If he has an 02 wrx and is running the stock td04 turbo honestly there is no reason for him to go with anything bigger than a stock STi TMIC.

 

You're wasting your money. Stock intercooler or STI at largest.

I hope you're tuned for that intake.

 

Agreed. STI intercooler is a great unit

 

stok turbo staying in there for a while?
stick with the stock TMIC
a larger STi unit will be a slight upgrade but s stg2 wrx td04 isnt going to generate enough heat to require a TMIC upgrade

 

I like my Spearco, wouldn't really justify it though without a upgraded turbo. I just like not having to deal with the smog nonsence every couple years with FMIC's.

 

werd!

JDM or US STI would be fine.

No way is he going to be taxing cooling with a TD04. Or just buy one of those ebay ones.

I wouldn't be dumping the money that APS, Process West or any of those top end ones will cost. That's something you do when you're at that point in modding.

It's like if someone says... what kind of turbo should I get? Oh... get a 35r that's a great turbo.... well not when your motor is a stock ej20 it's not.


Buying a crazy expensive tmic while you don't have parts that need it is pointless hood popping at car meets fodder.

 

If that's all you got, forget the intercooler and buy a turbo and some headers first, intercooler isnt gonna do jack sh... Plus even with a say a Tomei turbo and equal length headers stock intercooler is still good...

 

 

Laaaaaaaaaaa... How is what I said retarded?

Brfatal <--- newwwb

 

im not exactly sure he said that...

OP, as everyone has said. STI for stock TD04 is as big as u NEED. WANT, thats a diff story.

 

+ 1 stock wrx intercooler with an upgraded turbo? seems like that is just begging for heatsoak

 

TONS of people run stock intercoolers with upgraded turbos... or upgrade to an STI intercooler.

Is it better to run a super nice one... sure. Is it necessary... depends on your goals and circumstances.

So the question is... what are the goals?

If the stock turbo is staying in there... then an $800 intercooler seems like a pointless investment. For that much money you can do a lot of other mods that would make a much larger difference.

An intercooler is one of those things you upgrade WHEN you're doing a larger turbo and pushing the boost up.

TD04... totally not necessary. An STI intercooler can handle quite a bit.


As for FMIC... pretty much pointless for most people.

 

I always saw FMIC like this:

<450=Bling bling
>450=function

 

Side mount with dual K04s!!!

 

nope