I plan to switch to E85 soon and maximize the stock 9.8 hotside turbo's potential (for now, possible IX turbo or Green down the road). My car was in an accident recently and needs a new FMIC ASAP. BUT just because I have a good excuse to upgrade doesn't mean I should. I know pushing a stock turbo to the limits of its efficiency range usually means high intake temps, but many claim that the stock FMIC is good to about 400whp, the highest I would go.
I'm sure it won't hurt intake temps or do any harm in general, but will it be the most efficient, and still provide the fast spool I am after with this setup for a stock-based turbo?

Should I upgrade?

 

You hit the nail on the head with the intake temps. And considering that you are going to be switching to a green turbo (that might get an HTA makeover and put out even more lbs/min if air than now), it might be a good idea to invest in a quality IC right away. I don't think you will lose much in terms of spool-up, especially with 9.8.

 

thanks, i was hoping that you would reply, as i love your setup.
i'm thinking ETS 3" and whatever LICP.
now i'm just on the fence about UICP and open filter vs. airbox...

 

Remember that E85 is not heat prone like gasoline. On a 90deg day with my car idling I've seen water condensation poring of my fuel rail. When you touch the fuel rail it's cold. Up grade to whatever you can afford cause it only gets better.

 

I think it would be in your best interest just to upgrade. It is not going to hurt.

Mitch

 

Thanks for the feedback. And Mitch, if I didn't, you know Cameron would never let me hear the end of it!

 

Thanks for the kind words, Uuri!
I would suggest getting an open air filter, it'll breathe much better than the stock box. Bryan's shop sells the one with a "velocity stack" design, that seems to work very well with Evo MAF: Open air filter
Or you can get one like that on Ebay even cheaper, they are not there all the time though.

 

it that point i would be calling ets and having them send me out a fmic!

 

Looks like later this week I will be getting an ETS 3" FMIC, LICP, GSC S1s, and FIC 1000s... then time to tune and dyno!
Maybe I should be looking for a clutch too?

 

Very very true man lol.

Mitch M

 

Yup you are gonna want a new clutch soon.. Mine would drive fine but would not hold a launch at all, not sure how long it would have lasted. I swapped it out with an exedy twin hd.

To get the most out of E85 on the stock turbo you want to do everything you can do hold as much boost as possible up top. With the stock air box, stock intercooler, and a MBC I made 334whp on a dyno dynamics holding 21psi at 6200rpm. Switching to a cone filter, hard maf pipe, AMS intercooler and GM 3-port BCS let me make 380whp holding 24.5psi at 6200rpm.

 

thanks for posting merkzu
do you feel that the MAF pipe was a necessary upgrade? was the stock turbo causing the inlet tube to collapse at 24psi?

 

Not needed but might be usefull.

 

I think you've hit the nail on the head here. Getting the big power on the stock turbo seems to require being able to make boost at the upper rpm range (while still keeping the charge cool thanks to the E85).

 

when you hear people say stock IC is good until 400whp is totally useless. lets say if you pushing 350hp w/ stock ic. if you drop in a upgraded IC, it might give you 360hp or even more. You see what I am talking about?