I know the ETS products are great, but how many opt for the black version? I would really like to get one for my e-blue VIII, but am concerned with rock chips or small things like that that would make lighter aluminum colored spots appear and ruin the whole aesthetic idea of it.

Any durability reports on the coloring?

 

Over time the black will turn dark purple.

 

I am most likely going with the Perrin stealth FMIC...already running the stealth exhaust.

Interested to read any feedback on this as well.

 

What causes it, the heat?

I haven't seen any pictures of a black one on a car. A normal one won't look terrible by any means, but I thought the dark theme would be sweet.

 

Why not just get a normal FMIC.... that riced out "stealth" look is retarded. Its an EVO.... just get a quality FMIC that looks sharp and clean.

 

The thing that would concern me is that anything black tends to absorb heat and not radiate it - exactly the opposite of what an IC needs to do in order to be effective.

 

if your concerned about the extra chips that may find their way onto your black anodized fmic, go to a local hardware store & buy a finer mesh screen to replace the larger openings that come on the oem mesh. this should slow it down a bit without killing performance.

if you live / drive in a area to where cops will pull you over for any reason & if they are bored & driving towards you & they see some big A$$ "XYZ" emblem sprayed accross the front of your car / fmic, what already seems to be an aftermarket-highpeformance enhacning item your just giving them another reason to pull you over & or find areason to ticket you.....

this is reason enough for me to have a black colored fmic. it's not worth the hassle imo. I live in southern california & I have a black fmic. i also run a basic lancer wing,

for the amount of WOT running i do, the disipation ability or supposedly lack there of for a street driven vehicle isnt going to make my car substantially slower....in fact over a 1/4mile blast that i conducted, when going from a plain un-coated fmic to my black fmic, i didnt see any incease in after fmic temps measured by my gm ait temp sensor. This was measured by a internal log from a aem evo logged @ 250 samples / SECOND!

good luck

 

ive had my ets anodized black IC on for about 150 miles, and I already noticed a couple rock chips showing the aluminum color. Given I live in kansas there are a lot of dirt roads...so that might have something to do with it. The black does look pretty sweet though and Tom at ETS said the black has absolutely no negative effects.

 

I highly doubt you're fooling anyone driving an EVO with low wing and blacked out FMIC. But if you think it works I hope it does too!

I don't see how a nice FMIC would draw any more attention than a black one. If they don't know you're in an evo they probably think its a radiator anyway.

 

Stealth is riced out now?

+1 to what Aby posted. Did you spray paint or anodize your fmic?

 

[QUOTE=Jeff_Jeske;5804788]I highly doubt you're fooling anyone driving an EVO with low wing and blacked out FMIC. But if you think it works I hope it does too!

I don't see how a nice FMIC would draw any more attention than a black one. If they don't know you're in an evo they probably think its a radiator anyway.
QUOTE]

Exactly. The average person has no idea what a FMIC is anyway. This includes cops. Does California not allow an aftermarket intercooler. I know they have laws against exhausts but an intercooler?

 

il just spray paint mine with a 2.99 black spray from home depot

 

I would have to agree with him. Why buy an EVO and make it look like a lancer. Demodding an EVO is reverse rice but rice still the same. Same goes for blacking out your head and tail lights. That was the kinda crap pep boys was selling in the early ninties LOL. Might as well put a kick me sticker on your truck!

 

In our experience anodizing is the most durable of anodized, powder coated or painted intercoolers by a fair margin. Surface prep and cleanliness prior to any of those is crucial for durability, and the chemical cleaning process that each intercooler undergoes prior to being anodized ensures a long-lasting finish

Tom

 

No an I/C is not illegal here, but it does give the cops a reason to say...."he probably has more **** under the hood...let's check"