I couldn't sleep after reading about the issues getting these installed. So I went ahead and did it. It took about 4 hours (alone), but I'm bad at this stuff and half of the time I was looking for parts / tools, or grabbing a drink. Here's a few things that might help others:
- Passenger side is much easier than driver side. Driver side requires you to fit the pieces such that the assembly isn't rubbing against the radiator hose. This was one of the more challenging aspects of the install.
- I found it easiest to loosen the clamps until they turn into a 'C' so you can put them on after the parts are in the correct positions. Put a clamp on the small end of the rubber fitting first, once you've established the angle. The depth of the other fittings and their angle have a lot more flexibility than the aforementioned joint, so it will save you a lot of frustration to get one joint set and assemble the parts around it.
- The instructions don't mention you need to remove the rest of the intake assembly once you remove the airbox. But it's pretty easy.
- I added some washers to the bracket for the driver's side K&N filter to make some more room for the radiator hose.
- I had a "game over" moment when trying to plumb in the original tubing to the driver side metal elbow. I couldn't get the tubes to go into the ports without kinking. The resolution was to undo the other end of the tubing (which is quite difficult to get off) in order to route the tubing kink free. For one of the tubes, I had to tighten the clamp with a vise grip and channel locks because the tube was slightly larger than the port size on the metal elbow. I also turned one of the tubes around because it fit much better that way.
- The heat shield install is frustrating, because you're so close to being finished. I had to file a hole slightly larger to get everything to sit together correctly. The passenger side heat shield and cover didn't want to meet correctly but with some manipulation I have everything seated.
- The driver side heat shield front screw didn't want to go to the original air vent screw (as described in the instructions. It simply would not have fit the way it was intended. Instead, I had to hit a screw slightly adjacent to the original screw. It's behind the trunk release cable so it's a total chore to seat and tighten.
- When wrapping up the driver side heat shield had some pretty bad interference with the strut. Once I tightened it down a bit everything moved into place, and I'm not terribly concerned about rubbing here. But it's a little disappointing.
I took the car for a spin shortly after. The turbo spool and blow off are very pronounced, but the car sounds more or less the same when you aren't accelerating.
