Ractec FMIC Install with Pics

[m5racer]

Hello all, so this past weekend with the help of Blake, i was able to install my Ractec FMIC. I must say install was pretty straight forward. It only took us a coupple of hours to get everything put on and done with. There were some small hitches in the install (like the intercooler sensor flange being put on the wrong side!) but most stuff was direct install. I must say after trimming my grills the FMIC fits behing the bumper no problem. The only issue im having is that the small mounting nubs are pushing down on my bumper, but im using the wrong mounting bracker (got proper one today) so i will show you guys some pics and then once i put the proper bracket on i will take some proper pictures.

Enjoy:

[mike-2ptzero]

You could always have someone remove the mounting nuts that are on the bottom of the fmic. They are only there for people that need to mount it upside down.

[VTAudiA4]

I did the same thing this weekend. I did the same stupid mistake with the sensor. for Racetec and Autobahn E. for the groupbuy.

[m5racer]

the sensor they jsut mount on the wrong side, its really stupid. Does it fit ur bumper or push it out like mine?

[20A4Audi1.8t01]

looks like everyone decided to install the RaceTec this past weekend!

[VTAudiA4]

^ hahaha I guess so.

M5racer: Yes mine does sag a bit but I just made minor trimming to adjust that.

Here are my install pics:

[Jibberific]

Mine went on this weekend too. I wound up having to shave a lot of plastic around the bumper vents to get it to fit. Also i chopped off the lower mounting nub things with a hacksaw to keep the front valence from being pushed down. The vents had to go, there was no way they'd fit back on. But i like the way it looks without them so it's all good.

[Nebone]

so... it this going to be a "Does my intercooler look good thread?" or will someone post about the performance difference in hot weather with this nice IC?

[fenderstrat1184]

well i had some issues with my install (unfortunately i didn't give myself enough time to install it, and had to reassemble everything halfway through ><

started at about 1pm in the hot sun (garage if full of crap and i had the day off, so what the hell)
here's the kit sitting and waiting...


finally got the bumper off (took me forever, mostly because i was afraid of breaking the clips etc, but now i can get that thing off in probably 5 minutes


test fit to make sure everything is good before i start ripping out the old IC system....


hmmm....


how to get this


through all of this???


unfortunately that is where my patient wore out as i was out in the the dying and hungry with only another hour of spare time to work on this before i'd have to leave the house... so i packed everything back up and reassembled everything and i sit here an angry man.

so how did you guys get around all those hoses and stuff... as you can see from the picture, it doesn't look like there is a clear path to get the piping though...

(realize i'm pretty much a noob when it comes to this sort of thing)

[speedydragon]

whoah I thought you get to keep your stock grilles on after install?

[njm23]

fender, I am not sure about the racetec fmic, but YOU may have to re-locate that secondary air pump in order to get the piping to fit..(sec. air pump is the thing with the sensor going to it right behind the AC lines, if you don't know)

[fenderstrat1184]

hmmm... any suggestions?

[mike-2ptzero]

whoah I thought you get to keep your stock grilles on after install?

Should, just need to trim the back of the grills.

hmmm....

Just push the pipe on in that position so that the pipe goes over your a/c lines and tucks up against the radiator support.

Like this

how to get this

IIRC the tight bend should go toward the turbo while the smaller bend connects to the pipe that connets to the fmic. This will point the BPV port on the pipe toward the radiator.

Here maybe this will help.



I think Racetec might think about putting labels on each end of the pipes so people that haven't seen it done before know which order they go in.

[audiluxary]

^^^ You have a 2000 so you have a secondary air pump on your passenger side which makes it difficult. The easiest way I found was to remove the entire SAP and then build the piping around the radiator bracket. You might have to hack the side of the radiator bracket a little bit but I'm not sure. I don't know exactly how the Racetek FMIC fits. I have an ebay one and the passenger side piping looks the exact same as the racetek. I buikt my piping and used a dremel and cut some of my radiator support and then the piping fit fine. I then installed the secondary air pump and it was kind of tight but it fit back the same way it was.

[audiluxary]

I'm confused what bracket on the radiator does the racetek FMIC go on? Some people have it on the top radiator mount and some have it on the bottom, that may be why it's difficult to manuver around you ac hoses and SAP.

[fenderstrat1184]

Audiluxary: thanks! i think i'm going to try that after my roadtrip this week

Mike: THANKS. I swear, I'm more of a reader than a poster here (I only post after doing a fair amount of searching), and you ALWAYS help people out.

Thanks again, I'll letcha all know how it works out, when I do this again on Sunday...

[fenderstrat1184]

I'm confused what bracket on the radiator does the racetek FMIC go on? Some people have it on the top radiator mount and some have it on the bottom, that may be why it's difficult to manuver around you ac hoses and SAP.

i just went off of pictures of docurley's setup... now that i think about it, it might make sense to put it on the upper bolt since, he has an oem rs4 bumper which sits lower than a stocker a4 iirc

[mike-2ptzero]

Most people put the bracket on the bottom holes. Fred2kA4 put it on the top holes because his AC had some funky fitting that got in the way from using the bottom holes. You can see it in the picture I posted, it is next to the bottom hole on the left side of the picture. He then used some spacer bolts to lower the FMIC down to where he needed it so that it would sit behind the opening of the RS4 type fmic.

here is a better picture showing the a/c fitting that got in the way for fred.

[t1demont1]

damn people are puttin on racetecs like crazy.

[karmad]

whats so special about these racetecs? why not just save money and get a ebay special

[dougyfresh]

whats so special about these racetecs? why not just save money and get a ebay special

Because there was an AZ group buy and now everyone is finally receiving them.

[TonyD]

We still have some B5 A4 Racetec intercoolers in stock. PM me for that group buy price if you may be interested!

[m5racer]

Alright Fenderstart this is wha you do. You have to actaully cut a small piece of the plastic that is in the way in order to fit the FMIC in properly. DO NOT RELOCATE THE SECONDARY AIR PUMP! as it is not nesseary and you should not do it. all you have to do is cut a small pice of the support and it will wrap around just fine. The piece you cut has no structural signifiance and serves no purpose.



And yes the stock grills fit jsut fine, you just need to trim the back of them. I trimmed mine and they fit/look like stock now.

[VTAudiA4]

I didnt do any bending. I just loosed the the a/c unit and the smog thingymajig and pushed it out of the way.

[Nebone]

- m5racer

I'll take a look at your racetek at WF and I might pick one up as well.

[hawaii]

That means it won't fit with the stock bumper?

[TonyD]

It does fit with the stock bumper.

[hawaii]

But it seems to be too big in m5racer's pix.

[mike-2ptzero]

But it seems to be too big in m5racer's pix.

Its just the bottom mouting tabs on the FMIC that are causing the valance to be pushed down.