My hack-o-licious FMIC project

gearhead313

New member
Hopefully this info will be useful to someone when they tackle a full custom FMIC project such as this one.

The intercooler I started with: 31x12x3 end to end with a 23.5" actual core width. 3" inlet/outlets.


This is what we start with:

AlltracFMIC001.jpg




Bumper comes off. Clips on the side and 2 main support bolts (17mm) from underneath through the frame rails. I snapped one and had to torch the top welded nut off and pound it out that way. It REALLY sucked:

CopyofAlltracFMIC008.jpg




Close up of what we need to start getting out of the way:

CopyofAlltracFMIC009.jpg




Snip the fan off with side cutters and the I/C radiator comes off with 4 12mm. Horns also removed:

CopyofAlltracFMIC010.jpg




Lets do a test fit.... YES!!!:

CopyofAlltracFMIC011.jpg




The bumper rebar comes off of the bumper cover. I broke 80% of all the bolts that I tried to take off. I'll probably have to drill out the broken studs and put nuts and bolts in it. 10mm accross the top and on hte underside of the center opening and side openings.

Once off, I decided to give myself as much room as possible (also basing that on the top of the cooler being flush with the top of the frame rails on my first mockup). I used a torch to hack the meat out of it to what you see here:

CopyofAlltracFMIC012.jpg




Now, topside I removed the battery, pushed hte harness out of the way and unbolted the top mount. This is making room to get to all the stock i/c lines and pump:

CopyofAlltracFMIC013.jpg




mmmm IHI:

CopyofAlltracFMIC014.jpg




There is that raskulley water pump!:

CopyofAlltracFMIC015.jpg




Here is a top view of where the lines bolt to the block/trans through the starter. They looked like they would SUCK to remove, so i got the sawzall in there and hacked the tabs off:

CopyofAlltracFMIC018.jpg




No top mount... getting cleaner!:

CopyofAlltracFMIC019.jpg




I/C Pump from underneath, you can see the 12mm bolts you need to tackle:

CopyofAlltracFMIC021.jpg




Bolts removed, then the bracket on the side is held on with 3 10mm:

CopyofAlltracFMIC022.jpg




No more I/C water lines:

CopyofAlltracFMIC023.jpg




View from the side:

CopyofAlltracFMIC024.jpg




where'd my egr port go???:

CopyofAlltracFMIC025.jpg




Bumper bar installed... yikes:

CopyofAlltracFMIC026.jpg




Dry fit the cover and mark where to cut:

CopyofAlltracFMIC027.jpg




Basicly you cut the whole thing apart :tear: :

CopyofAlltracFMIC028.jpg




Unbolt the P/S cooler line and shove it behind the center support:

CopyofAlltracFMIC030.jpg




Placing the FMIC:

CopyofAlltracFMIC031.jpg




Dry fit with the newly hacked bumper:

CopyofAlltracFMIC032.jpg




Top mounting tabs for the cooler:

CopyofAlltracFMIC033.jpg




My uber goober welds:

CopyofAlltracFMIC034.jpg





Thats all the progress so far. I've been busy with actual "work", so hopefully soon I'll get the piping figured out and get some stuff ordered up! MORE FUN TO COME!!
 

v3rs3

New member
That is an awesome write up. Thanks alot that will definitely help me down the line as I plan to go to a FMIC setup by winter.
 

gearhead313

New member
No prob. I wasn't sure how many people would actually cut there alltrac's up this much, but either way I'm not the sane'est contestant on death row either. 8) :twisted:
 

1BADGT4

New member
v3rs3":mzkhlk1r said:
That is an awesome write up. Thanks alot that will definitely help me down the line as I plan to go to a FMIC setup by winter.

+1 THANK YOU for this write-up! I'm sure one day I'll get around to tackle this tough job.

One thing that kinda bugs me is that, you gotta hack off the buttom part of the bumper :(.

Since you hacked a part of the bumper reinforcment off, have you thought about welding a plate to close the open reinforcment? and for structural integrity?

MODs - sticky please!

and time to throw some Coke-Cola on the batt acid. :twisted:
 

theUNYTEDone

Moderator
1BADGT4":35i9tdpd said:
v3rs3":35i9tdpd said:
That is an awesome write up. Thanks alot that will definitely help me down the line as I plan to go to a FMIC setup by winter.

+1 THANK YOU for this write-up! I'm sure one day I'll get around to tackle this tough job.

One thing that kinda bugs me is that, you gotta hack off the buttom part of the bumper :(.

Since you hacked a part of the bumper reinforcment off, have you thought about welding a plate to close the open reinforcment? and for structural integrity?

MODs - sticky please!

and time to throw some Coke-Cola on the batt acid. :twisted:

i just drive better to make sure nothing hits me/ vice versa.
my bumper support's gone.
 

1BADGT4

New member
I wouldn't mind driving around without a bumper support. But that would ONLY be on the track. I couldn't see myself that ballys.
 

theUNYTEDone

Moderator
1BADGT4":3szbeew4 said:
I wouldn't mind driving around without a bumper support. But that would ONLY be on the track. I couldn't see myself that ballys.

you don't need to be when people run away because you have a HUGE ASS front mount.

but seriously, i know i'm taking a risk...the bumper support's aluminum, too...lol. not to say my intercooler is replacing the bumper support...
 

gearhead313

New member
Ya, i know the motor is dirty, someday I'll get to scrubbing it. That battery is going in the trunk too BTW.





I didn't plan on doing anything about the support either. I just know that if something happens, god forbid, then the car is junk. I'll just do my best to play it safe... and if that one A-hole hits me, then i'll have 10 new alltracs anway :D


Oh ya, and I weighed that front support beam... 25lbs. That thing is heavy as HELL! I'll enjoy having some of that weight off the front of the car! ....well i guess some gets added back on with the gigantic fmic :p



here's another thing too. I originally planned on buying a cooler that wasn't as tall so that I could bolt it straight to the bumper beam and not have to hack it up. Whenever I went to go purchase that intercooler, I could get this one thats twice as tall for CHEAPER than my original one. I think im glad I went bigger :twisted: Maybe on my other alltrac I'll do a smaller one that is more simple to install.
 

Gary ST165

New member
great pics and write up.

:shock: however you should really plug the open inlet manifold and turbo outlet etc, to stop dirt & foreign objects getting in !!!.... other wise it may all end in :cry:

HGassemblyandshims250.jpg
 

gearhead313

New member
Thanks guys... hopefully monday I'll get crackalackin on it.



Usually whenever i have my car sitting outside for a long period of time with intake pipes open, i'll seal them. This though is in my shop, not for long and the only worrys would be a little dirt. I'm not real worried about it. If it was a customers car though!!, thats a different story.
 

gearhead313

New member
Update:::



Got some more work done on the car.. actually its basicly done now, all i need to do is throw the rad in it and get the battery relocation kit in it, which i could do a write-up on as well if anyone wanted.

So here we go.





Starting in reverse "flow" order, I went from the throttle body back.

Luckily, i had an extra piece of piping laying around from a previous car that worked really well. 2.5" out to a 90* and then over to another 90*. I used the stock BOV section for the time being.

CopyofAlltracFMIC2004.jpg





I used a Turbonetics 90* elbow I had laying around to head down the car.

CopyofAlltracFMIC2005.jpg





It was a 15" section of exhaust pipe I had laying around to go down and then purchased a 2.5" 90* elbow coupler.

CopyofAlltracFMIC2006.jpg





When I measured for the 180's, I found a few options but then came accross these ebay auctions:

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-5-45-180-304-Stai ... dZViewItem

I bought 2 and they worked PERFECT!....as you can see (I used aluminized, not stainless... im a cheap bastard)

CopyofAlltracFMIC2007.jpg





FMIC all there

CopyofAlltracFMIC2008.jpg





This is the passenger side now. You can notice that I had to wack the tow point off to make it work. I was too lazy to unbolt it and plus i have a whole other car to skank one off of if i wanted it back.

CopyofAlltracFMIC2009.jpg





Using the extra pieces from those ebay pipes, I made two 45* pieces work to run up to the turbo. The one I welded b/c i was out of couplers!

CopyofAlltracFMIC2010.jpg





Wide shot

CopyofAlltracFMIC2011.jpg





All said and done, I had to hack the wastegate dump tube and route it close to the downpipe and back to avoid it coming in contact with the now charge pipe there. I used 1.5" 11ga. 180's i had laying around.

CopyofAlltracFMIC2012.jpg





Another view. It worked out nice.

CopyofAlltracFMIC2013.jpg








So now, I'm in the home stretch. I will probably wrap the header before im done and make a heat sheild for that charge pipe up top. I want my air charger to stay as cool as possible! As well as the battery relocate kit, i'm going to change my cooling fans around to see if I can get a more efficient setup. Oh ya, horns i'll have to stick on too.

Notice too, i'm still going to have a/c!!!
 

Mafix

New member
your lower pipes are very similar to mine. my recommendation is to change the hose clamps to t-bolts. you'll have big issues blowing pipes apart.
 

gearhead313

New member
thats why its hack-o-licious man :p


I'm sure i'll blow pipes off all day long at 22psi, but i can put a pipe back on when i know how little money i have in it. Someday I'll change the BOV section and T-bolt everything. I still have to see what it actually runs like first!
 
Top