96-01 (B5) Audi A4 1.8T Competition Series Front Mount Intercooler (FMIC) Kit INSTALLATION GUIDE
Tools Needed:
Full set of metric sockets and wrenches.
Philips screwdriver.
Flat head screwdriver.
Full set of Hex sockets and/or wrenches.
Full set of Torx sockets and/or screwdriver bits.
Tool to cut the bumper (dremel, sander, etc…)
Parts Needed:
Audi/VW Power Steering Fluid
Install Time: 4-5 hours.
Difficulty (1 Easy, 5 Hard): 2
Removal:
- Jack the front end of the car up.
- Remove fog light covers. They are held in place by clips. Grab the fog light covers by the edges and gently, but firmly pull.
- Unbolt the bumper reinforcement bar. Once the fog light covers are removed, the hex socket bolts holding the bumper reinforcement bar to the bumper reinforcement bar support shock can now be accessed. There is 1 hex socket bolt holding each side of the bumper reinforcement bar and is located right behind the fog light cover hole, towards the top.
- Remove the belly pan cover.
- Remove the bumper. The bumper is now only held on by clips located on the sides of the bumper (by the wheel). Grab the bottom corner of the side of the bumper were the clips are located and gently, but firmly pull that corner outwards. Once the bottom clip releases, grab the top corner of the bumper and pull that corner outwards, which should release all the clips. BE VERY CAREFUL AND ALERT WHEN PULLING THE CORNERS OF THE BUMPER AS THE CLIPS AND/OR THE MOUNT CAN BREAK. IT TAKES SOME EFFORT TO UNCLIP THESE CLIPS BUT DOES NOT NEED YOUR FULL STRENGTH. Pull the bumper forward and unclip the fog lights from their wiring harness. Put a bucket underneath the headlight washer lines and unclip the line.
- Remove headlights. The headlights are attached by 3 Torx socket bolts. Two bolts are located on top of the headlight. The third bolt is located on the bottom of the headlight and can be access from a hole in the side fender. Unclip the headlight from their wiring harness.
- Remove the OEM radiator shrouds. They are held onto the sides of the radiator by 2 Philips screws.
- Detach the OEM power steering cooler (metal line running in front of the radiator and the air conditioning condenser) from the radiator core support / lock carriage. It is attached to the radiator core support / lock carriage by one 10mm bolt. DO NOT DETACH THE POWER STEERING LINES YET.
- Remove the OEM side mount intercooler shroud from the intercooler.
- Remove the OEM intercooler hoses. Detach the hose clamps holding the intercooler hose connecting the turbocharger to the intercooler hard piping on the radiator core support / lock carriage. Detach the hose clamps holding the diverter valve to this intercooler hose. Remove the intercooler hose. Detach the hose clamps holding the intercooler hose connecting the intercooler hard piping on the radiator core support / lock carriage to the side mount intercooler. Remove the intercooler hose. Detach the hose clamps holding the intercooler hose connecting the side mount intercooler to the throttle body. Unclip the MAP sensor located on the top of the side mount intercooler end tank from its harness (does not apply to pre-2000 models as they do not have this MAP sensor).
- Remove the bumper reinforcement bar.
- Unbolt the radiator core support / lock carriage from the chassis. TRACE ALL BOLTS HOLDING THE RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT / LOCK CARRIAGE TO THE CHASSIS WITH A MARKER. THIS WILL HELP WITH ALIGNING THE RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT / LOCK CARRIAGE BACK ONTO THE CHASSIS. Remove the 2 Torx socket bolts located on the top of the radiator core support / lock carriage, next to the side fenders. Remove the Torx bolt holding the side of the radiator core support / lock carriage to the side fender. Remove the bumper reinforcement bar support shock from the radiator core support / lock carriage. It is held on by 3 large Torx socket bolts and one 10mm nut. Once all bolts and nuts holding the radiator core support / lock carriage has been removed, pull it slightly forward away from the chassis. DO NOT REMOVE THE RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT / LOCK CARRIAGE COMPLETELY FROM THE CHASSIS. IT IS NOT NECCESARY.
- Remove the OEM side mount intercooler from its bracket. Once the OEM side mount intercooler has been removed from the car, remove the MAP sensor (2000-up models only) from the side mount intercooler (does not apply to pre-2000 models as they do not have this MAP sensor). BE CAREFUL WHEN REMOVING AND HANDLING THE MAP SENSOR AS IT IS FRAGILE.
- Reinstall the radiator core support / lock carriage onto the chassis. Use the marker tracings made earlier to align the radiator core support / lock carriage to its previous location.
- Remove the smog pump / air conditioning bracket (early model do not have smog pumps). The smog pump is held onto the chassis by a bracket that also holds the air conditioning bracket. This bracket needs to be removed to relocate the smog pump. This bracket is held to the chassis by three 10mm bolts. One bolt is located on top of the smog pump on the frame rail. The other 2 bolts are behind the air conditioning canister. Unbolt the air conditioning canister from its bracket. It is held on by two 10mm nuts on the side of the air conditioning bracket. The bracket can now be removed from the car. Once the bracket has been removed from the car, remove the smog pump from the bracket. It is held on by three 10mm nuts.
- Remove the passenger side horn. The passenger side horn is held in place by a bracket that is attached to the passenger side of the radiator core support / lock carriage. Remove both the horn and bracket. Unclip the horn from its wiring harness.
- Remove the OEM power steering cooler. Break the OEM metal ties that secure the OEM power steering lines to the OEM power steering cooler. Drain the power steering fluid into a bucket. If you want to save as much power steering fluid as possible, you can use vice-grips or locking hose pliers to pinch the power steering lines. WHEN PINCHING THE POWER STEERING LINES, ENSURE YOU DO NOT PINCH THE LINE TOO TIGHT AS THAT CAN LEAD TO DAMAGE TO THE LINES.
Installation:
- Install new air conditioning canister bracket. Reuse one 10mm bolt that held the original smog pump / air conditioning canister bracket to the chassis. Attach the 10mm bolt to one of the original mounting points as well (bottom side bolt holding the original bracket). Attach the other end of the new air conditioning bracket to the air conditioning canister with one of the original 10mm nuts.
- Install the new horn bracket. On the side of the air conditioning canister, there is a 10mm bolt holding a spring hook that is holding the air conditioning line that runs underneath the air conditioning canister in place. Remove this bolt and attach the new horn bracket to this mounting point with the bracket pointing forward. Attach the horn to the new horn bracket. Align the horn so that it will clear both the side fender, air conditioning line and the bumper. Tighten the bolt holding the new horn bracket to the spring hook mounting point. Tighten the horn to the new horn bracket. Clip the horn harness back onto the horn.
- Install the new external power steering cooler. CHECK THE CLEARANCE OF THE HOOD WHEN IT IS CLOSED WHEN MOUNTING THE NEW EXTERNAL POWER STEERING COOLER. ENSURE THAT THERE IS MORE THAN ADEQUATE ROOM WHEN THE HOOD IS CLOSED. THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT THAN WHEN THE HOOD IS SLAMMED CLOSED, IT CAN MOVE LOWER THAN WHERE THE HOOD NORMALLY SITS. THE EXTERNAL POWER STEERING SHOULD SIT TOWARDS THE DRIVER’S SIDE OF THE AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER / RADIATOR, DIRECTLY ABOVE THE INTERCOOLER. The new external power steering cooler is mounted to the air conditioning condenser by the included mounting strap. Slide the mounting strap through the new external power steering cooler. Attach the mounting cushions behind the new external power steering cooler where the mounting straps go through. Position the new external power steering cooler and slide the mounting straps through the air conditioning condenser. Unbolt the air conditioning condenser. Slide the mounting strap clips onto the mounting straps from the back side of the air conditioning condenser and pull until the new external power steering cooler is tight against the air conditioning condenser. Cut off the excess mounting strap.
- Mount the Front Mount Intercooler. The air conditioning condenser is held in place against the radiator through brackets on both sides, each with two 10mm bolts (4 total). The bottom 10mm bolt on each side is used to attach (unthreaded hole) the new intercooler mount brackets (long aluminum strap). The intercooler itself bolts to the threaded holes on the bottom of the intercooler mount brackets to the supplied 10mm bolt (6mmx1.00). Due to the design of the mounting system, the intercooler core assembly can be adjusted horizontally, giving you the ability to align the intercooler core assembly perfectly center to your bumper. ALIGN THE INTERCOOLER CORE ASSEMBLY TO CENTER BEFORE TIGHTENING MOUNTING BOLTS. Tighten all the mounting bolts. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE MOUNTING BOLTS AS THIS MAY STRIP THE THREADS THAT THE BOLT ATTACHES TO.
- Install the OEM smog pump (if car is equipped with one). Attach the OEM smog pump to the new supplied smog pump bracket ring (big ring with 3 holes in it) with the original three 10mm nuts. The OEM smog pump lines can turn at the attachment joint, however they need to be “broken†loose. Attach the OEM smog pump lines to the OEM smog pump. Once attached, grip the line at the attachment joint and turn them to “break†them loose. Once “broken†loose, they can turn freely. Do the same to the other end of the OEM smog pump lines. CLOSELY INSPECT EACH END OF THE ATTACHMENT JOINT. ONE SIDE OF THE OEM SMOG PUMP LINE IS FIXED AND CANNOT BE TURNED. The new supplied smog pump “L†bracket is attached to the hole in the radiator core support / lock carriage where the OEM horn bracket originally attached. Reuse the original bolt use to attach the OEM horn bracket and the supplied new 12mm (8mmx1.25) nut to attach the new smog pump “L†bracket. Attach the OEM smog pump to the new smog pump “L†bracket through one of the three 10mm nut holding the smog pump to the new smog pump bracket ring. ENSURE THAT THE SMOG PUMP IS ORIENTED SO THAT THE INLET AND OUTLET ARE POINTING AT THE RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT / LOCK CARRIAGE. Reattach OEM smog pump lines to their respective locations on the OEM airbox and on the pipe (sitting next to the turbocharger) leading to the smog pump valve.
- Install the intercooler “cold†pipe (intercooler to throttle body pipe) and intercooler “hot†pipe (turbo to intercooler pipe). Install the MAP sensor (if applicable) removed from the OEM intercooler assembly onto the flange on the intercooler “cold†pipe (does not apply to pre-2000 models as they do not have this MAP sensor). Use the supplied 5mm (6mmx1.00) hex socket bolts to attach the sensor. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THESE BOLTS AS THIS MAY STRIP THE THREADS ON THE FLANGE THAT THE BOLT ATTACHES TO. Install the intercooler “cold†pipe on the car. Install the intercooler “hot†pipe on the car. ENSURE THAT THE T-BOLT CLAMPS ARE FLUSH AGAINST THE SILICONE HOSE COUPLER AND ARE FULLY TIGHTENED. THE NYLON LINED NUT ON THE T-BOLT CLAMP WILL GIVE THE TENSION WHEN TIGHTENING AND MAY GIVE THE ILLUSION THAT THEY ARE TIGHT. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE T-BOLT CLAMP. THEY HAVE VERY HIGH CLAMPING LOADS AND CAN DEFORM AND DAMAGE THE INTERCOOLER PIPE IF OVER TIGHTENED.
- Install the diverter valve. Attach the diverter valve with the 1†reinforced hose. Tighten the supplied 1†hose clamps.
- Add power steering fluid to the power steering reservoir. Turn the steering wheel back and forth, adding fluid as need until squealing goes away and the reservoir fluid level stabilizes and is at the full mark. USE ONLY AUDI/VW POWER STEERING FLUID ONLY.
- Start the car and check for boost leaks. Turn off car.
- Install the new bumper reinforcent bar - Use the original hex socket bolt.
- Reinstall front bumper and headlights. Reattach the fog light clips, headlight washer clips and hoses. Reattach front bumper. Reattach headlights.
- Reinstall the belly pan cover.
- Lower the car.
- Enjoy!
If there are any problems or questions about installation, please contact us at contact@evolutionracewerks.com or (626) 814-3403.
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