^On a low boost setup, you don't need an intercooler at all. Greddy kits have sold by the thousands w/no intercooler.
I think the MSM makes anywhere between 145-155whp stock depending on the dyno.
A bone-stock '90 with a bone-stock Greddy at 5psi makes 140whp. Run 93oct @6psi and 1.8injectors... and make as much peak WHP as a stock MSM without an intercooler.

 

Or you could just say the stock IC is too small and sucks!

 

This may be true however, MSMs are already a 1.8 with 1.8 injectors. Unmodified it has a 15whp (approx) head start. A simple inexpensive (AEM) CAI with a MBC netted me a 30whp increase to 184rwhp. ( did a basline before and used the same dyno after doing the install) With a BEGI SGDP, a magnaflow exhaust, I'm at about 214 rwhp. All parts were easy and and fairly quick to install. and I have about $850 in parts.

 

zOMG aftermarket turbo > factory turboz !!!one11!!!!1

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is wrong with you guys? Would it really hurt if we got some more NB2 facelift guys around here, including MSM? I've got news: These ain't Duntov Corvettes. They're freakin miatas. The NA cars and early NB cars are really starting to get hammered and have high miles. What do you think you'll replace your 225K 92 with?

 

Thread seriously pruned and reopened. Stop acting like d-bags.

 

I agree with the I/c being just fine for what maybe up to 180~200.

You dont need overkill like some honda (and miata) people do with a FMIC that is so big that you need to cut holes in the bumper just to fit it in.

Dyno pulls vs actually driving are very different on the airflow of a car, especially on a car with such a tiny opening in the front for air.

 

On 95+ degree days here on the stock IC you could feel a significant loss of power.

 

the stock intercooler sucks for anything but stock power levels. Jenns car will start to detonate quickly after romping on the gas when temps are 85*+. But that's at 10psi. Intercooler upgrade is a must!

 

Agreed. You could feel a significant drop in power when stock in high temps, once I got a couple supporting mods and upped the boost a bit you can feel it even more.

 

thats going to happen no matter what, an I/C is only going to cool down to ambient. Hell when its 100+ here in texas no matter what size my i/c is the its only going to cool so much. And no matter how big my i/c is after pushing it hard its only going to cool so much.

The whole point of some of our argument here is that to say "the i/c sucks period" is a fallacy.

 

Perhaps you have to drive the car to understand. I drove it stock for over a year and experienced florida temps of 100+ and as low as 40's maybe lower... even stock you can feel a decrease in power after several hard pulls and as I said once you start increasing the boost it happens quicker. I'm sorry but this isn't a question of IF it happens, but rather how quickly. Ask any MSM owner and you'll get the same answer... the fact is that the stock intercooler isn't adequate. It is true that an i/c can only cool so much, but there is a point where it cools enough to get the job done and where it doesn't and the stock one is below the point of acceptable losses.