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M2 Technical Topics > N55 Engine / Drivetrain / Exhaust / Bolt-ons / Tuning > Digimattic's 2nd Annual Spring Modification: Covid-19 Edition

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      03-27-2020, 01:56 PM   #1
digimattic
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Drives: 2017 6MT LBB M2
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Digimattic's 2nd Annual Spring Modification: Covid-19 Edition

Hey everyone,

Seeing as I am in a state of quasi-lockdown, I thought I'd share some recent experiences with some modifications I've made to the car, namely:
  1. Pure Turbos Inlet Pipe
  2. FTP Charge and Boost Pipes
  3. GFB DV+
  4. Wagner EVO II Comp Intercooler

First off, big thanks to Nezil whose detailed posts on a variety of topic really saved the day in the absence of a lot of information.

This was a bit of a frustrating project in a lot of respects. There was a lot of backtracking: doing something only to be forced to redo it for one reason or another. At a high level, I would say that none of this is impossible for the average guy- providing your even moderately mechanically inclined - given enough time. In my case, it took nearly two weeks, start to finish working for a couple hours most nights when it was not too cold. Even with a heater in my garage, the concrete slab is just freezing. I put down some scrap carpet and that helped a bit. The other must-have, especially for the diverter valve, is the right tools. I bought a variety of socket extensions and u-joints, as well as long hex sockets in advance, and the job would *not* have been possible without them short of ripping apart the car.

I got the car up on 4 axle stands first, which I had to re-do and move the car once (time wasted). Next I removed the belly-pan, and plastic trim connecting the pan to the bumper, the side engine bay braces (really only the driver's side one needs to come off, but I was thinking I might remove the coolant reservoir and ultimately did not). In hindsight I would have loosened the lugs on the front wheels before jacking it up since once it's suspended, they will spin freely and you will - like I did - have to lower it down onto some wood or something to get the wheels off. I would also just bite the bullet and remove the bumper at the outset. I had hoped to avoid this, but it was ultimately necessary and I wasted more time trying to jam the IC into the car than it actually took to remove the bumper. For anyone else thinking about it, review Nezil's instructions. They are good. The only thing that hung me up for a moment was his reference to the Washer nozzle covers. I thought maybe this was something on the backside of the bumper before realizing he meant the painted covers on the front side. Aside from that, it was all pretty smooth.

Anyway, once the car was up, disassembly was relatively straightforward. Charge pipe is a pain to snake out, and DV is a pain to reach with a socket but really these were minor gripes. Turbo inlet is relatively easy to access with everything else out of the way. Easy going, buds!

....

Until it's time to get things BACK in the car. DV+ went in easy enough. Boost pipe itself was fine, but I spent an-honest-to-god NIGHT trying to get the hex bolt that secures the Crankcase Ventilation hose to the inlet pipe actually onto it. The angle it's at makes it really frustrating. But that was just the start.

I should have properly read Nezil's post in the FTP Charge and Boost Pipe thread, because I made the same mistaken assumption as he did regarding the Boost Pipe - I.e. that the two pieces should be pushed together straight in. As he poitns out, this is wrong. They are angled a bit, and should you tighten the pipe clamps down in advance, you will find it impossible to fit the intercooler.

And what a pain in the ass fitting the intercooler was. I've seen videos of people able to just slide it up and in. I don't understand them. I spent a night fighting with that thing on my chest with only some bruises, a cut open thumb (the flange of the IC is sharp as hell!), and some banged up fins to show for it. Removing the bumper made this job SIGNIFICANTLY easier. I cannot stress that enough, honestly.

Once I got the intercooler in, and mounted, I took Nezil's tip and left one end of the each hose coupler loose so that I could position the other half appropriately. This was a real ball-ache. The piping had to come out a couple of times for adjustments of the side that was tighted down first, or where the pipe clamp was fouling against something else, or where it was inaccessible and I was unable to get a socket on it etc. etc. Lots and lots of wasted time here. So much.

Once that was done, it was relatively smooth sailing bolting everything back together. I nearly forgot to leave a 2x10 under the front wheels would have been bad since the weight of the nose would have come down on the jack, but thankfully I caught it in time

I took it for a drive and a car-wash last night. It's currently in stock tune. Despite the cool weather - making traction laughable on the PSS tires - the car felt GREAT. I can hear a bit more induction noise than I could previously, but nothing obnoxious. I can't hear the diverter valve at all really - I was kinda worried that it would sound a little blow-offy, but it doesn't. What I can say is that I do not perceive any appreciable turbo lag on the stock tune. The car was pulling very smoothly and accelerating hard, traction permitting. I want to say that I *DO* feel some extra weight out over the nose, but I'll confess that might be in my head.

Anyway, I hope you're all doing well. Stay safe out there!
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