How Many 135i With Big Tom or CX Racing FMIC

[Castr_85M]

I'm considering one of these intercoolers but haven't seen many 1 series actually running this setup. Is the install more "involved" or you have to do more cutting the on the e9x cars?

[cadeucsb]

Funny i stumbled onto this mod in the 3er forum yesterday...I am also interested in hearing how many 1er folk have tried it.

[bryce]

i'm switching out my hpf intercooler for the big tom this weekend. i'll post a review, install notes, etc by sunday evening

[infinitekidM2C]

Originally Posted by bryce

i'm switching out my hpf intercooler for the big tom this weekend. i'll post a review, install notes, etc by sunday evening

cool pre-subscribed

[cadeucsb]

Originally Posted by bryce

i'm switching out my hpf intercooler for the big tom this weekend. i'll post a review, install notes, etc by sunday evening

Nice, be interested to see what you have to trim and how you go about the mounting.

[BMW86]

The install is a bit tricky, it's definitely not plug and play. There is trimming involved and you will need to source some custom piping to make it work. The Big Tom is a generic FMIC that happens to fit on our cars with a bit of work but the gains are definitely there. Not everyone's cup of tea and a lot harder to go back to stock but those that have it swear by it and the dynos suggest it's making the biggest numbers.

[cadeucsb]

Originally Posted by BMW86

The install is a bit tricky, it's definitely not plug and play. There is trimming involved and you will need to source some custom piping to make it work. The Big Tom is a generic FMIC that happens to fit on our cars with a bit of work but the gains are definitely there. Not everyone's cup of tea and a lot harder to go back to stock but those that have it swear by it and the dynos suggest it's making the biggest numbers.

i havent seen much on the 135, but are you just talking about the small amount generic silicon piping to source and shroud trimming the 3ers have to do? Or is it diff on the 135?

[e46m3to335i]

Originally Posted by cadeucsb

i havent seen much on the 135, but are you just talking about the small amount generic silicon piping to source and shroud trimming the 3ers have to do? Or is it diff on the 135?

Same trimming on the 1 as the 3. The CX Racing IC is the exact same as the BTIC except that the CXRIC is 1/2" thinner than the BTIC. Install was seriously not hard and the trimming of the front shroud is not nearly as bad as everyone makes ot out to be. I have still yet to get some free time to post logs from mine but will as soon as possible. I would recommend a BTIC or CXRIC to anyone that has a little bit of DIY talent. The performance increase is definately though.

-Nick

[Castr_85M]

Originally Posted by bryce

i'm switching out my hpf intercooler for the big tom this weekend. i'll post a review, install notes, etc by sunday evening

Good Man

[e46m3to335i]

Originally Posted by maxnix

So do the shrouds still work to seal the intake for the FMIC and radiator so ambient air cannot wrap around without going through the heat exchange element?

This would be critical to cooling, especially in a hotter climate than Sweden.

Yes the shroud still seals to the radiator.

[thez99]

Originally Posted by bryce

i'm switching out my hpf intercooler for the big tom this weekend. i'll post a review, install notes, etc by sunday evening

Why????

[335xiRT1]

I have been running the big tom FMIC for a few months now and its great!

[thez99]

Originally Posted by 335xiRT1

I have been running the big tom FMIC for a few months now and its great!

Im not usually a naysayer, but in my opinion that FMIC looks rediculous on this car..

Looks like the huge as APR IC I had on my GTI, yet that fit that car as the front end was deeper and it was hidden behind the front shroud. I dunno, just my 2 cents..

[blackbim14]

I had installed a CXracing intercooler on a mustang not too long ago. seemed to be good quality, but there was a significant drop in boost (2-3 pounds) from what would be expected with the pulley size used on comparable setups. It is cheap though and you can always up the boost in the future to compensate. I have heard of others with similiar reports.

[335xiRT1]

the picture makes it look bigger than it is.

besides it looks mean.

[bryce]

well, with the help of a local 335i owner, we installed the big tom IC on sunday. it was a pretty big job, took a few hours at least.

impressions- i cant tell a difference in the performance, heat soaking, or boost response from the HPF intercooler i removed. i didnt take any datalogs of before/after, but it's definitely working far better than the stock IC.

after several WOT 1-2-3 gear changes, the car still pulls strong with no sign of IAT decay like with the stock IC.


for those of you wondering why i sold my HPF intercooler in favor of this, i realized i'm never going to need the 700+ hp rated HPF unit, and that i'm probably going to sell my 135i by the end of the year. going back to the stock IC was an option, since i kept it, but i didn't want to deal with the heat soak and reduced performance the stock IC gets. for the ridiculously low price of a couple hundred dollars, the big tom IC is a great value. it's all but identical to the $1,000 IC from AA. i'll likely remove my downpipes, procede, etc in the coming months, going to pick up either a CPO 335i or M3.....need more room