Stealth front IC and pipes - how it looks

[oz240red]

I've always liked sleeper cars, so when I went KA-T, I wanted it to be as much as stock looking as possible. I decided to put a light coat of flat black paint on the fmic and pipes, probably decreasing a little of the intercooler's efficiency, but I liked the result. Here is how it looks. (oh also I used the diamond lock lip idea one of the members posted a while back):



Been running 700miles already with the FMU setup, can't wait to have enough for 550cc's and ecu tune.

[SX APPEAL]

Thats sweet, I want to do mine like that too, mostly because I've associated the big bright FMIC with being flamboyant and ricey, was wondering how much the black paint would decrease the efficiency though. I thought about getting some of that bright silver grill material from autozone and painting that black and putting it in front of the IC. Do you have any more pics with more of a direct view of the IC?

[oz240red]

I'll post another one but on monday because I won't be home until then.

I think the efficiency IS affected. It's just a matter of how much and if that much is worth the look. IMO it is, but if it were a track only car I wouldn't do it. I'm sure at high boost levels, where the Intercooler is working at it's peak efficiency the coat of paint blocking the airflow would have a noticeable effect.

[480sx]

Garrett did a study on this very thing. A light coating of normal black paint does little to nothing to effect its efficiency.

[xrproto07]

I've always liked sleeper cars, so when I went KA-T, I wanted it to be as much as stock looking as possible. I decided to put a light coat of flat black paint on the fmic and pipes, probably decreasing a little of the intercooler's efficiency, but I liked the result. Here is how it looks. (oh also I used the diamond lock lip idea one of the members posted a while back):



Been running 700miles already with the FMU setup, can't wait to have enough for 550cc's and ecu tune.

Wow bro ive been following your build and id have to say im impressed. Sleeper look ftw!!

[SX APPEAL]

Sweet! Thanks for the info.

[oz240red]

Wow bro ive been following your build and id have to say im impressed. Sleeper look ftw!!

Thanks man. I'm sure other members' cars would look nicer... my front end is a little out of spec. This car was crashed hard by the previous owner. You can tell by the hood being a little misaligned and the headlights kind of crooked.

Garrett did a study on this very thing. A light coating of normal black paint does little to nothing to effect its efficiency.

Awesome!

Here is the close-up SX wanted to see. (you can't really tell much, but that's the idea, lol. The paint goes on the pipes and the couplers too, so the IC looks just as if it were a radiator, and the pipes blend in with the splash shield)

[SX APPEAL]

I can just make it out though, thats really sweet. I'll be doing that for sure when I get my turbo in this summer.

[oz240red]

lol, I'm telling you man, it's really hard to tell if your like more than 10 feet away. Make sure you use flat black instead of gloss, so that light doesn't reflect. Here is a better close up, you can see I got a little sloppy there, but nothing that can't be fixed:



Are you going w/ ECU tune + injectors or FMU route?

[SX APPEAL]

I'm going with injectors and ecu, I was going to go through EFI Specialist, but they haven't returned my emails so now I'm thinking enthalpy.

[Chris28]

Hmm EFI hasn't been returning emails? He always got back to me within like 4 or 5 hours. I can't say anything about the tune during boost yet, but my engine did start up and idle nicely.

[SX APPEAL]

Emailed them again from a different account and they got back to me, so its good. Must have just lost their first email or something.