Planned to get JCW Turbo and Manifold fitted this week in addition to waterpump and thermostat replacement.

Have car in service mode so have more room. Heatshields and downpipe are off. As is the IC as fitting the Evolve FMIC.

So it seems turbo is attached to exhaust manifold and nuts are 11mm. Have got all off apart from the two to the right which are hindered by the turbo being in the way. And manifold is in the way of the 4 nuts holding the turbo on.

Can't remove the final heatshield as support bar bolt is tight and will not budge near the turbo oil return pipe. 10mm nut has hardly any room to access with the return pipe in the way.

Any tips from anyone who has done this? Don't really want to put back together and pay someone to do it as feel I am nearly there just these last bolts are a stumbling block.

At least I have found out why my headlight washer was leaking and its the l shaped connector which attached to the jet that has worn a hole in it. Cannot get just the connector so have to get whole new pipe assembly from mini !!!!!

 

take the manifold and the turbo off as one unit. Then you can get to the 4 bolts to get the turbo off. The bolt for the support bracket is a pain. use a flat ratchet wrench. it takes time.

 

Sprintcars is correct. Remove the exhaust manifold from the engine. Then remove the turbo from the manifold.

Good luck.

BTW the stud bolts on the mainifold are e-torx and come off a lot easier with the correct e-torx socket then if you use a small SAE or metric.

I think I used a metric and got them off since I didn't have e-torx. However, I did strip a couple of the heads and ended up replacing them.

 

And don't try to pull the turbo off by pushing the stainless oil lines out of the way and trying to slip it by. Just bite the bullet and remove the banjo bolt and slide the lines out with the turbo. Guaranteed you will mess the line up if you don't.

 

ORRRRR you can run to sears, buy a cheap craftsman wrench, heat and bent that baby then using little turns (or a ratching box wrench if youre fancy) pull off those top turbo bolts. i just swapped turbos, didnt pull manifold off. was pretty straight forward, just took about 20 mins for manifold flange bolts because of the small movements. push the heatshield that sits between the manifold and engine out of the way with a pry bar, should get you a little extra room as well

 

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Have to get a 1/4 drive socket set in the end as getting to last manifold studs were blocked by oil return hose and could not get to hose either so 1/4 drive got through tighter areas.

Car is still in service mode. Cleaned up engine and fitting new Earls motorsport braided hose for oil feed and new return pipe. Then can fit heat shield back on and turbo but am waiting for some tools which still haven't arrived to allow me to do waterpump and alternator and belt whilst I have that area with space to work.

Then JCW manifold and turbo will get on with my Evolve FMIC. Needs to be completed by end of week as car is booked in with Lohen on the 7th for all the things I am not happy to do myself: bushes for ARB and wishbones and Quaife install....