The IC didn't give him 30 horsepower. It gave him the ability to do other mods (I hope that's what "pimped out" means) that give him the power, but require more cooling capacity.

From Maximum Boost: Designing, Testing, and Installing Turbocharger Systems
by Corky Bell-

Better (not necessarily bigger) intercooler= cooler charge= less detonation. As for the denser charge bit- are you familiar with the absolute temperature scale? If not, your Inorganic Chem teacher will make you that way. Anyway, 32 degrees Fahrenheit= 0 degrees Celsius= a whopping 278 degrees Kelvin (the absolute scale). So a 120 degree reduction in intake charge (pretty typical of comparing a good IC with not having an IC) will give you about a 20% increase in charge density. Sounds good right? Problem is, the IC also causes pressure loss (especially big fat front mounts). Stock top mount causes 2-3 psi loss, and a typical front mount, 3-5 depending on other factors. With stock 14.5 psi, you lose between 14 and 21% of your charge- and that's at peak boost. The loss is still there at less than peak pressure. That's for a stock motor. For the Front mount, I doubt you'd be at stock boost. Let's say.... 18 psi peak? Pretty typical for stretching the stock EJ20 with a somewhat larger turbo you'd probably have with a FMIC. 3-5 psi drop takes between 16-27% of your intake charge. That's 27% less O2 in your cylinder each combustion cycle (as an example). So where does the power come from? It's due to being able to advance the timing. Regardless of how MUCH air is flowing through, it's still colder- and that means detonation resistance. That means less breaking isht, and more power. It's why the hardcore, 500+ hp drag racers all run front mounts- and why a good road race car doesn't need to.

Aside from the power increase, front mounts introduce much more lag than a top mount. Lag is, by definition, the amount of time it takes from flooring the pedal to reaching full boost, rather than what RPM you can reach it soonest, which is boost threshold. But all that is for another thread, another time.

 

You just dont know what the heck you are talking about, jeez (sorry man, you dont)

Intercoolers dont do 30hp. Intakes on WRX's suck. If you dont believe me, thats too bad cause Ive sat there and watched WRX after WRX get dynoed and you are wrong my friend.

Intercooler hoses are 5-10hp. Boost controlers are 10-15hp. Full exhausts are ~20hp. Intercoolers are hardly noticable, and ive seen dynos of WRX's with intakes that LOOSE power with the intakes installed. Just skip the intake all together and spend the money elsewhere.

 

For a little more real life evidence:

Two friends tune their stage 4 cars with a UTEC. Run similar 1/4's (less than a tenth difference in time and 1/2MPH)
One guy puts on his CAI (an AEM, but it doesn't really matter)
They take a weekend and tune the car with the AEM (it needed it, BAD)
Take cars to track.
Car with CAI loses 1.5 seconds (at it's best) and a few (unsure) MPH.
Return car to Subaru intake
car runs old times

verdict (no dyno in Hawaii): CAI = bad

 

Be cheap, take out the airbox, put in a K&N Filter. and you'll be fine. and it's a lot cheaper.

 

Substitute 'silencer' for 'airbox' and you're absolutely right. But without an airbox, where do you put the filter?

 

OK....I'm going down the strip clocking in at 14.9 with an AEM CAI and an HKS BOV...So if I remove the intake, could you say that I would be running mid or even low 13s?

 

Remove the BOV, and try again.