The ARM MK7 GTI FMIC gives your GTI up to 24whp and 26wtq by reducing intake air temperatures by 74%, making it one of the best upgrades you can do for your MK7 GTI. The ARM MK7 FMIC is so efficient that it outperforms stock-location intercoolers that are almost twice it's size! "How?" you may ask. The ARM MK7 GTI FMIC positions the intercooler in front of your radiator stack, the most efficient position to cool your Gen 3 EA888. This is where the intercooler can utilize the ambient air where it is coolest, before it passes through your other radiators and temperatures increase.
Contrary to popular belief, bigger is not better, at least when it comes to intercoolers for the MQB platorm. The purpose of an intercooler is to keep intake air temperatures cool, not to be huge. The bigger an intercooler is, the more charge-air is required to fill it up, and therefore more of a potential for pressure drop, power loss and turbo lag. In an ideal world, the best solution would be to not need an intercooler at all and have cool charge-air run straight from the turbo to the intake manifold. However, the charge-air coming from the turbo isn't cool, in fact it's quite hot, and too much heat will decrease power on your MK7.
When you increase the power on your MK7 with a tune, you are increasing the boost pressure by asking the turbocharger to spin faster for a longer period of time. The faster and longer your turbo spins to build boost, the higher the temperature your charged-air will become. When the ECU detects that the intake air temperature (IAT) becomes too high, it will reduce timing and limit the amount of power your engine can produce in order to avoid damage. An intercooler upgrade is so essential for the MQB platform, that most tuners require an upgraded intercooler for flashing your MK7 with any tune above a basic stage 1 map. Since we need an intercooler to make the power we want and keep our MK7 running efficiently, the best solution is to have an intercooler that is as small as possible while still keeping intake air temperatures (IAT) low. This is exactly what the ARM MK7 FMIC Kit does.
At only 644 cu. in., the ARM MK7 GTI FMIC kept our project MK7 GTI's IAT's to a cool 16 degrees above ambient temperatures during a 2nd - 5th gear pull, on an average 70 day. Compared to the drastic 61 degree increase we recorded with the OEM intercooler on only a slightly warmer 79 degree day. The heart of the ARM MK7 GTI FMIC is it's efficient bar and plate intercooler core measuring 22 x 9 x 3.25 inches. Making the total intercooler volume 644 cubic inches. With the OEM intercooler coming in at 493 cubic inches, the ARM MK7 FMIC is only 28% larger than the OEM unit but rated at 700HP efficiency. Combine the efficient positioning of the intercooler with our ultra-dense fin packs with a fin-density of 20 fins per inch, and you have the ARM MK7 FMIC kit which is rated to handle up to 700hp, making it capable of supporting some of the most demanding builds.
The ARM MK7 GTI FMIC is one of the easiest intercooler upgrades to install for the MK7 GTI. Like every intercooler upgrade for the MK7 platform, it does require the removal of your front bumper, but unlike stock-location intercooler upgrades it does not require any disassembling of the crash bar, radiator stack, or draining of the coolant. The ARM FMIC kit comes with MK7-specific mounting brackets to secure the FMIC without the need to cut or drill brackets into the crash bar. The full installation of the ARM MK7 FMIC only takes about 2-3 hours, even for the novice mechanic.
If you're running or plan on running an upgraded turbo on your MQB, you will want to opt for the ARM Bi-Cooler Hose Upgrade. The ARM Bi-Cooler Hose Upgrade allows you to utilize a stock location intercooler (OEM or upgraded) in conjunction with the ARM MK7 FMIC giving your MK7 improved cooling efficiency over the ARM MK7 FMIC alone. This is only recommended if you already have a turbo upgrade or plan on installing one in the near future as it can cause a slight pressure drop on the OEM IS20.
Features:
- Gain up to 24whp/26wtq
- 74% Increase in Cooling Efficiency
- True Front Mount Design
- 100% Bolt-On Installation
- No Cutting or Drilling Required
What's Included:
- ARM Motorsports Front Mount Intercooler
- MK7 FMIC Piping
- MK7 Mounting Brackets
- Silicone Couplers and Clamps
- OEM Intercooler Block-Off Caps
