Helix FMIC Install help/advice/recommendations

[houtan]

hi all. I have a 2011 E82 DCT.

I installed my helix FMIC this weekend and everything went well except for installing the cold side hard pipe and silicone elbow. the only way i can get the cold side to fit is to remove the torx screw that bolts the bracket for the stock charge pipe to the airbox(see pic).

for those of you that have installed the helix fmic on an n55, i have pushed the hard pipe all the way to the bend in the silicone elbow. the hard pipe literally cannot go on any further on the elbow because its pushed on all the way to the bend. the side of the silicone elbow that goes to to the intercooler is almost as far as it will go, maybe it could go onto the intercooler a 1/4 of an inch further. even if it did, it seems it would not move the charge pipe low enough to bolt up to the airbox.

i spoke to eric at helix and he hasnt seen this problem before so he doesn't have any recommendations. he has been very responsive to my questions though which is awesome.

has anyone else run into this issue?

[SfValley335i]

Just buy another hose thats a little longer that will connect the fmic to the charge pipe, it cant cowt more than $10 on ebay.

If you have pictures of the hose connecting to the fmic post it.

[houtan]

thanks for the reply. my description probably wasnt that good. my problem is the length is too long, not too short. I have shrunk the total length of the silicone elbow + hard pipe as far as possible, and they are still too long.

eric from helix was saying i probably have to adjust/play with the angles and positioning of the silicone hose and hard pipe to get it to line up correctly. i am sure he is correct, i was just looking to see if anyone else experienced the same thing and what they did to fix it.

[SfValley335i]

Originally Posted by houtan

thanks for the reply. my description probably wasnt that good. my problem is the length is too long, not too short. I have shrunk the total length of the silicone elbow + hard pipe as far as possible, and they are still too long.

eric from helix was saying i probably have to adjust/play with the angles and positioning of the silicone hose and hard pipe to get it to line up correctly. i am sure he is correct, i was just looking to see if anyone else experienced the same thing and what they did to fix it.

If you think the hose is too long, then you need to slip the hose more on the intercooler pipe and charge pipe.

The deeper the pipes go into the hose the shorter (lower) your charge pipe will go.

[houtan]

yeah i hear ya. i have the chargepipe pushed on as far as possible; literally pushed all the way into the bend on the silicone pipe.

going to have to pull it apart again when i get the chance and see if i can get the pipe a little further onto the intercooler and see if that helps.

[RoninE82]

Any pics installed ive been searching and searching

[houtan]

What pictures are you looking for? The intercooler through the bumper? Pic from engine bay?

[blaster3500]

I am pretty sure n55's need an extra j-pipe to install the intercooler. Here is a picture. I run one on my n54 but purchased it used from someone who had an n55.

*edit sorry just realized someone bumped an old post.

[Swadeness]

I had the same issues as the OP except I was using the ER charge pipe. The helix is a great intercooler, but the fit of the hardware and hoses that come with the kit are its weak points. I was BARELY able to get the pipe lined up enough to fit the charge pipe but they were not even close to an optimum angle to each other. I had to settle with them coming together at about a 30 degree angle to each other with the silicone hose had just barely enough length left for the clamps. This pushed the charge pipe out towards the fender-well similar to the OP so there was no way to bolt the CP to the bracket. I lived with this setup for a while until I eventually pieced together my own setup with two 90 degree elbows and a joiner from silicon hoses.com. The hot pipe still poses a challenge and I think it might be a source of a small boost leak. The supplied hose needs to be at least a 1/2" to an inch longer. I only can only get about a 1/16" to 1/8" overhang past the hose clamp. Unfortunately the distance from the IC inlet to the stock hot pipe is longer than the standard size coupler so I have not found a coupler online thats long enough without buying a three foot section.

BTW If any of you are installing the helix you can make it fit without cutting the temp sensor bracket that is referenced in the how-to's. With some wrangling and an extra set of hands it will slip behind the sensor, its a very snug fit but looks perfect with no cutting.

[houtan]

Swadeness: crazy that you had the same issue. IIRC, the cold side elbow was 4 or 5 inches too long. I was able to compare it to the equivalent part that comes with the cobb intercooler, and confirmed the helix pipe was way too long. O ended up sending the kit back. Really sux because I really liked the helix intercooler core.

As for the hot side silicone pipe, this is what worked for me. Install the hose on the stock pipe coming from the turbo first so it is on the exact amount to get the edge of the hose clamp right to the edge of the silicone hose. Then tighten the hose clamp. Now slip on the other hose clamp and then slip the other end of the silicone hose onto the intercooler and try to pull the silicone hose on as far as possible. Should slip down enough so you can get the edge of the hose clamp to be at the edge of the silicone hose.

I had the same issue as you at first for the hot side. For me, the factory pipe coming from the turbo had a slight amount of play. When I tried to put the hose onto the stock pipe after the intercooler, the pipe would move toward the turbo just enough where I couldn't get my hose clamps on properly.