installing code 3 intercooler 'help

[driver91]

any pics or hints would be great

[JohnL135I]

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...ght=ums+tuning

[BerkTechnology]

What are you having trouble with? The install was pretty easy but there is some cutting required to get the intercooler to fit.

[driver91]

just wanted to dee what i was up against since im doing to install myself

[JohnL135I]

Let us know how it goes.

Hey Berk, did you install the intercooler without removing the front nose?


After I get my car I am considering attempting the install with ramps and a mini hack saw, of course a full video DIY will be filmed also....

[BerkTechnology]

We removed the front bumper when we installed the intercooler. We might have been able to fit it in with out taking the bumper off. All in all it was a pretty simple install with a little trimming need.

Originally Posted by JohnL135I

Let us know how it goes.

Hey Berk, did you install the intercooler without removing the front nose?


After I get my car I am considering attempting the install with ramps and a mini hack saw, of course a full video DIY will be filmed also....

[driver91]

6 hours in and I give up. put stock back in taking it to a shop. what a pain in the ass to do ramps

[Juicer]

Originally Posted by BerkTechnology

We removed the front bumper when we installed the intercooler. We might have been able to fit it in with out taking the bumper off. All in all it was a pretty simple install with a little trimming need.

I installed mine with ramps. For the 135i there is a lot of trimming (more acurrately cuttting) required.


The problem is not rhamps versus lift. There is no need to remove the bumper. You need to know were to cut and they don't tell you wher to cut for the 135i. If someone posts a few pictures of the plastic that is in front of the FMIC with the stock FMIC removed and the car up on rhamps, I can photoshop it to show everyone where to cut if you install this wiith rhamps.

Also I needed to cut the 45 deg silcone hose about 1 inch (maybe more) because it was too long.

If you know what to cut you can do the install in less than 3 hrs. I was able to do this on rhamps in my apartment parking lot. I have no experience whatsoever in working on cars. It can be done. Keep at it.

[Dangerlucas]

Originally Posted by Juicer

I installed mine with ramps. For the 135i there is a lot of trimming (more acurrately cuttting) required.


The problem is not rhamps versus lift. There is no need to remove the bumper. You need to know were to cut and they don't tell you wher to cut for the 135i. If someone posts a few pictures of the plastic that is in front of the FMIC with the stock FMIC removed and the car up on rhamps, I can photoshop it to show everyone where to cut if you install this wiith rhamps.

Also I needed to cut the 45 deg silcone hose about 1 inch (maybe more) because it was too long.

If you know what to cut you can do the install in less than 3 hrs. I was able to do this on rhamps in my apartment parking lot. I have no experience whatsoever in working on cars. It can be done. Keep at it.

Somebody get this man a picture. I would love to see the exact cutting required. Right now my new Code3 Intercooler is sitting in my trunk and I'm hoping to do the install next weekend.

[Juicer]

Originally Posted by Dangerlucas

Somebody get this man a picture. I would love to see the exact cutting required. Right now my new Code3 Intercooler is sitting in my trunk and I'm hoping to do the install next weekend.

I got these pictures that someone else posted about the helix install. Ignore the thick yellow boxes/rectangles. I drew thin red line around the plastic tabs that need to be trimmed. These need to be trimmed because the core is too wide. One pic is from the left, one from the right of where the core would sit. Ignore the yellow lines, you don't need to trim where the box's are and the rectangles go up too high. The blue lines are where you cut in order to remove the plastic because the core is too thick to fit. Both right and left sides are similar. Just cut straight up using the tabs as a guide (no need to remove these tabs just cut along them). When you get to the cross section just continue to use the tabs as a guide and cut perpendicular along the tab and then diagonal for another 2 inches (like shown). The only other two cuts you make are extremely easy, they are about an 1.5 inches each and are the top of the cross members. Once these two cuts are made and the blue line cuts are made the entire plastic peice in the front can be removed and discarded.

[Dangerlucas]

Wow, thanks a lot. This will be VERY helpful.

[Juicer]

Originally Posted by Dangerlucas

Wow, thanks a lot. This will be VERY helpful.

Sure. Sorry for the crude lines, I'm not good at photoshop.

The picture below (also borrowed from another thread) shows the two small cuts that were not shown in the previous pictures. The cuts are in green and pointed out with two green arrows. You can make these cuts higher up if you like, but I chose to cut them off at the notch that was already there.

Other tips: For trimming I used a "mini" hack saw. Some recommend a dremel tool with cut off wheel. I tried this and it didn't work at all. It seemed a little dangerous too. I got the mini hack saw from Walmart. It was less than 5$. It's basically just a hack saw blade with a small handle on one side. A regular hack saw won't work. Again, for the two cuts with the blue line, use the tab as a guide- don't cut this tab off.

For me tightening the hose clamps was easy. For this you NEED a 7/16 Flex Head Gear Wrench. I got this from Lowes for about $10. This worked amazingly well. I got the clamps super tight and never had any problems with leaking or anything. The silicone hoses are hard to fit on (maybe because it was very cold the day I installed it), I sprayed a little water on them with a spray bottle and it helped lubricate it a little. I cut the 45 degree silicone hose at least 1 inch shorter, I used a box cutter (took about 20 seconds). The other hose does not need to be cut.

Finally, when you put the new FMIC in to postion there is a risk of damaging the fins. I taped a peice of cardboard to the front and back surfaces to cover the fins. Once it was mounted, I simply pulled off the cardboard. I was able to install it without damaging any fins!

[Dangerlucas]

Great tips and very helpful photos. I was somewhat dreading this install, but with the info you've provided I can see that it really won't be a problem. Thanks again.

[JohnL135I]

Thanks Juicer, this makes the install look very easy now. After my car arrives and I put a few miles on it, I'm going to do this install. Next time I'm at Wal Mart I'll try and find this mysterious "Mini Hacksaw".......

[andrew@southernBM]

Taking the front bumper off is straight forward, doesn't take long and makes the job far easier, i hope the pics help.

[Juicer]

Originally Posted by JohnL135I

Thanks Juicer, this makes the install look very easy now. After my car arrives and I put a few miles on it, I'm going to do this install. Next time I'm at Wal Mart I'll try and find this mysterious "Mini Hacksaw".......

Good luck with the install. Here's a pic of the "mini hack saw" and the flex head gear wrench. I really recommned this wrench for tightening the T bolt clamps with the minimal space (ramps or lift) available. I couldn't imagine how long it would take to tighten these clamps with a regular wrench. A socket won't work either because the bolt is too long. I have seen several posts of these units and other FMICs being installed by professionals only to have boost leaks and codes because the "professional" didn't tighten the clamps enough. This same type of wrench is also a huge help if installing DPs.

Also, big thanks to Andrew. I used those same pictures that you posted a while back to guide my install in terms of what needed to but trimmed.