So Sunday I took apart the rear suspension on the car to check it out. While I was at it I went ahead and installed a larger rear anti-roll bar while putting it back together.

Took it for a spin, and then pulled it back into the garage, took off the airbox to look around and started to remove the front bumper to get a closer look at the IC.

Got some more time to work on it today. Got the front bumper off (geez, talk about a pain).

Got the IC off (cute little 5 row, plastic endtank thing that it is).
Got the upper heat shield off, working on the lower.

Couple of things to note -

The exhaust manifold is not equal length. I'll pull those in due time and have them flow benched when I send out an EVO manifold for the same thing.

The wastegate arm is adjustable (although without engine management I STRONGLY suggest not mucking around with it).

The intake manifold is a convoluted mess or hose.

The lower heat shield is a total pain due to one bolt that my hands are too big to get to, and my extension is too long for.

I cannot find the plug for the oil filter. That's driving me nuts.

If I can get the lower heat shield off I'll pull the downpipe as well. I'll ceramic coat the DP and heat shield portions (underhood temps are way too high IMHO).

I'll also thermal dispersant coat the IC.

I'll add some pics that I've been taking tonight (sorry, no rear suspension pics. I forgot at the time).

 

Sounds like you've had fun taking your ride apart- good luck putting it all together! I'll be helping a friend install his JIC/Cross Competition suspension next week, so I hope to become intimately familiar with the suspension of the R56 myself.

 

Talk about taking the initiative

 

The downpipe does suck to remove, and not just because the heat sheild is a pain to remove!

The exhaust manifold is done in a "4 to 2" style, where cylinders 1 & 4 go into one path of the turbines' twin-scroll, and cylinders 2 & 3 go into the other path. Pretty slick; must be why the car sounds subie-ish when the exhaust is un-corked.

The socket for the oil filter is I think 1 1/8 or 1 1/4" Don't ask, just try it, LOL. The size for the oil drain plug is T-50.

Try removing the spark plugs! I still haven't been able to. I think you need a thin-wall 15mm 12 point deep-well socket, but that's just an educated guess.

 

We got it figured out. You have to remove the bumper, the bumper beam, all the supports, unclip the headlights, the upper supports, and all that fun stuff. At that point you can pull the entire front of the car forward to get enough room to actually work (not to mention put it together).

We got it all apart, and then opted to put it all back together. I have to get the bumper skin back on tomorrow. Tony is going to tear it up at an autocross this weekend, and then come back and tell me specifically what needs to be addressed. Hopefully, it'll narrow down some of this shot gun approach. Then take it all apart.

OH!! one thing we may just do is repipe the charge tube to get rid of that stupid muffler they put in. Like THAT thing doesn't affect boost! sheesh!

 

the oil filter cap is 27mm. i just did the oil over the weekend.

 

27mm, thank you! That equates to 1 1/16" socket in english within a hundreth of a millimeter. I knew it was an interchangable size like that, just couldn't remember which off the top of my head!