MAPerformance Subaru BRZ / Scion FR-S Turbo Kit Install! Part 3

Part Three in our Four Part Series: How to install a Subaru BRZ turbo kit!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

In the previous part, we installed the entire hot side components along with the turbocharger and oiling components for our BRZ / FR-S Turbo kit. In this part, we're going to modify the crash bar to allow us to install the front mount intercooler, intake piping, and charge piping. Let's get started!

To modify the crash bar, place the supplied intercooler on the bar. Line up with the intercooler holes with the pre-drilled holes on the crash bar. With a marker, indicate where you're going to make your cuts. See the image for an example. With your cutoff wheel, slowly make the cuts on your lines. Flatten the metal you cut and trim away where it overlaps the lower area you cut. Using a welder, place spot welds on the crash bar so the trimmed area lays flat against the front of the bar. This will give the bar a little more strength. Take a look at the photo's for clarification. You're essentially making room for the intercoolers inlet/outlet pipes. If you are not a skilled welder, you may purchase a pre-modified crash bar from MAPerformance. Contact us for details on that! After modification is complete, attach the FMIC to the crash bar with supplied hardware. You may then install the crash bar/FMIC combo back on the car.

Next, reinstall the windshield washer fluid reservoir. You'll also need to relocate the horn that would have mounted on the crash bar. We removed the factory bracket and put ours directly below the other horn, but any hole will do as long as it doesn't interfere with other parts. Moving onto the charge piping, install the hot pipe first. For all couplers and pipes, leave them loose. This makes finding the pipe orientation much simpler in the end. Attach a 2.5" 90* coupler from the turbo, parallel to the crank pulley. Using the long 90* bent pipe, attach the long leg to the compressor outlet. You should have an open pipe facing up. From there, use the 180* pipe to attach it to the intercooler inlet.

Next, use the 70* pipe and attach the short leg to the intercooler outlet. Connect the reduced end 45* MAF/BOV pipe to 70, then attach it to the throttle body.

For the intake pipe, the mounting tab will attach to the core support, so we need to install that first. It should fit nicely over the charge piping. If it doesn't, go back and redo them. Install the intake pipe with the tab on the outside and the 90* bend directly in front of the radiator. You'll use a bolt from the factory airbox to fasten the tab to the core support. Make sure the filter doesn't interfere with the crash bar/core support when you install it. Tighten all the clamps on every coupler we just installed.

Next, install the hood latch. Run the cable under the charge piping and use the factory bolts to attach to the new support. With the intake piping done, locate the wires on the new fan you installed earlier. Cut off the plug, strip the ends of the wires, and crimp on female spade connectors. The factory harness (hot side) wires will be the same color as the new fan wires that we just put female connectors on. All you need to do is match them up by color. You may also shrink wrap them or tape them, but the connectors should hold it sufficiently.

Now that your intake setup is complete and your slim fan is wired up, we need to get to modifying the fueling system. Take a look in part 4!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4