Mishimoto Intercooler Installation estimate

[billbadass]

i would not pay all that labor to have that intercooler installed. at least pay up for the unitronic or better yet get apr, alternately if you're going to stick with is20 or is38 then neuspeed FMIC or other FMIC is massively faster and easier to intall and works great

 

[staying_tuned]

I'm running it and it took me a day. I'm pretty slow though. There isn't any way of getting around the entire front-end coming off piece by piece. The fitment is great and the tab brackets bolt-on. I had to start them one at a time and go back and forth to get it lined up and threaded properly but I was on jack stands (6k ones about 20" in the air, installed my DP at the same time) at a pretty absurd angle. A waist-high level install would make it much easier from a timing and lower back standpoint.

 

[IanCH]

I didnt have to drain coolant for my unitronic intercooler install on my old Golf R... I don't see why any intercooler would require that. You just separate the stack and replace the IC from the sandwich.

 

[StorableComa]

Reread the install, they do have you remove the crash bar it looks like. They just don't call it out in the instructions. They way they have you do it, your pull the upper and lower radiator hose in the BMS instructions. The Majesty they normally rest the core on a cooler so you don't have to remove the hoses.

 

[staying_tuned]

Reread the install, they do have you remove the crash bar it looks like. They just don't call it out in the instructions. They way they have you do it, your pull the upper and lower radiator hose in the BMS instructions. The Majesty they normally rest the core on a cooler so you don't have to remove the hoses.

Yeah, it gets pulled. Regardless which route you go, the HD Mishimoto install video was great. I had it on a kindle and just play/paused my way through. It also covers re-assembly:

 

[GTIfan99]

Find a VW shop that's done 50 of these installs.

 

[IanCH]

Removing the crash bar is very easy btw... The hardest part of this install is supporting everything and moving it around once it's all released (unless you have a poor fitting ic, then it's hardest to reassemble)

 

[StorableComa]

Removing the crash bar is very easy btw... The hardest part of this install is supporting everything and moving it around once it's all released (unless you have a poor fitting ic, then it's hardest to reassemble)

True, though there are still some things that are recommended. Like using a paint pen or some other marker to outline the bolts, painters tape on headlights/bumper/fender to make aligning things easier upon reassembly. Maybe a just buy extra clips and cut the support clips when disassembling, some people report their a pain to get off without breaking.

I misunderstood when I read through the BMS instructions the first time as they don't call out the crash bar specifically, but if you look through their pictures they do drop it as it's part of the support for the heat exchange sandwich. I'm curious why they recommend pulling the upper and lower radiator hoses though, I don't think I came across that in reading the Magic/majesty IC thread. Seems like extra work getting air out of the cooling system if you're going to support the crash bar/front anyhow.

 

[EpicTech]

Shop I used are VAG specialists, took them 2 hours with 2 guys doing the work. It was quite amusing watching them move in an efficient manner. This shop always has 4-6 cars in bays and they turn out a lot of work in a given 8 hour day.

 

[Bolivarjoy]

I could wait several weeks and drive two hours for the nearest VW shop with a great reputation. I am going to trust a guy I have done business with for a decade who can take it in this Thursday. I will let you know what comes of it. I wish I had a couple of knowledgeable car friends with whom I could do the project. I can live with anything under 500.00 if I get a great finished product.

 

[staying_tuned]

Removing the crash bar is very easy btw... The hardest part of this install is supporting everything and moving it around once it's all released (unless you have a poor fitting ic, then it's hardest to reassemble)

This. The mechanics of it all is very straight forward but I waited until I needed to hold it all up and then scrambled to pile things up I had laying around. Don't do that if you install it yourself. Once I got it stable and balanced, it was actually quite pleasant to work on and examine. I found a few clumps of compost and leaves, cleaned things up here and there, rewarding no doubt but yeah have a plan holding that sandwich assembly up.

 

[Diggs24]

Rubbermaid tub works great. Just slide the whole thing to the left.

 

[Ridebjj]

Rubbermaid tub works great. Just slide the whole thing to the left.

That lawnmower is looking pretty sexy.

 

[staying_tuned]

That lawnmower is looking pretty sexy.

Agreed, that stance is fire.

 

[Diggs24]

I only got Tornado Red to match that sexy beast.