Benjamz

I want to dedicate this install to everyone who has helped me and to everyone who will need help.

I want to share my experience on an install I did for a forum member, G-Gray dude. The kit was used and was missing allot of stuff. The intercooler was in pretty bad shape too. Luckily for me I have some good resources locally. I was able to get all the missing hardware from a nuts and bolt company down the street from the shop and all the missing turbo gaskets, silicone hoses, aluminum piping and couplers from ATP turbo which is about a 15 minute drive from me. Another store I visited was Vic Hubbard’s where I got the heat shield stuff and the AN fittings also.

So, my job was to do the following.

1. Repair intercooler
2. Install Greddy turbo kit with BNR water cooled turbo upgrade
3. Install BHR coil kit
4. Install AEM cold air intake mod to work with turbo kit
5. Install boost controller
6. Modify stock air box so it can be used

Bonus repairs to fix what another shop did not do right.

1. Re-terminated fog lights correctly
2. Repaired driver side radiator support where oil cooler attaches

This was my first Greddy install, did it on my back, no lift. I did everything mentioned above while taking a picture during each step and did it in 7 days.
I did try different ways to make things easier for the install, I am sure that took some time too. Also I was not able to put a full 8 hours each day because I have a full time job and I do this on the side.

I am going to be as detailed as I can be because I hope this thread will answer allot of questions and help allot of first timers out who are just learning how to work on their cars.

This install is just a guideline and there are faster ways if you have two people. But if you are by yourself, this thread should really help you.

Sooo, the missing parts I had to get.

1. All studs and bolts were missing for the turbo to down pipe and 2 studs missing on the manifold to turbo. Also all the associated nuts were missing.

FIX: got these at the nuts/bolt store.

2. All the transition Greddy silicone couplers had stress cracks. I was missing the driver side Greddy aluminum elbow from the IC to IC piping going to the TB. Also the IC that connects to the IC on the passenger side was cut short for some reason so I had to buy a silicone hose for that fix. I was missing the oil drain plug adapter that comes in the Greddy kit. I was missing the heat shielding. I was also missing the Greddy turbo to down pipe gasket as well.

FIX: got all these items from ATP turbo except for the AN fittings to make an adaptor for the oil return and the heat shielding which I got from VIC Hubbard’s.

I did have to run to pepboys for a few misc items.

I did have the turbo kit to inspect about 2 weeks prior to doing the job, but while I was doing the install I found out I needed more stuff.

I think that with having to go to the store for items and not working 8 hours everyday, doing everything listed above in 7 days is decent time for a one man job.

The good parts about the kit:

1. It had Mazdamaniacs fix#2 done to the compressor output elbow.
2. The downpipe looked jet coated.
3. Someone had already tapped the down pipe for an EGT guage, I put a plug in it.
4. A recirculation pipe was already welded onto the IC pipe going to the turbo inlet.
5. Someone already installed a Greddy Type-R BOV to the IC pipe going to the TB.
6. The IC pipe going to the TB with the BOV already was tapped for the JET AIR but the nipple was missing so I re-threaded it for a larger one in the same location.

The turbo install is complete but I will be updating my reserved post for the next couple of days. I have so many pictures and I want to put as much info as I can so that I can help the next guy out.

Ben

Benjamz

OK, let’s get this party started. I got my Rockstar energy drink and I do not have to go back to work until 26 hours from now. I hope to have this thread done by midnight, it is now 2034.

The down side of buying a used kit is that you do not know the condition of the parts your getting. The upside is that they may have already done some of the upgrades needed. As stated in my first post this kit had the good and the bad.

Here are some before and after pictures of the intercooler. The top and bottom base plates had parts that were pushed in and there were allot of fins that were all bent and jacked up. There were a few tubes that had a small dent but they were still ok. There were no stress cracks and trying to fix the tubes would only cause more damage.

Since I have to every now and then fix fins on my products, I have gotten pretty handy with a very small pair of flat pliers. That is what I used to straighten the fins. I had my buddy straighten the base plates. The fins were completely smashed in those areas, but I brought it back from the dead.

Enjoy the pics.

Benjamz

This one includes body fixes.

No need to list photos of re-terminated wires, but I'll list photos of the oil cooler frame repair. Just remember, this was for free to make the oil cooler sit properly again.

The previous shop, I do not know who they were and it was 2 years ago, did not do all the work they said they would do.

Here you can see the driver side oil cooler pressed up against the vent. The rubber vent behind the bumper was pressed up against the oil cooler blocking about 30 percent of the cooler. The support for the cooler was pulled out from the accident and not pushed back. This caused the oil cooler to press up against the bumper collapsing the rubber air duct. I beat that **** back down to its proper form and returned the rubber ducting back to its original form. You can see this all in the pics and that both oil coolers sit properly now. Later on you will see the bumper on and that both oil coolers sit correctly.

The 3rd pic shows how the frame is pulled forward, the 4rth pic shows the frame beat back into place.

Benjamz

How to check for bad couplers.

Some of them looked good at first glance, some looked bad right away. What you have to do is squeeze the coupler to check for cracks. Even if you see baby ones you should replace them. Look at these photos of the stock Greddy transition couplers, they were bad. The Greddy straights were ok though.

Benjamz

Now for the turbo install.

This is just the way I did it. There are other ways, but this was easiest for me.

Once you have the passenger side only engine mount parts out along with the exhaust manifold off you can begin the fun work.

I put the heat shielding on the tunnel and against the transmission.

I used a long piece of wood that covered the entire width off the oil pan. I jacked the motor up so that I had plenty of clearance to put the turbo in. I did this with the elbow and the waste gate off.

Then I put on the exhaust manifold with the help of an angled wrench. It was worth buying, made life easier.

The last pic shows the turbo pulled back so that I can install the water lines, oil feed line, outlet elbow and waste gate.

Note: gregs pointed it out that these greddy manifolds will develop a crack in a certain place. He said he saw it in my photos so I went back and looked. All be damned, look in the 4rth photo with the wrench, to the right of the wrench you will see the little crack. Good eye man. I will make sure to look for that next install I do.

Benjamz

For the BNR turbo water upgrade you want to take the water lines that go to your throttle body and re-route them down to where the turbo is. The front one is long and goes to the bottom water nipple on the turbo and the back one is shorter and it will go to the top turbo water nipple. I was able to use the stock hoses without cutting or adding any length. I also put a fiber glass heat sleeve over these hoses to protect them. Put some rubber caps over the exposed hose nipples on your throttle body to prevent any dirt from getting in there.

I am sorry about the back hose, bad pics but you can get the jest of where it is in the photos.

Benjamz

The engine should still be jacked up so that you have more clearance to move the turbo around to put the water and oil lines on. Here you can see them installed. After those lines are installed you can put the waste gate back on. The last photo shows where the waste gate ends up once the turbo is on the exhaust manifold.

Once you have all your lines on and the waste gate actuator back on you need to push the turbo closer to the engine so that it does not get stuck in between the motor and sub frame when you lower the engine. Lower the engine little by little so that you can still move the turbo around until the exhaust manifold is ALMOST resting on the sub frame and make sure that the jack is still supporting the weight of the engine.


Now you have allot of room to put the turbo onto the manifold and also to get to those downpipe to turbo bolts.

Make sure that you route your greddy air pump line that bolts to your down pipe before you try to bolt on your down pipe.

Benjamz

You can see the down pipe installed here.

The way I bolted the downpipe on was by keeping the engine mount off the car still. That way you can lower then engine until the exhaust manifold almost touches the subframe giving you more room to get to the top bolts on the downpipe. I used a swivel at the end of an extension to help the socket get a good bite.

After the down pipe was on I attached the air pump line. I also screwed the 02 sensor back in. Make sure that when you screw the 02 sensor back in that you turn it a few times the opposite way first so that as you screw it in it un-winds and will be straight when it is tightened.

Make sure that during all this movement that the single 3/8 vacuum line you see by the turbo did not get damage. If you damage this line it will give you an error code that is a secondary air injection fault. I did this and that’s how I know. I did check the line; it had a scuff but no tear. But when I pulled it off and did my coupler check a small cut showed up. I must of pinched the hose against the nipple and that is what caused the leak.

I replaced the line and all was good. No more check engine light.

My last pic shows the line covered by a heat shield sleeve.

Benjamz

Here is one way I think I did it way different then the directions, but man it was way easier overall for me.

The dreaded oil pressure sensor / oil feed line to turbo hook up.

I routed the oil feed line across the back of the engine, there is allot of extra length thank gosh.

I removed the oil filter neck assembly and wollah, a **** load of room to mess with the oil sensor.

You need to make sure that you put the longer fitting in the engine and the shorter one going to the turbo. They are not that much difference in length but long enough to allow clearance for the turbo feed line to clear the tranny housing.

So, you have the t-fitting to engine with the longer adapter. The shorter adapter going to the turbo feed line and the pressure sensor just screws in on the end. Make sure that you try to tighten everything with the feed line to turbo facing the back of the car.

Next you put the oil filter neck assembly back on and there you go.

P.S. Now would be a good time to change your oil filter..hehehe

Benjamz

I am a little bummed out because I do remember taking photos of alot of stuff, but the one I wanted did not show up.

So after I did the oil feed T-fitting I installed the greddy turbo elbow along with the intake ic pipe and the engine mount.

You want to put the greddy turbo elbow on before the intake pipe. You can put the elbow on in an earlier step, but with the right tools you can do it here. I kinda forgot where I did it because I was putting crap on and taking stuff back out since this way my first install. You have to put the intake pipe in but do not bolt it on. You have to put the engine mount in before that pipe gets bolted up. This will give you room to move them around to get them into position so that you can bolt them both down. Once bolted up you can install the rest of the pipes.

You will need to zip tie a connector up so that it will not get in the way of the intake IC pipe.

There is another hose clamp that they say you need to remove but I just bent the tab up a little that the clamp is on and everything fit fine.

Benjamz

BHR coils.

I have these on my car. They work great and I no longer have to replace coils, just spark plugs. I drive hard and I have had my car with me for 16k miles and I am on my 3rd set-up plugs. The coils aren’t even breaking a sweat.

Here you can see the BHR kit on the car. I scraped away the paint to make sure that I had a good connection to chaises ground. This is how I have it on my car with no issues so this is how I did it on this car.

I also put no brainer coil names on the coils with white out.

The instructions that come with the kit are fantastic, I just wanted to show more pics.

Benjamz

Freak mang!

0005 and I am a little over half way done.

I am so tired, but now I'm getting to the fun stuff, The AEM intake mod!!!

I will try my best to do this. Some pics will be out of order but you will have enough pics to see what I did.

Here you can see how I cut the bottom tray to clear the angle of my intake set-up. This is how not to cut it. The bottom cut is good, but at the top you only want to cut it so that the top part of the plastic will still go through the hole so it will not show the AEM pipe. You want to cut it up to the middle of the hole of where it goes through the hole in the radiator support.

On the pipe that goes to the filter, you will need to cut off 5 1/2 inches from the end that goes into the engine bay.

On the MAF pipe you will need to cut off 1 1/8 from the straight side. Save that cut off piece for later because you're going to need it.

Here is the MAF pipe after the cut.

Benjamz

There is a short AEM section of pipe. That is the one you will want to put the screens on at both ends. Make sure that the mesh of the screens is the same when you look through it. You want both screens to be positioned the same so that the airflow will be straight as possible before it gets to the MAF.

At one end attach that short cut of 1 1/8 inch section you cut off of the MAF tube and then attach the hump hose to that.

That hump hose will allow you the flexibility you need to attached it to the filter elbow pipe.

Attach the MAF tube at the other end and rotate the MAF so that the MAF is on the driver side and the angled end will line up with the turbo inlet pipe.

Put rubber caps on the AEM nipples because you will be using the nipples on the greddy kit.

Do not put on the MAF until you have everything lined up because the MAF connector will hit the bottom tray and get damaged if you rotate it too much.

Benjamz

Here are a few more pics for you of the AEM intake to turbo mod.

Benjamz

I did not want to sacrifice I a nice straight flowing set-up just because the MAF harness could not reach so this is what I had to do to extend the MAF harness.

It is not that hard, just do not be in a rush and do it right so you do not accidentally nick or cut any wires.

You have to cut open the taped harness that the MAF wires come out of. Cut the harness going towards the front of the car.

Pull out the MAF wires so that they go over the middle of the plastic box on the drivers side like in the picture.

After you have them where you need them go ahead and tape them back up.

Now unscrew the big plastic box and route the extended MAF harness underneath it and screw the big plastic box back down.

Benjamz

Here you can see the final set-up. Notice I have plenty of length in the MAF extension. The clamps might look like they are off but they are secured correctly to the relation of the pipe in the silicone. The silicone coupler sits a little funky, but the seal is good. Also this does not see boost so it is perfectly fine.

The air temp sensor I put next to the AEM pipe.

It was making the intercooler sit at an angle.

P.S. The air temp harness is not pulled tight and rubbing on that nut in the pic, it just looks that way.

Benjamz

Here you can see the fitment of the intercooler. The top is pushed forward to clear the filter and I used steel to make the brackets instead of aluminum. I also added zip ties for added support to hold the intercooler up.

Many of you may wonder why I have a blue 90 degree silicone hose where a greddy aluminum elbow should be. I do not have that pipe because it was missing. It did not come with this used kit. It is a 4 ply (layer) wrap and will hold 20psi easily. Also the greddy pipe that was missing was L shaped with a short leg going to the IC and the long leg going to the IC pipe going to the TB. I put the 90 degree elbow on the IC, cut a small pipe to go from the elbow to another 3 inch longer coupler and that is how I got it to reach the IC pipe that goes into the engine bay. Only the 90 degree elbow will not work by itself.

I also added a rubber mat in between the intercooler and front frame support to stop and vibrations from occuring.

Benjamz

I have no idea why but the 90 degree pipe going from the inlet of the of the intercooler to the outlet of the turbo ic pipe was cut. Because of this I had to buy a 3 foot long section of silicone hose just to cut a 6 inch section. Since the silicone hoses I use are 4 ply, 6 inch is not an issue as far as durability.

I installed the intercooler outlet to pipe to the 90 degree silicone hose and everything fit snug.

I heard of people having to have to bend IC pipes and what not, but I did not have to do any of that. Everything just fit real nice and snug.

Benjamz

Make sure you cut the tab on the bottom tray so that it does not rub and cut the coupler that connects to the IC pipe going to the TB pipe.

TB pipe installed.

The jet air nipple was already tapped on the driver side of the pipe so I just figured out a way to make it work.

Benjamz

I connected two of the hoses to the greddy intake pipe. I took the 180 stock hose off of one and put it on the jet air hose and that went to the ic pipe that goes to the throttle body.

I just extended the other hoses to reach the greddy intake ic pipe and used zip ties for those.

For the jet air I used clamps since I knew it would see boost.

I also got a 90 degree silicone hose from ATP turbo to to connect to the Greddy Type - R BOV.

Luckily this kit was already modified to be re-circulated!!!!

Benjamz

I cut the air divider so that I could still use it with the AEM intake.

I put the bumper support and styrofoam back on.

Put the bumper on and the rear bumper wheel covers and cut them to clear the pipes.

Benjamz

The boost controller I installed was a AEM boost controller / 52mm gauge combo and was really cool.

The boost solenoid came with easy to understand instructions for external and internal waste gates. The greddy turbo kits use internal waste gates.

First you have to run the boost gauge vacuum line and solenoid harness out together where the main harness passes through the rubber grommet in the driver side firewall.

I ran it across the AC line to the other side because I wanted the vacuum lines to be as short as possible going to the boost solenoid.

I hooked it up per instructions.

Waste gate to port 2
Turbo to port 3 (greddy fix #2)
Muffler in port 1

It was that simple.

I also made a little bracket for the boost solenoid because it did not come with one. You also have to splice the wires from the boost solenoid to the harness coming from the boost controller.

Benjamz

I secured the vacuum lines onto the turbo and waste gate with zip ties. I put a tie wrap around them and the brake line only to stop the lines from flapping around.

NOTE: You must take caution when securing vacuum lines so that they do not move around, if you tie the zip tie too tight you will close the vacuum line and it will not work properly!!!!

I routed the lines up and behind that then bar and then up to the boost solenoid.


For the boost gauge and BOV I did the following.

Look at the pic #4

I took the vacuum line from the boost gauge and attached it to the 90 degree part of the brass fitting.

The little straight line going up goes to the VFAD nipple.
The vacuum line going down goes to the BOV.
The vacuum line going to the side goes to the boost gauge.

It was that simple.

Benjamz

Pics of the boost controller gauge installed.

Benjamz

This kit was also missing the oil pan turbo drain return fitting so I had to make one.

I used an adapter AN fitting with the 14mm on one side and the male AN 8 on the other side. Then I used a 45 degree female 8 AN to barb for the hose.


The oil pan adapter piece is made by EARLS.
Vic Hubards part# ERL 9919EFH size 14x1 5mm -8AN male
you will have to drill the center out to a larger diameter

The 45 degree angle is made by Aeromotive.
Vic Hubards part# AER FCM1523 45 degree -8AN female to barb

The hose I used was a 5/8 diameter weatherhead hose
Vic Hubards part# HOS H10110, they sell it by the foot only

You can get the right size hose clamps once you have the parts in your hands and do not forget to put a heat sleeve on it.

It worked out pretty good but it was a pain to tighten the bolt where the slot is for the turbo oil return pipe is.

It is worth it to convert those hex bolts to allen head bolts and to tighten it you can use a rounded allen key.

Another issue I ran into was the bracket for the downpipe to transmission. It is a little different from a manual to automatic. You have to message the holes to get it to work.