A front mount intercooler (FMIC) sits behind the front bumper, ahead of the radiator, where it gets direct airflow and room for a large core. A top mount intercooler (TMIC) sits on top of the engine and is fed by a hood scoop, which keeps the charge piping short but leaves the core exposed to engine heat. The Subaru WRX and STI use a top mount from the factory; the Mitsubishi Evo uses a front mount. Owners usually switch to an FMIC to fight heat soak in traffic, hot weather or repeated hard pulls.
Front mount vs top mount
| Front mount | Top mount | |
|---|---|---|
| Airflow | Direct, at any speed | Through the hood scoop; weak when stopped |
| Heat soak | Less exposure to engine heat | Sits on the engine and soaks at idle |
| Core size | Can be much larger | Limited by the space under the hood |
| Piping length | Long; more volume to fill | Short and direct |
| Installation | Bumper removal, often trimming and relocation | Bolts in place of the factory unit |
Trade-offs of a front mount
The longer charge pipes hold more air, so boost can build a little more slowly; see what is turbo lag? A big core in front of the radiator and A/C condenser also takes some of their airflow, which matters in very hot climates or with weak cooling systems. Some kits require trimming the bumper or moving the horn, washer bottle or other parts. A larger cooler that changes airflow may also need supporting changes, so ask before you buy.
Core and piping details
Bar-and-plate cores are dense and durable; tube-and-fin cores are lighter and flow well for their size. Look at end-tank design as well as core dimensions, since poorly shaped tanks starve parts of the core. Every coupler and clamp in the intercooler piping is a possible boost leak, and a leaking boot causes lost power, a hiss under boost and lean running. Check boots for splits and clamps for tightness whenever power drops off; turbo failure symptoms covers the overlap with a failing turbo.
Air-to-air vs air-to-water
Most front mounts are air-to-air. Air-to-water systems pass the charge through a compact heat exchanger cooled by a separate coolant loop with its own pump and radiator. They are common on supercharged engines, where the cooler often sits inside or on top of the intake. For how charge cooling works in general, see what does an intercooler do? and supercharger vs turbo.
WRX, STI and Evo
On the WRX and STI the top mount and hood scoop are part of the factory design, so a front mount kit replaces both the cooler and its piping. See WRX vs STI and WRX generations for the engines involved, and Evo generations for the factory front mount layout.
Intercoolers we list
We list the ECS C7 Horizontal Intercooler ($988.90) for supercharged C7 Corvette builds; check the listing for the kit it pairs with. For the Corvette superchargers themselves, see C7 Corvette superchargers.
More guides: how long an intercooler lasts.
Trouble codes: P0127 Intake Air Temp Too High · all OBD2 codes.
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