O.D.? Volume? Pressure drop? delta Temps? delta Pressure? was there an increase in airflow between the two?"
Of coures all those are thing things that change greatly when you go from a crappy i/c core to a good one. That's my point, not enough surface area on a OBX core to do the job right. The OBX cores are very light weight compared to a real core, this is the first sign that should warn people away. Not enough aluminum there to transfer heat for very long.
Kevin
Do you know who Sean at SolidTechnology is right there in ABQ? The back top back dyno was done right there in your town with one of my intercoolers vs. a China special.
"Material? Fin thickness/depth? Fins/inch? Rows? # of tubes? Length of tubes? Tube I.D.? Tube O.D.? Volume? Pressure drop? delta Temps? delta Pressure? was there an increase in airflow between the two?"
Of coures all those are thing things that change greatly when you go from a crappy i/c core to a good one. That's my point, not enough surface area on a OBX core to do the job right. The OBX cores are very light weight compared to a real core, this is the first sign that should warn people away. Not enough aluminum there to transfer heat for very long.
Kevin
I thought this test was done at your facility?
Yes I know who they are, no i don't think to highly of them...
