how i fitted my uni intercooler

sparkie1984

sparky
Aug 17, 2008
1,005
0
this is a guide to try and help people as i found there was a lack of info on t'internet!

please post constructive comments or dont!

firstly, THIS IS ONLY A GUIDE, I WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE IF YOU DAMAGE YOUR CAR OR YOURSELF. PLEASE TAKE ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AND IF IN DOUBT CONSULT A QUALIFIED MECHANIC!!!!!


secondly: if your like me set aside a day! i started at 10 and finished at about 4 (with some fannying about in between, i also had a mate to help me do this!)

thirdly: discard the original jubilees, theyre wank! we took it for a road test and had a leak, changed a few jubilees and good as!


anyway here we go at an attempt at a fitting guide! i chose to do mine behind the mesh and go for a more oem look!:

first take out the screws, 4x in each wheel arch, 4x on the panel above the seat badge, 2x behind the two round covers and 2x behind the black bump strip running round the bumper, also remove the number plate.
SDC11207.jpg



now be very careful removing the black bump strip!!! do not wedge a screwdriver in there and lever it using the plastic, you will damage your bumper. theres a very fine nack to it and what i did was got one end and flick it out using the screwdriver, then you have to push it following the line of the bumper towards the front of the car and youll find that after a bit of wiggling itll come out.


make sure all screws go somewhere safe! and remove bumper, again gently wiggle it, i had a mate helping me so we took a corner each. remember to unplug the fog lights, put a screwdriver in the clips and the plugs come right out! now put the bumper somewhere out the way safe!


now, its time to remove the side mount intercooler, please be careful with the spring clips, if they snap on your fingers its gonna hurt! the intercooler has 3 screws, two at the front of the car and one at the back of the intercooler, the plastic ducting is just clipped on, one clip at top, three at bottom, easy peasy to remove! once these are out you need to unclip the boost hoses from the intercooler, i re-used the spiring clips on these, so just slid the clips up the pipes a bit! once done the intercooler is off, well done so far!
SDC11178.jpg

SDC11180.jpg



now theres some cutting required here! i completely cut the mount which was behind the right had side round plastic flap off as this interferes with the pipework! and on the left hand side, i took off the tow eye bracket and cut the metal out there too, whilst ensuring i can get the tow eye bracket back of course! again be careful you dont jigsaw through the radiator or any pipes!
SDC11192.jpg

SDC11191.jpg



now here come the hard ish part! you need to get an L bracket of some sort, i used some old metal strap i had lying around and drilled them to the black bars running diagonal, be careful you do not drill through the condenser radiator, i slid some steel plate behind there while i did it to protect the rad! i then also fixed them to the crash bar to add some ridgity. its worth noting to do it like this you need to fit it slightly off centre, we went about 20mm because of the angle the rads run at theres not enough room to clear it! and you need to have the outlets at the top of the intercooler!
SDC11190.jpg

SDC11184.jpg




now i cut the length of threaded rod in half and screwed them into the mounting brackets, then put a nut tight to it to tighten it all up! now to offer it up and mark where to drill the holes for the rod in the L brackets!, be careful of the plastic under the rads, we dont want this piercing the intercooler! once done put intercooler out of the way and drill your L brackets!, once done you can slide the rod up through the brackets, put a nut under each bracket and a nut above each, now you can adjust the height to which you want it! i did mine tight to the bottom of the crash bar!
SDC11188.jpg



make sure its nice and tight and give the bumper a trial fit! it will be tight but i removed nothing off of the bumper! it will go with a bit of perserverance! once your happy remove bumper and pipe the intercooler up! now if using the supplied jubilees do them up with a 7mm socket not a flat headed driver as theyre crap! and make sure they are nice and tight and your not crushing any of the hoses with them.
SDC11197.jpg

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now the next bit is up to you but i took my car for a spin up the road just to get it on boost and see if anything popped off before i put the bumper back on! as it happened a rubbish jubilee wasnt sealing properly and it whistled loud as anything lol! so took it home replaced clip and took it out again, this time no loud whistling and held boost ok, so back home i went!


all thats left now is to re-check pipeworks tight and refit bumper, that is the reversal of removing, itll be quite tight but it will go (this is where a mate will come in handy) also remember to plug fog lights back in too



now wear a big smile and enjoy
 

sparkie1984

sparky
Aug 17, 2008
1,005
0
more of the bumper screws:
SDC11208.jpg


the clip for the black bump strip:
SDC11172.jpg



the bumper once off:
SDC11173.jpg



how itll look with bumper off:
SDC11181.jpg

SDC11171.jpg



why were doing this:
SDC11182.jpg



essential:
SDC11176.jpg
 
Last edited:

Pidge

I
Oct 11, 2008
76
0
Aberdeen
I think we need a step by step on relocating the battery and fusebox now. Hmm might make one myself if i can find out exactly how to do it haha!
 

Reuvers

I is a Dutch man!
Oct 30, 2007
3,374
0
Netherlands
I would actually like to see a pic with the bumper on. You put the intercooler directly under the crashbar, and as I am looking at a similar intercooler, I want to know where it appears with bumper on, when placing it there.

thanks in advance
 

sparkie1984

sparky
Aug 17, 2008
1,005
0
can sort that out for you in a bit mate when i go out :) it was too dark and only having 10 photos on a post is a bit crap !

edit: heres one before piping:
SDC11193.jpg
 
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RichFred

Guest
Brilliant guide mate, thanks, i've been umming and aahhing bout this all weekend!
Nice one, i might do this tomorrow if I get a chance! Better finish off my stereo install first tho!
 

sparkie1984

sparky
Aug 17, 2008
1,005
0
nope not at all!!! and cut nothing off of the bumper either!

im literally uploading some pics of it fitted now! so will update in a mo!
 

sparkie1984

sparky
Aug 17, 2008
1,005
0
Brilliant guide mate, thanks, i've been umming and aahhing bout this all weekend!
Nice one, i might do this tomorrow if I get a chance! Better finish off my stereo install first tho!

thanks mate, if it helps someone out then its worth the hassle of writing it! :)

just be patient, take it easy and trial fit measure once cut twice etc etc etc!
 

p34ch3y

tastefully modified
Oct 17, 2005
2,879
1
cambs
spot on old son!!!!!

me and cupra20 are doing this on sunday with any luck it should go as well as yours has
 
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sparkie1984

sparky
Aug 17, 2008
1,005
0
ive updated 2nd post with a few more pics, once photobucket sorts itself out there will be some fitted :)
 

s20ty c

Active Member
Sep 5, 2008
138
0
lancaster
looks the mutz i think i am going to do the same as you, but take the grill out so u can c the cooler a bit better.
 
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