Fab9 worth the extra coin due to having mounting tabs? Anyone have any data logs (or can comment) on how fast the iat's raise and lower? Looking to run either on a fm2 type setup. Ebay intercooler is the one being discussed in a sticky.

 

Here's one with the vibrant 350 core (fab9) intercooler on a pretty hot day doing a pull.



I'm trying to find one where i had just the crossover pipe on my voodoo kit. I know it spiked to at least 160F at some points on a cool night.

This intercooler could take a good amount of abuse. After a good long hard drive my intake temperatures were fairly consistent unlike my oil temperatures where had no auxiliary cooling.

 

Not having to fab a mounting solution was worth the extra cost for me. Painless. Plus he has them in flat black for a little more stealth.

Very steady IATs on my car. Heat soak disappears very fast after hot startup.

 

Do the tabs work with nb2's also?

 

I'm impressed by how tough the vibrant cores are. They are built like tanks, I'm sure could take a ton of abuse.
And the size is perfect for a miata mouth, and of course his mounting tabs are super sturdy and work well.

Yes the tabs work perfectly with nb2

 

I contacted fm about just getting an fm2 w/no electronics and minus intercooler/pipes. There isnt a huge amount to be saved by going with the fab9 ic.

 

ebay cores are pretty shitty.

i say this having run three different ones and comparing them to Bell cores.

 

This would be a whole lot easier to decide if no mkturbo existed. Thanks lars

 

I'm just not sure about the vibrant cores compared to the Begi or Precision cores. The internal fin density doesn't seem as high as they could be, but I dunno.

I'm running a used Begi #3 and have thought about switching to the Vibrant. Still on the fence.

 

If you already have a begi #3 core, why would you change?

 

Some piping adjustments and the asymmetry is killing my OCD. It would really be just one of those final touch things which is asinine since the car isn't running right now.

 

are you going to pull your a/c just to mount the IC dead center?

paint it black and youll never notice it again.

 

Vibrant/Fab9 has an intercooler that's A/C compatible. My A/C doesn't work anyhow as I need the two hoses that run to the r134a compressor.

I'm tempted to pull A/C completely, but I know.....Virginia humidity

 

I'm mildly offended our cores are being compared to eBay's intercooler offerings. I'm sure not many have seen the two compared to each other in person but they are light years apart in quality and craftsmanship. The only level I even see them being compared on is pricing and I'll pat myself on the back for making that happen. I believe we still have the largest bolt-on core available and it's half the price of comparable units on the market.

 

In addition to the points mentioned previously, our cores are perfectly centered in the bumper.

 

So tempted. So. Tempted.

First I'll get the car running, then I'll probably order when I am ready to clean up the piping

 

Wait, you have a Bell intercooler and you want to change? Now that there's no new garrett cores being made Bell's probably got the best cores out there.

Surprisingly the ebay/cx racing cores dont look all that bad. Not amazing, but not like super terribad like some people make them out to be. Now the end tanks on at least the style I got leave a lot to be designed, they have no internal flow directors and they're also like 1/4" thick so the intercooler weighs a freaking ton.

 

Precision:


Fab9:


Bell:

 

Ebay:

 

The latest cores from Vibrant have been their newer fin design - 25% more fin density. Thus far we've only seen this on our Stage 2 cores. (left intercooler in this picture)