Is it just me or is re-attaching the hose to the turbo a nightmare?
I removed the intercooler this morning for better access for a bit of tinkering etc, then spent half an hour trying to get the bloody thing back on agian!!!!!!!
There must be a knack to it, that does not cause screeming and shouting........

Colin,

Had the same prob when i fitted my downpipe it was a right sod to get back on so i swapped the downpipe with the ic left in place last time.

If its pre MY99 then its a little bit harder as the pipes are less flexible IMHO. Get it partially on, then get the intercooler to inlet manifold on and tighten this one up completley. Then use a pry bar between turbo pipe and intercooler to prise it onto the turbo.

Brute force and ignorance is the only way. :(

I heat my hose with a hairdryer to make it more pliable then it slips straight on... oh eh..

I removed the intercooler to inlet hose, until I finally got the turbo hose on using the rubber handle of a hammer as a lever then squeezed the little bugger into place afterwards.
I have done some nasty jobs in my time, changing engines, clutches even re-building gearboxes but this nearly beat me............

First time i tried it I was in the dark. Almost had me leaving it till i could see what i was doing. Eventually tried coating the edge of the hose with copper grease then just jammed it back on.

Anyone tried vaseline? It worked in "other" tight spaces. :D

Colin,

I had this problem a few months back, it goes on & off easily when hot, but when it cools down it contracts when off the turbo hence the tightness on refitting. The hairdryer heating sounds a good compromise.

if it is an early model...
I used to (before FMIC) undo the pipe from the turbo to I/C at the I/C, it is held on by 3x10mm bolts and makes life much easier, you can just lift the I/C out the way then, the pipe does come off the turbo with a bit of a tug... but i found refitting to be the biggest problem, just couldnt get it on.. so undone it there instead..
Rob

The plastic intercooler/turbo pipe is quite rigid when cold, warm it (the pipe end) up well with a hairdryer and then fit straight away, it will go back on much more easily then.

i remember that well, fitted a decat downpipe to a my97 , took 90 mins to remove the old one and replace, took me 2 hours to get the intercooler back on !
when i refitted the decat on a p1 it was far easier
mark

running hot water from a tap over the pipes is supposed to help too:D

Buy SAMCO pipes, slip on easy as FCUK ;)


Just noticed I cannae speak english & added the word "on"

[Edited by caz1562 - 11/30/2002 5:22:58 PM]

A really good way is to loop a piece of wire around the pipe near to the corrugations,then pull on the wire from the drivers side.The pipe slips on a treat.This method is incredibly easy. In the past I've struggled for ages,prying against bits that shouldn't be pried against.I had the wire brainwave one morning when I was runnng late for work.

HTH

Andy