Background:
This past February, I performed a flow test with the ARM Competition FMIC that ARM Motorsports had loaned to me.
At that time, the Mabotech M520 turbocharger was installed on my GTI, and I installed the ARM Competition FMIC on the GTI briefly to record some on-vehicle data with the intercooler.
Test Process:
The Mabotech turbo was operating with a Russell Road & Racing ECU tune that produced roughly 500 whp, which meant 4th gear was the minimum I could use for logging, which limited data collection to a single pull.
A single pull is not what I prefer for recording intercooler data, but the conditions constrained the test to that.
The GTI is operated in 4th gear, and full throttle is requested around 2,000 RPM. Upon reaching approximately 6,500 RPM, the accelerator is released.
During the prior month, I had conducted testing with the ARM Motorsport Standard FMIC and compared it with a bicooler consisting of the IE V1 IC and Vibrant/Baun FMIC, providing data that could be used for comparison with the Competition FMIC.
Test Results:
Note: In the chart legends, ARM-C indicates the Competition FMIC, and ARM indicates the Standard version FMIC.
The outside air temperature during the session with the Competition FMIC was 7 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the session with the Standard FMIC.
The intake air temperature shows a similar trend over the single pull for both intercoolers.
Temperature delta, the difference between the intake air temperature and the outside air temperature, is shown below.
The boost pressure using each intercooler was similar.
The turbocharger wastegate duty cycle is also similar.
Conclusions:
The ARM Motorsport Standard FMIC and ARM Competition FMIC were compared over a single 4th gear pull using a Mabotech M520 turbocharger.
Intake air temperature, operating boost pressure, and turbocharger wastegate duty cycles were similar for each ARM Motorsport intercooler.
Both intercoolers showed no problems supporting the M520 turbo at ~34 psi and ~ 500 whp.
Data collection was limited to a single 4th gear pull due to the power level at which the GTI is operating. It’s possible that under conditions of repeated pulls, the temperature difference would change.