Hot Pipe Problem

[Turbo Smoke]

Hey guys this is my first post on the board although I've found lots of great information on here already! I bought my msp a little over a month ago and have had to put a bit of work into it already but I'm not complaining cuz I'm really enjoying the car.

Anyway here is my problem. I want to replace the vacuum line coming from my wga because its cracked and I figure it will make it much easier if I take the hot pipe off. Seems simple enough, I got the cold pipe off very easily (replaced the motor mounts) so it shouldn't be too hard to get the hot pipe off right? Well I've tried and tried to get the damn thing off but I just can't! I can't get it off the turbo or the intercooler. There is movement of the pipe on the intercooler so it doesn't seem seized there which would be weird for a plastic pipe anyway...

So is there some sort of trick I'm just not aware of? Sorry if this is a really stupid question but I cant find any info on this.

I appreciate anyone's help.

 

[43975]

they are just really hard to get off. Enough pulling and they pop right off. You did loosen the cramp enough right?

 

[Turbo Smoke]

Yeah the clamp is loose enough. I've pulled so hard on it and it just doesn't budge. I feel like I'm just going to break the pipe or pull the rad and intercooler right out.

I'll keep trying to pull on it.

Thanks.

 

[Metallic36]

Crazy idea, but what if you somehow heated it up on both ends so that it would expand more? Maybe with a hairdryer or something.. or if you're able to put the cold pipe on enough to start your car and heat the hot pipe up that way, that would work too.

 

[mazdaspeedp]

you can just jam a flathead under the hotpipe and it should pop out

 

[Turbo Smoke]

Crazy idea, but what if you somehow heated it up on both ends so that it would expand more? Maybe with a hairdryer or something.. or if you're able to put the cold pipe on enough to start your car and heat the hot pipe up that way, that would work too.

I have tried to take the pipe off after driving the car for about 30 mins. Still no luck. Maybe I'll have to try the hair dryer lol. Thanks for the idea.

you can just jam a flathead under the hotpipe and it should pop out

I have also tried to get a screw driver under it. It wasn't a very big one but it didn't help at all. I'll try to jam a big one under there. Maybe both techniques will work together.

I'm not new at all to working on cars but this is just a pain in the ass. Maybe this weekend I'll just keep trying until it comes off.

 

[FLAMSP]

heat it up for sure, should pop right off.

 

[littlemimus]

i know what i did was on the hot pipe i kinda wiggled it on the part that goes to the intercooler then once that was off you kinda push and pull the part that goes to the turbo like in a circular motion...dont know if that helped

 

[mazdaspeedp]

its justa b**** it will comeoff eventually just pull really hard cuz the pipe is supposed to fit tight if you have a tool to remove clips for mazda that would work just be carefull not to break the plastic part on the intercooler

 

[theEZV]

get a hair dryer, heat up for a couple of minutes, it will come off easy

 

[Turbo Smoke]

Finally got the pipe off! The hair dryer worked like a charm. I even had to heat it up again just to get the thing back on...

This will be my excuse to get a FMIC.. The crap plastic pipes are just too much work haha. Anybody have any info on the altered customs unit? (power gains, materials; is it aluminum piping or steel, fitment quality, etc) I guess metallic36 would know the most about this. I also havent heard much about the corksport FMIC.

Thanks for the help guys and any thoughts on a FMIC would be great.

 

[chloe84]

SLS performance sells a real metal Hot pipe. looks much better than the POS plastic ones mazda put in there. other than that, im not sure of any one else making a hotpipe with out (nuts)having to buy a complete kitt...(cold and Hot)

 

[joghia]

Finally got the pipe off! The hair dryer worked like a charm. I even had to heat it up again just to get the thing back on...

This will be my excuse to get a FMIC.. The crap plastic pipes are just too much work haha. Anybody have any info on the altered customs unit? (power gains, materials; is it aluminum piping or steel, fitment quality, etc) I guess metallic36 would know the most about this. I also havent heard much about the corksport FMIC.

Thanks for the help guys and any thoughts on a FMIC would be great.

Hey TurboSmoke! I see that you're in Ontario Canada, like me. You should join TOProtege, the Toronto Protege Club, if you haven't already .

I actually have the same questions as you regarding the FMIC. I will be looking into getting one after winter and my choices are Altered Customs or Corksport also. There's a pretty big price difference between the too, so I may just head the altered customs path.

 

[Turbo Smoke]

SLS performance sells a real metal Hot pipe. looks much better than the POS plastic ones mazda put in there. other than that, im not sure of any one else making a hotpipe with out (nuts)having to buy a complete kitt...(cold and Hot)

Thanks for the info. If I do upgrade, which I really want to after the winter, I think I'll go all out and get a full FMIC.

Hey TurboSmoke! I see that you're in Ontario Canada, like me. You should join TOProtege, the Toronto Protege Club, if you haven't already .

I actually have the same questions as you regarding the FMIC. I will be looking into getting one after winter and my choices are Altered Customs or Corksport also. There's a pretty big price difference between the too, so I may just head the altered customs path.

I have been meaning to join that club, I just haven't got around to it yet. I definitely will join though.

Yeah I'm not so sure about the Corksport, they claim gains of 15whp which doesn't seem too impressive for a FMIC especially when you can get a SMIC for close to the same price with equal or better gains. It just seems pointless to get a FMIC and it doesn't perform better than a side mount does. Although it looks awesome. Thats why I'd really like to know how well the altered customs intercooler performs because the price is unbeatable. If it is capable of making 15whp I don't see any downside.