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Corksport TMIC vs. CP-e TMIC

39K views 28 replies 12 participants last post by  qwerty4550 
#1 ·
I searched the forum and could not find any comparisons. Sorry if this information can be found elsewhere.

I know that some people will automatically go with CP-e due to it's great reputation, but I want to give other companies their fair shot as well. Does anybody know which of these is of greater quality? Which produces more power? I realize that both are TMICs, thus they should result in very similar numbers. However, on the CP-e website they list the core thickness as 3.25", which seems to be the norm for TMIC for this car. On the corksport website I could not find any specification information regarding thickness. I know with the corksport the OEM TMIC cover will still fit. Is this true for the CP-e?

Looking stock is not the issue for me. I remember reading something on the forums a while back that the TMIC cover is actually functional and it creates a better seal with the hood cowling.

If anybody can give me any information I would greatly appreciate it.
 
#2 ·
With an upgraded intercooler you're not going to get much power out of it. It's more of how efficiently it's cooling the air.
I don;t know much about the corksport TMIC so I'm sure Derrick or someone from Corksport will chime in.
The cp-e TMIC is hand built at the cp-e facility, except for the core. Also, cp-e products come with a lifetime warrenty. The stock plastic cover will not fit. I think corksport is the only one that will fit under the stock cover. Thats awesome.
It's really hard to compare the 2 since cp-e's was just released and Corksports is still in the midst of producing it's first run. At this point its a matter of if you want it now or not
 
#4 ·
[quote author=sQwiReL link=topic=185400.msg3917976#msg3917976 date=1296172952]
cpe 3.25"
corksport 3"
[/quote]

I am guessing the stocker is close to 3" as well. I do not know much about intercoolers, but wouldn't a thicker core allow for a greater cooling capacity barring the same materials used to fabricate the IC?
 
#11 ·
[quote author=sQwiReL link=topic=185400.msg3918724#msg3918724 date=1296244122]
might want to decide faster. ive read somewhere that they have sold a lot already and the intro price is only good for the 1st batch
[/quote]

He speaks the truth. I contacted a sales representative at CP-e and the $350 price is only good for the first batch. I have been told that this product has sold faster than no other product CP-e has released. That is saying something. Order one while you can or you will regret it when the price hikes to $595!
 
#12 ·
[quote author=qwerty4550 link=topic=185400.msg3918805#msg3918805 date=1296249949]
[quote author=sQwiReL link=topic=185400.msg3918724#msg3918724 date=1296244122]
might want to decide faster. ive read somewhere that they have sold a lot already and the intro price is only good for the 1st batch
[/quote]

He speaks the truth. I contacted a sales representative at CP-e and the $350 price is only good for the first batch. I have been told that this product has sold faster than no other product CP-e has released. That is saying something. Order one while you can or you will regret it when the price hikes to $595!
[/quote]

I ended up biting the bullet and ordering the CP-e TMIC. I made sure to state in the Order Comments to make sure my TMIC was clean and not scratched before shipping it out to me. Also to make sure it has the CP-e plackard. Other buyers have complained of their TMIC's coming scratched, dirty and without a plackard. I would be pissed! I paid for a new TMIC, not a used one :) .

I will not be able to put it on for a few weeks, being that I am not even in the country right now. But I will be sure to come back and post up my results. I will do a DH log with the stock IC and CP-e IC and post the logs. Does anybody have any requests on what I should log?
 
#14 ·
[quote author=sQwiReL link=topic=185400.msg3918871#msg3918871 date=1296256177]
post review/dyno if possible
[/quote]

I will definitely post a review with pictures. I am not sure if there are any dyno's anywhere near me, but I will find that out once I return to the US.
 
#15 ·
Re: Corksport TMIC vs. CP-e TMIC vs. ETS

I am also going to do TMIC. Is this the only corksport TMIC:

AUTOEXE MAZDASPEED Intercooler

CODE: Axe-6-105

Price: $1,536.00 ??????????

Does anyone have flow and pressure ratings for this? And what's with that 'price'? is it made of platinum?

I am comparing all to ETS performance/cost.

Thx
 
#16 ·
[quote author=captain_pike link=topic=185400.msg3921521#msg3921521 date=1296573242]
I am also going to do TMIC. Is this the only corksport TMIC:

AUTOEXE MAZDASPEED Intercooler

CODE: Axe-6-105

Price: $1,536.00 ??????????

Does anyone have flow and pressure ratings for this? And what's with that 'price'? is it made of platinum?

I am comparing all to ETS performance/cost.

Thx

[/quote]

That's an Autexe brand TMIC and it's a JDM product not Corksport, hence the price. I'd leave it out of your comparisons just by the price alone. :lol:
 
#18 ·
[quote author=captain_pike link=topic=185400.msg3921700#msg3921700 date=1296580925]
so is this the corksport TMIC the OP was talking about??? or is there a different one?
[/quote]

From what I can tell the Corksport TMIC hasn't released yet, from what I'm seeing on the website anyway. They do currently make a FMIC kit though, have for a while.

Link to Corksport
http://www.corksport.com/corksport-mazdaspeed-top-mount-intercooler.html
 
#19 ·
Here's the CP-E TMIC installed on my car. I got in on the first batch. Install was simple and well worth it for $350 + shipping.

The scuff marks and imperfections are not from CP-E - I just got lazy and didn't clean it for the pictures. It arrived flawless.



 
#21 ·
Humor is lost in ASDF translations

Well, I initially bought it because it looked so nice 'n' shiny on the CP-E website. I was so happy when it arrived last week, so I immediately installed it, switched over to the v108 Stage2+ TMIC map on my AP, then took her for a spin.

Boy, was I disappointed. I felt no difference at all .. in fact, the car felt slower!

So I sat, pondered, and I (thankfully) re-checked the box for that magic, instant horsepower addition for my $350 plus shipping.

Lo and behold, I found my extra +20 hp .... STICKERS !!!!!!!!!

:lol:

Kidding aside ... I try not to judge by the butt dyno. I need to do some AP logs and post up the differences from the stock TMIC (that I hopefully haven't deleted for a fair comparison).
 
#22 ·
Any updates on the cpe tmic what? I checked on the cpe site and while they are backordered, they are still 350, so its getting really tempting to bite the bullet and get one. And kinda a newbie question since the only real motor mods i have is the xcel nano intake and t.i.p., but would i be safe getting one of these without a tune or an upgraded fuel pump? I know both are recommended, but has anyone else out there upgraded their ic without either and had no problems? I wanna get one cause I know how inefficient the factory piece is. I'm not looking for huge power gains, just something thats gonna perform better.
 
#24 ·
[quote author=pittsburghmazda3 link=topic=185400.msg3940460#msg3940460 date=1298259969]
Any updates on the cpe tmic what? I checked on the cpe site and while they are backordered, they are still 350, so its getting really tempting to bite the bullet and get one. And kinda a newbie question since the only real motor mods i have is the xcel nano intake and t.i.p., but would i be safe getting one of these without a tune or an upgraded fuel pump? I know both are recommended, but has anyone else out there upgraded their ic without either and had no problems? I wanna get one cause I know how inefficient the factory piece is. I'm not looking for huge power gains, just something thats gonna perform better.
[/quote]

don't waste your money on an intercooler. You are not even really stressing the stock one. get a tuning device or a downpipe first, unless you just want the IC for eye candy.

FWIW you would probably be ok without tuning for this, and using the stock fuel pump. but then again that just goes to show how useless it is at your current mod level. get a tuning solution or a downpipe first. way better performance for your money.
 
#25 ·
Thanks killa. It's just so tempting for the price. I figured there would be some gains to be had, considering how much of a bottleneck I've heard the stock one is, and cp-e flow testing theirs and stating it flows about twice the cfm the stock one can. Figured less restriction would mean quicker spool up, as well as greater cooling capacity would mean some gains even without a tune or upgraded hpfp? Not sure how well this would resist heat soak, compared to stock, but I can say I've definitely noticed the heat soak on the stocker. Guess as long as you put an intercooler over a hot engine, youre gonna get some heat soak regardless. And yes, I know a DP would be the start for some great numbers, but I'm just afraid of some after effects with the turbo (oil seals going etc). Cars still under warranty for another 45k miles, so I dont wanna completely void it just yet. Intercooler is easy enough to swap out for dealer visits if i really needed to. May have to go with a tuner then... Anyways, sorry for going off topic. Can we get some more opinions on this intercooler please :)
 
#26 ·
There ARE gains to have with this mod. I had a cpe intake with a tip and racepipe. Once i put the ETS TMIC there is a noticable power gain past 4k. It is a great mod not only for power but on the efficiency side as well as your turbo will not have to work as hard to make the same amount of boost (heat soak). The ETS TMIC is noticeably cooler to the touch even on hard runs compared to the stock TMIC. MY Car performed great even without a tune. However i did notice that the car was running a little leaner on the top end as well, so you may want to consider a fuel pump upgrade with this mod to be on the safe side. But you wont really know until you get a AP or dash hawk and do some test of your own.
 
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