Topic: NEED: (Pics added) How to change the stock clamps to T-Bolt clamps please?

[KWhale]

OK, I have to admit.  Last winter, I was ordering the A-Pillar and AeroForce gauges from DDM, so I figured I might as well order the T-Bolt clamp set as well, and save me some money on shipping.  I installed the pillar and gauges months ago.  I still have a clear plastic bag with 6 T-bolt clamps in it  

I read the instruction paper that came with the clamps, and I swear that twice now I've opened the hood and tried to find the clamps that are being replaced and I think I see some of them, but not 100% sure.  So I cracked open the 700lb Hahn manuals that I have.  Their first instructions were to remove the hood and the horn!  WHAT THE?  I have read many threads talking about doing this clamp change over and never once did I see anyone talk about removing the hood and the horn, so I'm thinking the manual is useless in this case  

I searched this forum and 2 others, and could not find any picture step by step instructions.  Does anyone know where there are some pictures showing the clamp swap?  There are also 2 sizes of clamps and the instructions are confusing me as to which ones go where, so if anyone has pics and can point to the clamps and indicate which are the 2 smaller clamps and which are the 4 larger clamps   would be appreciated.

If I can get enough help here to do this myself, I promise to take pics along the way, and do a How To for Joe's garage.  Thanks in advance for any help you guys can point me at.

[1LILNDN]

KWhale ; The  turbo already has two .The other end of charge pipes need them above inercooler. throtle body ell and pipe on drivers side also. hope that helps

[TomatoSoup]

I can't remember sizes, but that should be fairly obvious when you find the original clamps...

4 clamps go on the two short sections of hose that go into and out of the intercooler at the front.  You get to the clamps for these (on each side) through the front gap between the hood and the bumper when the hood is raised.  If you look through the gap you should see the hoses and clamps.  For the passenger side you will need to unbolt the horn for access, but this is easy, just one nut.  You won't need to remove the hood.

The remaining two clamps are on the driver side of the engine on the hose that goes into the throttle body (follow the big curved aluminum intake pipe from the front of the engine back toward the driver until it transitions to this hose).  The last of these two clamps on this hose, where it goes into the throttle body mounted on the engine, is A ROYAL B*TCH to get on.  Clearance is really tight.  Unfortunately this is also the clamp that most often fails, so you have to change it if your change any of them.

Good luck (sorry no photos).

[DeepBlueGXP]

http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/f59/throtle-body-pipe-install-pics-38350/

This may help some

[Uranium-238]

+1 on the throttle body clamps being difficult. By far one of the biggest PITA projects I've ever done on a car.

[sunnygator]

I did pretty much the same thing go-n-def posted on the big board.  Twice.  'Cause the first time I didn't get the throttle body connected on right.  However, the last time through I loosened and remove the pipes al the way up to the intercooler.  And it was much much much much easier, no problems since.  I don't know how the extra DDM stuff you have affects things, but  my advice is taking apart more is probably easier than taking apart less and trying to wriggle things in place.....make sense?

Here is my problem...and the help I got here to fix it...boy, what would I do without y'all???

http://www.kappaperformance.com/forum/index.php?topic=2146.0

sunygator

[Sol Asylum]

Step one purchase tickets to fly GJ from San Diego to your place, this can be a one way ticket since I am sure that you will won't to keep him around and the rest of the USA will be willing to make that sacrifice.

GJ has already done this on his car and even knows how to remove them from other people who happen to have cars in other countries so yours should be no problem.

Step two watch him like a hawk as you don't want to end up short on any parts and you don't want extra items installed or things painted pink.

Step three go drive your car.

It doesn't get much easier then that!

[Gentleman Jack]

SA,

GREAT IDEA!  I would love to see the Arctic Circle!  The best part is I can simply place my bottle next to me in the snow and it will stay cold!

KWhale,
If I can finish my irrigation project tomorrow after work, I will do step by step photos.  I really is easy.  For reference, can you photo your engine?  I want to be sure of what you got under there.

GJU

[KWhale]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, and I did see those 2 threads mentioned above previously.  Every little bit helps

Essay - That's an excellent suggestion!  I think I'll spring for the round trip ticket though lol

GJ - Unfortunately, our snow finished melting this weekend so we are resorting to keeping our beer in coolers again.  Not a big deal, it's only for 6 weeks and then winter will be back

I will try and take some pics of my engine at lunch tomorrow for you to see.  If I can get some clear shots, I'll highlight what I now think are the clamps in question, and see if I'm on target or not.

Thanks for the offer to help out.

[KWhale]

OK, I got some pics of what I think are the clamps I need to swap out.  If someone could first confirm that Yes these are the correct ones that would be great!  After that, suggestions on the best way to attack each clamp (you can refer to them by the label # I put on them to alleviate any confusion) would be appreciated.

It looks like #1 and #2 are the easiest, and that's probably where I'll start and see how those 2 go before attempting the really hard ones    Any suggestions are welcome, and if you've done this before and have some handy dandy tricks, by all means pass those along.  Like I said originally, If I can get these done myself I'll take photo's along the way for a How To thread.

Pictures
Standing on the passenger side of the car looking at the engine.  This angle sort of shows 3 clamps on the passenger side:
UPDATED - Clamps 1 and 2 DO NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED


Closeup of Clamp #1
UPDATED - Does not need to be replaced


Closeup of Clamp #2
UPDATED - Does not need to be replaced


Closeup of Clamp #3 (passanger front angle)
UPDATED - There are actually 2 clamps down there (3 and 3a)


Now over to the Drivers side, starting with a Closeup of Clamp #4 (the front clamp by the inter-cooler)
UPDATED - There are actually 2 clamps down there (4 and 4a)


An overall shot standing on the Drivers Side of the car, looking at the engine:


Closeup of Clamp #5


Closeup of Clamp #6

[sunnygator]

 5 and 6 are the only ones I have replaced with tbolt clamps.  Looks like your #6 is barely on there!  My advice for 5&6 is to remove more of the pipes running forward toward the intercooler too.  I was not able to make it work just removing 5&6 and trying to wriggle it back in place. So you'll need to remove #4 and some of the brackets to get 5&6 replaced.

Looks like 1&2 already are tbolts BTW.

Sunnygator

[TomatoSoup]

Dude, you didn't read my post (or not carefully enough ).  Don't change clamps 1 & 2, as sunny says, they are already t-bolts.  You will need to change 3 & 4 and 5 & 6 (6 is the b*tch).

The two you are missing are below 3 & 4.  As I said before: "You get to the clamps for these (on each side) through the front gap between the hood and the bumper when the hood is raised.  If you look through the gap you should see the hoses and clamps."

UPDATE: Looking again at your photos of 3 & 4, you can just see the other clamps beyond, in the depths.

[KWhale]

SoupMan - I went back out and looked again, there are 2 clamps on each side on top of the inter-cooler (where 3 and 4 are in the pics)....I did tip the top up and look down in there, but it was too tight to get the camera in there for a pic, so I took them from the Engine side.

Clamps 1 and 2 can be skipped then is the consensus (since they are better clamps anyway).  It looks like 3, 3a, 4, 4a are tight to get at down the front between the hood and bumper area and I can see why the manual indicated to remove the horn from the passenger side to give you more room (I will try without removing it though).  Clamps 5 and 6 do look like the hardest ones to do, although it seems my clamp 6 needs to be done first.  I think I will actually start with 5 and 6 and if things are too tight like Gator suggests they will be, I'll work my way towards 4 and 4a, loosening things as I go.

Thanks for the help so far guys!!  It's supposed to be nice by mid week here, so I'm going to try this Wed or Thrs I think.

[markrat]

Thanks for the pictures KWhale and all for the information.  I've been wondering exactly which clamps myself. 

[rich71]

"""" Clamps 5 and 6 do look like the hardest ones to do, although it seems my clamp 6 needs to be done first.  I think I will actually start with 5 and 6 and if things are too tight like Gator suggests they will be, """"



Sorry, but there is no "6 needs to be done first". You have to take the entire hose off and while its off just replace both.....the throttle body clamp is actually part of the hose via a tab glued onto the hose. you can't see it from the picture, i had to cut mine off with a razor blade, some have just ripped it off. anyway, just wanted to set the expectation that you will be doing both not just the last one. just be very carefull with the a/c sensor(i thinks thats what it is) as that can break off . disconnect the wire from it and be careful twisting the hose out of the way around that and you will be in great shape. the intercooler clamps are ok and don't have the reputation of leaking. i have the westers "ss" tune and the stock i/c clamps haven't leaked. But i do plan on swapping them out once i get bored and feel like tinkering around. the biggest bang for the time involved are the throttle body clamps.

[TomatoSoup]

Sorry, but there is no "6 needs to be done first". You have to take the entire hose off and while its off just replace both.....the throttle body clamp is actually part of the hose via a tab glued onto the hose. you can't see it from the picture, i had to cut mine off with a razor blade, some have just ripped it off. anyway, just wanted to set the expectation that you will be doing both not just the last one.

Plus, I forgot about the molded-in clamp issue.  

Also, (again as I said before) just go ahead and remove the horn.  It's just one nut and far easier to do that than trying to work around it!

[KWhale]

It actually cleared up and warmed up to 50 F this afternoon so I thought I would tackle clamps 4,4a,5 & 6 on the drivers side.  It went exactly as everyone (thanks guys) said it would, there is just no easy way to do it without taking the entire section off.  I started on Clamp 6, once it was off, I took off the bracket screws (2 of those), disconnected the hose and wire connector.  I went to the front and took off the bottom clamp 4a.  Once that was off I lifted the entire section out of the engine bay to work on.

Installation actually went pretty well.  I started by building the entire length using clamp 4 and 5.  Slid clamp 6 onto the hose and connected that end to the intake.  Piece of cake!  went to the front and worked the hose onto the inter-cooler and clamped it down with 4a.  Connected the brackets back up, reconnected the hose and electrical connector.  Went back over everything and tightened all the clamps again.  I was not sure how tight I could clamp those babies down before crushing something so I did not go as tight as I could.

Took the car for a run.  Let it warm up for about 15 minutes of driving and then got on her hard several times.  It went pretty good for the first 5 minutes......until clamp 5 blew off!  Clearly not tight enough.  When I got her back in the garage the hose wasn't too hot so I reconnected it and tightened the crap out of the clamp.  Then I tightened the other ones too just to make sure.  The next test run was good.

Now the passenger side clamps 3 & 3a are for tomorrow weather permitting.

[IBDRINKEN]

hmm i never replaced my tb clamps yet...

[TomatoSoup]

hmm i never replaced my tb clamps yet...

Gotta do that one dude, it's one of the first to go. 

Good thing though, is that you can hear if it's 'on it's last legs' by the sound it makes...
a kind of Eeee-Hawww-ing noise    

[IBDRINKEN]

with all the mods I have done you would think I would have blown those off by now. I have replaced all the other ones. Looks like DDM is getting more of my money...

[Gentleman Jack]

KWhale,
you seem to be on your way.  This is not as tough as it seems.

Markrat,
We can bang this out in an hour one of these days when we get together.

GJ

[KWhale]

Hmmmm....1 hour eh?  It took me about 2 hours just to do the one side!!  Do you stop the clock when you pause to drink your beer and stare at the car?  If so, then I did it in 1 hour too!

[DeepBlueGXP]

KWhale, did you remove the rubber that went over the old clamps on 5 and 6?

[Critterman]

IB - someone has to pick up the slack, I have been remisent this year.

[IBDRINKEN]

I know its not much but since the mod meet I have spent over a grand with Dave :/