Lower Intercooler Pipe install
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From: High-Plains Desert
Lower Intercooler Pipe install
I purchased the lower IC pipe kit from Automotosports and installed it today. Here are my findings...
Before you lift the car, open the hood and take the bolts out of the radiator resevoir tank. Move the tank off to the side being careful not to tilt the tank too far to cause spillage.
Under the passenger headlight wiring is a 12mm bolt that supports the stock IC pipe. Use a ratcheting dog-bone or open end wrench to remove this bolt.
Now jack the car up (use blocks for saftey of course) and remove the under tray. To remove the screw-type push pins apply very slight pressure to the phillips screwdriver and the pins should back out. They will fall apart if you unscrew them too much but that's cool, just keep an eye out for where they fall.
Use a 10mm wrench or socket to loosen the hose clamps on the turbo dump pipe and intercooler. Between the IC and the Oil cooler is another 12mm bolt supporting the IC pipe. It's a tight fit but a long open-end wrench with a lot of 1/4 turns will eventually take this bolt out.
Starting from the dump pipe, twist the hose back and forth until it slides off the pipe. Make sure your clamps are as loose as you can get them without them falling apart.
Now wiggle the pipe back and forth to remove the hose from the IC. It will require some finagling but the pipe will eventually come out. Be careful not to dent your IC or oil cooler.
Remove the hose that connects the pipe to the IC. You will re-use this on the AMS pipe unless you purchased a replacement. You will also re-use the clamps for that section of hose. (I highly recommend T-bolt clamps, the stockers are very week to torque)
Attatch stock hose to IC but don't tighten. Slide in replacement pipe into stock hose. Install smaller section of new pipe onto the curved pipeing going to the IC.
Now slide entire assembly onto the dump tube.
Make sure entire pipe is level with ground or the undertray will bow out.
Tighten all clamps making sure the hoses are seated as far as possbile onto the pipes and the rolled edges are secured in the hose by the clamps.
Re-install undertray.
Lower car and re-install Radiator overflow tank.
Disconnect battery to reset the ECU.
Reconnect and go for a spin. Notice a slightly faster spool up and go eat some V8's for lunch.
Before you lift the car, open the hood and take the bolts out of the radiator resevoir tank. Move the tank off to the side being careful not to tilt the tank too far to cause spillage.
Under the passenger headlight wiring is a 12mm bolt that supports the stock IC pipe. Use a ratcheting dog-bone or open end wrench to remove this bolt.
Now jack the car up (use blocks for saftey of course) and remove the under tray. To remove the screw-type push pins apply very slight pressure to the phillips screwdriver and the pins should back out. They will fall apart if you unscrew them too much but that's cool, just keep an eye out for where they fall.
Use a 10mm wrench or socket to loosen the hose clamps on the turbo dump pipe and intercooler. Between the IC and the Oil cooler is another 12mm bolt supporting the IC pipe. It's a tight fit but a long open-end wrench with a lot of 1/4 turns will eventually take this bolt out.
Starting from the dump pipe, twist the hose back and forth until it slides off the pipe. Make sure your clamps are as loose as you can get them without them falling apart.
Now wiggle the pipe back and forth to remove the hose from the IC. It will require some finagling but the pipe will eventually come out. Be careful not to dent your IC or oil cooler.
Remove the hose that connects the pipe to the IC. You will re-use this on the AMS pipe unless you purchased a replacement. You will also re-use the clamps for that section of hose. (I highly recommend T-bolt clamps, the stockers are very week to torque)
Attatch stock hose to IC but don't tighten. Slide in replacement pipe into stock hose. Install smaller section of new pipe onto the curved pipeing going to the IC.
Now slide entire assembly onto the dump tube.
Make sure entire pipe is level with ground or the undertray will bow out.
Tighten all clamps making sure the hoses are seated as far as possbile onto the pipes and the rolled edges are secured in the hose by the clamps.
Re-install undertray.
Lower car and re-install Radiator overflow tank.
Disconnect battery to reset the ECU.
Reconnect and go for a spin. Notice a slightly faster spool up and go eat some V8's for lunch.
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Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Punxsutawney, PA
You might ask why we offer only the lower pipe and not the upper, the answer to that is that quite frankly it isn't necassary. Through our extensive parts prototyping and dyno testing programs we have found that replacing the lower pipe alone is worth 7-10 HP , and only 2-4 additional HP from the upper intercooler pipe. That minor increase in HP just doesn't justify the cost of all that additional piping.
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From: High-Plains Desert
That's because they had so many requests for an upper pipe, they decided to go ahead and make some more money. I can't blame them really, I bought the upper IC pipe from them!
Originally Posted by TheSmacker
I just think it's funny that they have this in the description for the lower IC piping, then right below it they're selling the upper IC piping for $460 + Mini Battery.
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Originally Posted by M3lachsilber
Are pics of this job available by chance?
I would like to sticky it..
I would like to sticky it..
Originally Posted by zstryder
Did you have trouble with the dump pipe at all? I had loads of trouble with it. Couldn't reach it, socket wasn't small enough, etc... crazy.
Yup. Even when I did reach it, my socket was too big to fit there. I managed to use a cheapy walmart socket to reach it, but then cross threaded the turbo. Car broke down on the road later cause the pipe came completely loose - so one car tow later, two shops later(one couldn't fix it), and one month after, I'm now finally boost leak free. It was quite the ordeal!