Ibiza FR TDI Intercooler Failure

CrisisWolf

Guest
My car has been remapped for about 18 months without issue (superchips) and the car has done 30k.

About 6 weeks ago on an A road the pipe connecting to the bottom drivers side of the intercooler disconnected (L bend, fits in your hand). The AA put it back on, then as soon as I went above 2000 rpm it came off again. Had the part replaced (£90!) because one of the two tiny lugs that hold it in place had smoothed off so it wasn't holding against the pressure.

All was fine.

Yesterday (about 600 miles later) it happened again. Same piece has sheared off. Luckily its under 12 month warranty so I'm going to get the piece changed again. I've been told that really its of poor design, there is no way to put extra clips on it or ways of holding it on better. So I've had some thoughts.

Anyone else had this happen?
Anyone strengthened it somehow?
Does the Cupra FMIC have different pipework which is designed better?
How does the Forgemotorsport FMIC pipework mount?
Any reason why it would be under extra pressure causing it to now keep shearing off under the pressure?

Going to get it replaced, but no thinking was this bad luck or is it worth improving it, finding the real cause?

I can grab a photo of the first part that came off to clear up what I am on about. But it is the end L piece of pipe going into the bottom of the intercooler. Two metal ends with a rubber centre.

Advise away! Thanks :D
 

CrisisWolf

Guest

The Part


One of the Two Lugs holding the piece in place (the way it should look)


One of the Two Lugs holding the piece in place which has failed.
 

davidmills2002

Active Member
Jul 14, 2008
100
0
Buntingford, Hertfordshire
As the car's remapped the turbo will be creating more pressure and the piping has to contain all that pressure. The lugs slowly weaken from fatigue and shear off causing the pipe to pop off.

A good solution to the problem is replace the piping with silicon hoses and jubilee clips. Not sure of any for the SMIC but you get them for a FMIC. Maybe if you want ytou could take this as the time to switch to a FMIC and get the better piping and the other benefits as well!
 

CrisisWolf

Guest
6 weeks tho? Bearing in mind it was 18 months or so trouble free? Guess its just a game of chance.

Two FMIC options aren't there? Cupra and the Forge kit? Seen the Forge for about £700 which I assume includes pipework. How much is the Cupra one - and does this require bodywork chopping whereas the Forge will 'fit' as it were.
 

davidmills2002

Active Member
Jul 14, 2008
100
0
Buntingford, Hertfordshire
Yeah 6 weeks does seem short for it to fail again but may just be down to luck of the draw and you may have got a slightly weaker part. Though are you noticing any other problems with your car other than the pipe coming off?

Yeah two options available, forge kit or seat sport intercooler with forge piping. I've just fitted the seat sport to mine and for everything was about £500. With the Seat IC you need to cut bits of the back of the bumper to allow the pipework to fit and think the same is for the Forge IC. Also the Forge IC doesn't fit with the standard crash bar so you get a new one which is the m ain reason for the difference in price. Have a search on here for comparisons between the two.

Since fitting the FMIC i've noticed pulls a bit harder and for longer
 
Nov 25, 2007
1,892
0
Derby
iv had both set ups the forge set up needs alot of cutting to make it fit right id go for the seat sports intercooler and foge pipe work one of mine popped of when i got the car but since its been remapped and iv had both the intercoolers iv never had them pop of again

the seat sports intercooler is around £230 mark and the forge pipe work to go with it is about £220 them prices are goin back last year

alot of people on hear will tell ya to go seatsports way
 

Mattwood

Active Member
Mar 7, 2009
370
0
Nr Southampton
Exact same thing happened to me mate - only it happend less that 100 miles after the map was put on!

Only way round it that I see it to get the seat sport or forge FMIC (Ill be going for the seat sport setup this year) Especially when the cost of the L-bend is almost half as much as the seat FMIC!!!

Sorry to hear you had it happen as I know how gutting it is - hope you get it sorted out soon!
 

CrisisWolf

Guest
So a Seat dealer can supply the Seat Sport FMIC (as on the Cupra) and then I use Forge Pipework instead of Seat pipework (any reason for that?)

Guessing it will be a pricy fit at a garage as well.
 
Nov 25, 2007
1,892
0
Derby
forge set up

DSC02219.jpg
DSC01778.jpg
DSC01781.jpg
DSC01770.jpg



seat sports set up

DSC02775.jpg
DSC02772.jpg
DSC02773.jpg
DSC02774.jpg


pics with bumpers on

DSC02784.jpg
DSC01745.jpg
 
Nov 25, 2007
1,892
0
Derby
So a Seat dealer can supply the Seat Sport FMIC (as on the Cupra) and then I use Forge Pipework instead of Seat pipework (any reason for that?)

Guessing it will be a pricy fit at a garage as well.


the cupra pipe work costs alot more than the forge pipe work and i think the forge pipe work is better

if you go for the seat sports cooler get a price from sere motors of hear its cheaper

also its easy to fit your self
 

CrisisWolf

Guest
Okay I'll check out some prices.

Seat Sports Intercooler with Forge piping. Still after some reading sounds to me like some stuff needs cutting about. I'll get some prices. Meanwhile going to get the standard L bend replaced as its a 'freebie'
 
Jan 11, 2005
680
0
Barnsley
I'm looking at maybe modifying a tri-clamp to subsidise the poor standard bayonet design. When we get some in at work, I'll 'borrow' to see what can be done
 

CupraRobX

Active Member
Jun 29, 2006
467
331
Surrey
I too have had this same problem. I had all the hoses replaced the other week by AmD Essex, only to find the lower boost hose elbow blow off two days later. (Pat @ AmD did warn this could happen!).
I got myself another lower boost hose and this time secured it using a 60-80mm jubilee clip OVER the standard U-clip. My thought process was that the lugs were able to force themselves past the standard clips as they flexed under full boost. By using the jubilee clip tightened over the standard clips, this could contain them, eliminating their ability to be forced out of position by the lugs. I was pretty confident this would work since i tried this method using the (2 day old damaged) hose with one rounded lug and it held full boost just fine for over 5 days of driving.

Pat told me to contact SFS performance about silicone hoses and spoke to Lee @ SFS, who advised me that they werent totally happy with their silicone replacement for this lower boost hose. He hasnt had an OEM to copy so a few people had problems with their part not fitting correctly. Kind person that I am, I have 'donated' my albeit damaged hose to SFS so that Lee can make a much better MKII version in silicone and hopefully dial-out this crappy Seat design! I'll write up something a bit more construction (maybe with pics if I can somehow keep my hands clean next time) when they make up my silicone version!!
 

CrisisWolf

Guest
Can someone give me the list of what I need:

Forge Motorsport Hoses - Hard Pipes Hoses fitting Kit for SEAT Sport Ibiza Intercooler
http://www.forgemotorsport.co.uk/content.asp?inc=product&product=FMSKINT_[new%20code]_[new%20code]&cat=190104 - £245

Seat Sport Intercooler - Anyone got the part number?

Do I need mounting brackets? Forge says the kit doesn't include mounting brackets or the intercooler so are these included with the Seat Sport kit?

Got a garage I use who will fit it for me, but if any parts are missing I will pay the hourly rate as it sits there waiting for all the parts! Pays to get it right!
 
Nov 25, 2007
1,892
0
Derby
if you have a word with someone from seremotors of hear they will no what bits you need

seatsports intercooler
brackets

thats it then ring forge up and ask for the seat sports intercooler pipe work easy as that mate
 

CrisisWolf

Guest
DONE

As they say.

Got the Forge Pipes from DPM Performance as they are £30 cheaper than direct from Forge.

Been an expensive car month, just bought new alloys now a new intercooler - don't know what to do now (other than stay in for the rest of the month!)
 

CrisisWolf

Guest
Quick question for all other FMIC owners...

1. Even 'smokier'?
2. You can hear the air suck when you accelerate (sounds like its coming from drivers side wheel arch?

Thanks!
 
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