FMIC porn

[Sleeeper X]

Well I ordered the CXracing FMIC for my s4, and I hate FMICs but for 450 shipped how can you go wrong. SO I'm going to install the FMIC this weekend with pictures of the full install. Heres what I have so far as a teaser.






I used engine enamel. I did 3 coats of primer, 4 coats of paint and I have some pics of the pipes with the clear coat applied.

Heres the FMIC as it dries on my balcony.

[Sleeeper X]

Here are some Pics of the pipes after the clear coat.

[B7A4WD]

that looks really nice, im pretty amazed hahahah good job!

[Sleeeper X]

All you have to do is take your time with everything. I dropped one pipe rushing, and it knocked over another pipe and both of them got scratched. soo.... I had to sand them down and repaint.

[tike0rz]

WOW. This is going to look awesome. Subscribed.

[Sleeeper X]

I just pulled the tape off the core.

[ThePaintballGuy]

Looks good!

Josh

[AudiTechS4]

im going the same but i'm doing a very light coat on the cooler to darken it on my black s4
cant wait to see it finished

[WingsnHorns]

Good work, can't wait to see this on the car.

[Reaxion]

Omg, looks amazing!

[AudiA4_20T]

ballin

[s vier]

looks like mine! I plasti-dipped the pipes black though.

[sean1.8t]

how many coats? 8???

way too many imo. at least you didn't do the charge rows. that would have been disaterous.

i've painted my FMIC with that same engine enamel before. although i did many less coats. it started to pit just a week after.

since then i've stripped it. and gone with Eastwood co's radiator paint(heat disipating formula <--key). put no primer on. 3 VERY light coats. and in 5 months there is not one blemish. also, my pipes and core are very much more noticably cooler to the touch after hard runs. never did any IAT logs with the engine enamel on. but there is so many variables to that, that i wouldn't trust them anyways.

just thought i would throw in my 2 cents. does look good though

[onemoremile]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that paint is really fragile. I did my valve cover and it chips easily. The paint sticks to the primer but the primer doesn't stick to the metal. I cleaned and degreased it and everything.

Radiator paint is the only paint to put on an intercooler. Otherwise you risk insulating the aluminum from the cooling air which will obviously reduce efficiency.

[highPSI-S4]

Very nice, My paint is chipping on mine but i used caliper spray paint, the core looks awesome 2.

[RolledMySTi]

Looks nice. Good luck keeping the paint nice on the install. Should look good.

[Daft]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that paint is really fragile. I did my valve cover and it chips easily. The paint sticks to the primer but the primer doesn't stick to the metal. I cleaned and degreased it and everything.

Radiator paint is the only paint to put on an intercooler. Otherwise you risk insulating the aluminum from the cooling air which will obviously reduce efficiency.

I was just reading the posts with the pics and began to wonder if engine paint would trap heat in........I'd have to imagine it will.

Eastwoods, is the place to check for sure. They know paint like no other.

[sean1.8t]

^especially if you put 3 coats of primer on it before hand. and then 4 coats of engine enamel.

less is more!

[Sleeeper X]

True, but lets be honest. How much cooling is a pipe / endtank going to do? Espicialy when air is moving such a high rate of speed. If I lose 5-10 degrees on IATs I really wouldn't care. Sometimes form does beat function.

Also, I used that much paint because I want to have something that would last and look good.

[sean1.8t]

Sometimes form does beat function.

i don't get your logic here.

my core and pipes are all black. they look great. they are VERY resiliant to chipping/pitting. they have more heat disipation than raw aluminum(according to Eastwood). and it's all with just 3 super light coats of paint. no primer or anything.

how is that not the best of form and function?

sorry to be beating this to death. we're just trying to help you buddy

[Sleeeper X]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that paint is really fragile. I did my valve cover and it chips easily. The paint sticks to the primer but the primer doesn't stick to the metal. I cleaned and degreased it and everything.

Did you sand it down before hand?

[Sleeeper X]

i don't get your logic here.

my core and pipes are all black. they look great. they are VERY resiliant to chipping/pitting. they have more heat disipation than raw aluminum(according to Eastwood). and it's all with just 3 super light coats of paint. no primer or anything.

how is that not the best of form and function?

sorry to be beating this to death. we're just trying to help you buddy

No no, I was referring to the fact that I used that many coats. I looked for rad paint but found nothing.... so i guess i'm stuck with this untill it chips its self to death.

[onemoremile]

Sanded, degreased, then wiped with a tack cloth. It isn't too bad as long as it stays out of harm's way.

The duplicolor stuff won't effect the piping, just the core itself. Keep the rest as is and spray the core with rad paint.

[Sleeeper X]

Sanded, degreased, then wiped with a tack cloth. It isn't too bad as long as it stays out of harm's way.

The duplicolor stuff won't effect the piping, just the core itself. Keep the rest as is and spray the core with rad paint.

Thanks for the heads up. I don't plan on spraying the core until I see how it contrasts with the paint.

[Nexus1155]

nice im glad to see you didnt spray the core like some idiots do with that high heat paint... i think i actually have the same paint on my wheels... is that the one with ceramic in it?

[Sleeeper X]

nice im glad to see you didnt spray the core like some idiots do with that high heat paint... i think i actually have the same paint on my wheels... is that the one with ceramic in it?

Yes it is. Any tips on painting wheels? I bought the car with some curbage any advice on how to grind that down/off?

[Sleeeper X]

I'm going to start the install in an hour or so. Wish me luck!

[Daft]

Yes it is. Any tips on painting wheels? I bought the car with some curbage any advice on how to grind that down/off?

Wheel Repair Writeup.

[Sleeeper X]

Thanks for the write up. As promised I'll be posting up the installed FMIC pics and later on I'll make a thread on how to install everything. I currently have a minor clearance issue of the bumper support and fmic cool side. Never the less, tomorrow or next week I'll have my bumper on. I have not started cutting it so I dont have any pictures of it.

[Sleeeper X]

Also the custom brackets we made because I have no idea wtf they expected us to do with theirs.






And some random pics



The mock up

[Euro]

Sweet.

I want to see it with the bumper on.

[Euro-Tuner]

pics with the front bumper on stat!!!!

[Sleeeper X]

I'm prob not going to have the bumper on till tomorrow night. I'm going to be busy tomorrow and all days during the week.... hopefully I'll be free for a few days to mount the bumper... who knows.

[ChriS4]

I see no point for masking off the beaded edges of the piping... And you should honestly just use a quality radiator paint to paint the intercooler. The two-toned theme makes it look really tacky IMO. Better yet, save up $75 and just get the damn thing anodized black. It'll have better cooling properties after the fact.

[Sleeeper X]

I see no point for masking off the beaded edges of the piping... And you should honestly just use a quality radiator paint to paint the intercooler. The two-toned theme makes it look really tacky IMO. Better yet, save up $75 and just get the damn thing anodized black. It'll have better cooling properties after the fact.

its easy to be a monday morning quarterback isn't it

[Sleeeper X]

I see no point for masking off the beaded edges of the piping... And you should honestly just use a quality radiator paint to paint the intercooler. The two-toned theme makes it look really tacky IMO. Better yet, save up $75 and just get the damn thing anodized black. It'll have better cooling properties after the fact.

To each his own, I'm not painting my core.

[Tugboatguy]

If your painting aluminum the trick is to use a primer made for aluminum, its usually yellow

[01s4pa]

Wow that look great nice work.

[ChriS4]

its easy to be a monday morning quarterback isn't it

Well, you can't expect everyone to jock the shit out of what you did. You did a good job with WHAT you did, but I just think a different route would have been better. *shrug*